Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

187

Gender

Male

Birthday

1905-12-08

Deathday

1985-08-02 (79 years old)

Place of Birth

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Also Known As

Francis Charles Ruf
Frank Ruf
Charles Francis Ruf

Frank Faylen

Biography

Frank Faylen (born Francis Charles Ruf) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. He is best remembered for his movie performances as the cynical male nurse in The Lost Weekend (1945) and Ernie the taxi driver in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), as well as for his portrayal of long-suffering grocer Herbert T. Gillis on the 1950s television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

Known For

8.3%

It's a Wonderful Life

Dec 20, 1946

7.9%

Gone with the Wind

Dec 15, 1939

7.8%

The Grapes of Wrath

Mar 15, 1940

7.6%

The Lost Weekend

Nov 29, 1945

7.2%

Funny Girl

Sep 19, 1968

7.0%

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

May 30, 1957

7.2%

Sergeant York

Sep 27, 1941

7.1%

Yankee Doodle Dandy

May 29, 1942

7.0%

The Palm Beach Story

Aug 28, 1942

6.7%

The Blue Dahlia

Apr 16, 1946

6.6%

The Reluctant Dragon

Jun 19, 1941

7.0%

Detective Story

Oct 24, 1951

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Acting

1988

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life as Self (archive footage)

1977

Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis? as Herbert T. Gillis

1976

Quincy, M.E. as Janus

1968

Funny Girl as Keeney

1966

That Girl

1965		When the Boys Meet the Girls as Phin Gray
1965		My Mother the Car
1965		The Monkey's Uncle as Mr. Dearborne
1965		Fluffy as Catfish

1963		The Great Adventure as O'Brien
1963		Petticoat Junction as Ralph

1962

The Beverly Hillbillies

1960

North to Alaska as Arnie (uncredited)

1959

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as Herbert T. Gillis

1958		Man with a Camera
1958		Wanted: Dead or Alive as Sheriff Earl Tipton

1957		Maverick as Red Harrison
1957		Dino as Frank Mandel
1957		Gunfight at the O.K. Corral as Sheriff Cotton Wilson

1956		7th Cavalry as Sgt. Kruger
1956		Three Brave Men as Enos Warren
1956		Everything But the Truth as 'Mac' McMillan
1956		Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre as Doc Alvarez
1956		Away All Boats as Chief Phillip P. 'Pappy' Moran
1956		Terror at Midnight as Fred Hill
1956		Telephone Time

1955		The McConnell Story as Sfc. Sykes
1955		The Looters as Stan Leppich

1954		The Lone Gun as Fairweather
1954		Riot in Cell Block 11 as Commissioner Haskell
1954		Red Garters as Billy Buckett

1953		99 River Street as Stan Hogan
1953		General Electric Theater as Farber

1952		Hangman's Knot as Cass Browne
1952		The Lusty Men as Al Dawson
1952		The Sniper as Anderson

1951		My Favorite Spy as Newton
1951		Detective Story as Det. Gallagher
1951		Passage West as Curly
1951		Racket Squad
1951		Fourteen Hours as Walter, room service waiter

1950		Copper Canyon as Mullins
1950		The Eagle and the Hawk as Red' Hyatt - Danzeeger's Foreman
1950		The Colgate Comedy Hour as Self
1950		Convicted as Convict Ponti
1950		The Bob Hope Show as Self
1950		Francis as Sergeant Chillingbacker
1950		The Nevadan as Jeff

1948		Whispering Smith as Whitey Du Sang
1948		Blood on the Moon as Jake Pindalest
1948		Race Street as Phil Dickson
1948		Hazard as Oscar

1947		Road to Rio as Trigger
1947		Variety Girl as Frank Faylen
1947		The Perils of Pauline as Mr. Joe Gurt
1947		The Trouble with Women as Geeger
1947		Welcome Stranger as Bill Walters
1947		Easy Come, Easy Go as Boss
1947		California as Whitey
1947		Suddenly It's Spring as Harold Michaels

1946		It's a Wonderful Life as Ernie
1946		Cross My Heart as Fingerprint Expert
1946		Two Years Before the Mast as Hansen
1946		Blue Skies as Mack
1946		Our Hearts Were Growing Up as Federal Agent
1946		The Well Groomed Bride as Cabbie
1946		The Blue Dahlia as Man Recommending Motel
1946		To Each His Own as Babe

1945		Masquerade in Mexico as Brooklyn (uncredited)
1945		The Lost Weekend as 'Bim' Nolan
1945		Incendiary Blonde as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
1945		The Affairs of Susan as Brooklyn Boy (Uncredited)
1945		You Came Along as Bellboy (uncredited)
1945		Bring on the Girls as Sailor
1945		Bombalera as Houlihan

1944		The Canterville Ghost as Lieutenant John Kane
1944		Address Unknown as Jimmie Blake
1944		Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble as Taxi Driver #2 (uncredited)
1944		And the Angels Sing as Holman
1944		See Here, Private Hargrove as M.P. (uncredited)
1944		Standing Room Only as Cabbie

