ACTOR
Frank Faylen
Known for Sergeant York · The Beverly Hillbillies · Quincy, M.E.
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.
Snapshot 2026-10-16
- Born
- Dec 8, 1905
- Died
- Aug 2, 1985
- Birthplace
- Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Known For
- Acting
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.
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Known For
MOVIE
Sergeant YorkBut! Boy (uncredited) · 1941
★ 7.2
★ 7.2
TV
The Beverly Hillbillies1 eps · 1962
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
TV
Quincy, M.E.Janus · 1976
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
MOVIE
The Gang's All HereMarine Sergeant (uncredited) · 1943
★ 5.9
★ 5.9
TV
MaverickRed Harrison · 1957
★ 7.0
★ 7.0
TV
Petticoat JunctionRalph · 1963
★ 5.9
★ 5.9
TV
Wanted: Dead or AliveSheriff Earl Tipton · 1958
★ 7.1
★ 7.1
TV
That Girl2 eps · 1966
★ 6.2
★ 6.2
Filmography
Movies
Double ExposurePress Photographer (uncredited)
1935
All American ChumpReporter (uncredited)
1936
Border FlightJimmie
1936
Bullets or BallotsGatley - Pinball Racketeer (uncredited)
1936
China ClipperWeatherman (uncredited)
1936
King of HockeySwede
1936
Night WaitressPoliceman at Torre's
1936
Road GangRadio Dispatcher (uncredited)
1936
Romance in the AirSure-Fire
1936
The Sky ParadePilot (uncredited)
1936
Back in CirculationJames Maxwell - a Reporter (uncredited)
1937
Dance Charlie DanceTed Parks
1937
Ever Since EveBandit Leader at Monteray Tavern (uncredited)
1937
Headin' EastJoe
1937
Kid GalahadBarney
1937
Marked WomanCabbie #2 (uncredited)
1937
Midnight CourtReporter
1937
San QuentinConvict Envying Hoffman (uncredited)
1937
Smart BlondeAmbulance Driver (uncredited)
1937
That Certain WomanReporter (uncredited)
1937
The Case of the Stuttering BishopCharlie Downs
1937
The Cherokee StripJoe Brady
1937
The Go-GetterCountry Club Man #2 (uncredited)
1937
They Won't ForgetReporter
1937
Wine, Women and HorsesHorse Buyer
1937
No Time to MarryWaxler
1938
The Invisible MenacePrivate of the Guard
1938
Too Hot to HandleAssistant Dubber (uncredited)
1938CR
Crime Rave
1939
Five Came BackPhotographer (uncredited)
1939
Gone with the WindSoldier Aiding Dr. Meade (uncredited)
1939
Idiot's DelightEd
1939
Invisible StripesSteve - Henchman on Bank Job (uncredited)
1939
It's a Wonderful WorldPeters - Stagehand (uncredited)
1939
Lucky NightPlay Palace Announcer (uncredited)
1939
Nick Carter, Master DetectivePete Foley - 1st pilot
1939
No Place to GoPete Shaffer
1939
RenoJ. Hezmer Briggs
1939
Slapsie Maxie'sTiger Dorsey
1939
The Flying IrishmanNew York Mechanic
1939
The Story of Vernon and Irene CastleAdjutant (uncredited)
1939
Thunder AfloatRecruiting Officer (uncredited)
1939
Twelve Crowded HoursHenchman (uncredited)
1939
WaterfrontSkids Riley
1939
Women in the WindChuck - the Mechanic (uncredited)
1939
You Can't Get Away with MurderBoat Tour Guide (uncredited)
1939
Alice in MovielandMaster of Ceremonies (uncredited)
1940
Blame It on LoveStudio Electrician
1940
Brother OrchidParkway Biltmore Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1940
Castle on the HudsonGuard Who is Slugged (uncredited)
1940
City for ConquestBand Conductor and Emcee (uncredited)
1940
Curtain CallSpike Malone
1940
East of the RiverTour Guide (uncredited)
1940
Edison, the ManGalbreath
1940
Just a Cute KidBenny
1940
La Conga NightsJeepers Peepers
1940
Married and in LoveJim Carter, Man in Bar
1940
No Time for ComedyCab Driver
1940
Pop Always PaysMinerva Auto Loan Cashier
1940
Saturday's ChildrenCab Driver (uncredited)
1940
The Fighting 69thEngineer Sergeant (uncredited)
1940
The Grapes of WrathTim
1940
They Drive by NightDriver in Cafe (uncredited)
1940
Blossoms in the DustMan with Man Carrying Dead Child