1943		A Guy Named Joe as Major (uncredited)
1943		The Gang's All Here as Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
1943		The Mystery of the 13th Guest as Speed Dugan
1943		The Unknown Guest as Truck Driver (uncredited)
1943		Corvette K-225 as Shipyard Painter
1943		Thank Your Lucky Stars as Sailor (uncredited)
1943		Nazty Nuisance as Seaman Benson
1943		Young Ideas as Reporter (uncredited)
1943		Yanks Ahoy as Quartermaster Jenkins
1943		Get Going as Hank
1943		Prairie Chickens as Clem
1943		Good Morning, Judge as Ben Pollard
1943		Mission to Moscow as Reporter (uncredited)
1943		Taxi, Mister as Henchman Silk
1943		The Falcon Strikes Back as Cecil, a Hobo (uncredited)
1943		Slightly Dangerous as Gateman (uncredited)
1943		Dixie Dugan as Soldier (uncredited)
1943		Silver Skates as Eddie

1942		Fall In as Capt. Gillis
1942		Across the Pacific as Sidewalk Toy Vendor (uncredited)
1942		The Palm Beach Story as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1942		Somewhere I'll Find You as Soldier Driving Jeep
1942		Wake Island
1942		A-Haunting We Will Go as Train Detective (uncredited)
1942		The Pride of the Yankees as Yankee Third Base Coach (uncredited)
1942		Tough as They Come as Collector
1942		Maisie Gets Her Man as Stage Manager (Uncredited)
1942		Yankee Doodle Dandy as Sergeant on Parade (uncredited)
1942		Whispering Ghosts as Curly
1942		About Face as Bartender Jerry
1942		Mokey as Police Desk Sergeant
1942		Star Spangled Rhythm as Soldier (uncredited)
1942		Joe Smith, American as Man in Waiting Room with Matches (uncredited)

1941		Steel Against the Sky as Egg Man in Diner (uncredited)
1941		H.M. Pulham, Esq. as Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
1941		Top Sergeant Mulligan as Pat Dolan
1941		Sergeant York as But! Boy (uncredited)
1941		Tanks a Million as Pvt. Skivic
1941		Let's Go Collegiate as Speed Dorman
1941		Blossoms in the Dust as Man with Man Carrying Dead Child
1941		Father Steps Out as Tall Hobo 'King', aka The King of Siam
1941		The Reluctant Dragon as Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
1941		Thieves Fall Out as Pick
1941		Model Wife as Master of Ceremonies
1941		Footsteps in the Dark as Gus a Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1941		Come Live with Me as Waiter

1940		East of the River as Tour Guide (uncredited)
1940		Just a Cute Kid as Benny
1940		City for Conquest as Band Conductor and Emcee (uncredited)
1940		No Time for Comedy as Cab Driver
1940		They Drive by Night as Driver in Cafe (uncredited)
1940		Pop Always Pays as Minerva Auto Loan Cashier
1940		Blame It on Love as Studio Electrician
1940		Brother Orchid as Parkway Biltmore Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1940		La Conga Nights as Jeepers Peepers
1940		Edison, the Man as Galbreath
1940		Saturday's Children as Cab Driver (uncredited)
1940		Curtain Call as Spike Malone
1940		The Grapes of Wrath as Tim
1940		Alice in Movieland as Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
1940		Castle on the Hudson as Guard Who is Slugged (uncredited)
1940		The Fighting 69th as Engineer Sergeant (uncredited)
1940		Married and in Love as Jim Carter, Man in Bar

1939		Invisible Stripes as Steve - Henchman on Bank Job (uncredited)
1939		Gone with the Wind as Soldier Aiding Dr. Meade (uncredited)
1939		Nick Carter, Master Detective as Pete Foley - 1st pilot
1939		Reno as J. Hezmer Briggs
1939		No Place to Go as Pete Shaffer
1939		Slapsie Maxie's as Tiger Dorsey
1939		Thunder Afloat as Recruiting Officer (uncredited)
1939		Waterfront as Skids Riley
1939		Five Came Back as Photographer (uncredited)
1939		It's a Wonderful World as Peters - Stagehand (uncredited)
1939		Lucky Night as Play Palace Announcer (uncredited)
1939		Women in the Wind as Chuck - the Mechanic (uncredited)
1939		The Flying Irishman as New York Mechanic
1939		The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle as Adjutant (uncredited)
1939		You Can't Get Away with Murder as Boat Tour Guide (uncredited)
1939		Twelve Crowded Hours as Henchman (uncredited)
1939		Idiot's Delight as Ed
1939		Crime Rave

1938		No Time to Marry as Waxler
1938		The Invisible Menace as Private of the Guard

1937		Headin' East as Joe
1937		Wine, Women and Horses as Horse Buyer
1937		Back in Circulation as James Maxwell - a Reporter (uncredited)
1937		Ever Since Eve as Bandit Leader at Monteray Tavern (uncredited)
1937		They Won't Forget as Reporter
1937		Dance Charlie Dance as Ted Parks
1937		The Case of the Stuttering Bishop as Charlie Downs
1937		Kid Galahad as Barney
1937		San Quentin as Convict Envying Hoffman (uncredited)
1937		The Go-Getter as Country Club Man #2 (uncredited)
1937		The Cherokee Strip as Joe Brady
1937		Marked Woman as Cabbie #2 (uncredited)
1937		Midnight Court as Reporter
1937		Smart Blonde as Ambulance Driver (uncredited)

1936		King of Hockey as Swede
1936		Night Waitress as Policeman at Torre's
1936		All American Chump as Reporter (uncredited)
1936		The Sky Parade as Pilot (uncredited)
1936		China Clipper as Weatherman (uncredited)
1936		Bullets or Ballots as Gatley - Pinball Racketeer (uncredited)
1936		Border Flight as Jimmie
1936		Road Gang as Radio Dispatcher

1935

Double Exposure as Press Photographer (uncredited)