1941
Come Live with MeWaiter
1941
Father Steps OutTall Hobo 'King', aka The King of Siam
1941
Footsteps in the DarkGus a Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1941
H.M. Pulham, Esq.Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
1941
Let's Go CollegiateSpeed Dorman
1941
Model WifeMaster of Ceremonies
1941
Sergeant YorkBut! Boy (uncredited)
1941
Steel Against the SkyEgg Man in Diner (uncredited)
1941
Tanks a MillionPvt. Skivic
1941
The Reluctant DragonOrchestra Leader (uncredited)
1941
Thieves Fall OutPick
1941
Top Sergeant MulliganPat Dolan
1941
A-Haunting We Will GoTrain Detective (uncredited)
1942A-Haunting We Will Go
1942
About FaceBartender Jerry
1942
Across the PacificSidewalk Toy Vendor (uncredited)
1942
Fall InCapt. Gillis
1942
Joe Smith, AmericanMan in Waiting Room with Matches (uncredited)
1942
Maisie Gets Her ManStage Manager (Uncredited)
1942
MokeyPolice Desk Sergeant
1942
Somewhere I'll Find YouSoldier Driving Jeep
1942
Star Spangled RhythmSoldier (uncredited)
1942
The Palm Beach StoryTaxi Driver (uncredited)
1942
The Pride of the YankeesYankee Third Base Coach (uncredited)
1942
Tough as They ComeCollector
1942
Wake Island
1942
Whispering GhostsCurly
1942
Yankee Doodle DandySergeant on Parade (uncredited)
1942
Corvette K-225Shipyard Painter
1943
Dixie DuganSoldier (uncredited)
1943
Get GoingHank
1943
Good Morning, JudgeBen Pollard
1943
Mission to MoscowReporter (uncredited)
1943
Nazty NuisanceSeaman Benson
1943
Prairie ChickensClem
1943
Silver SkatesEddie
1943
Slightly DangerousGateman (uncredited)
1943
Taxi, MisterHenchman Silk
1943
Thank Your Lucky StarsSailor (uncredited)
1943
The Falcon Strikes BackCecil, a Hobo (uncredited)
1943
The Gang's All HereMarine Sergeant (uncredited)
1943
The Mystery of the 13th GuestSpeed Dugan
1943
The Unknown GuestTruck Driver (uncredited)
1943
Yanks AhoyQuartermaster Jenkins
1943
Young IdeasReporter (uncredited)
1943
A Guy Named JoeMajor (uncredited)
1944
Address UnknownJimmie Blake
1944
And the Angels SingHolman
1944
Andy Hardy's Blonde TroubleTaxi Driver #2 (uncredited)
1944
See Here, Private HargroveM.P. (uncredited)
1944
Standing Room OnlyCabbie
1944
The Canterville GhostLieutenant John Kane
1944B
BombaleraHoulihan
1945
Bring on the GirlsSailor
1945
Incendiary BlondeHotel Clerk (uncredited)
1945
Masquerade in MexicoBrooklyn (uncredited)
1945
The Affairs of SusanBrooklyn Boy (uncredited)
1945
The Lost Weekend'Bim' Nolan
1945
You Came AlongBellboy (uncredited)
1945
Blue SkiesMack (uncredited)
1946
Cross My HeartFingerprint Expert
1946
It's a Wonderful LifeErnie
1946
Our Hearts Were Growing UpFederal Agent
1946
The Blue DahliaMan Recommending Motel
1946
The Well Groomed BrideCabbie
1946
To Each His OwnBabe
1946
Two Years Before the MastHansen
1946
CaliforniaWhitey
1947
Easy Come, Easy GoBoss
1947
Road to RioTrigger
1947
Suddenly It's SpringHarold Michaels
1947
The Perils of PaulineMr. Joe Gurt
1947
The Trouble with WomenGeeger
1947
Variety GirlFrank Faylen
1947
Welcome StrangerBill Walters
1947
Blood on the MoonJake Pindalest
1948
HazardOscar
1948
Race StreetPhil Dickson
1948
Whispering SmithWhitey Du Sang
1948
ConvictedConvict Ponti
1950
Copper CanyonMullins
1950
FrancisSergeant Chillingbacker
1950
The Eagle and the HawkRed' Hyatt - Danzeeger's Foreman
1950
The NevadanJeff
1950
Detective StoryDet. Gallagher
1951
Fourteen HoursWalter, room service waiter
1951
My Favorite SpyNewton
1951
Passage WestCurly
1951
Hangman's KnotCass Browne
1952
The Lusty MenAl Dawson
1952
The SniperAnderson
1952
99 River StreetStan Hogan
1953
Red GartersBilly Buckett
1954
Riot in Cell Block 11Commissioner Haskell
1954
The Lone GunFairweather
1954
The LootersStan Leppich
1955
The McConnell StorySfc. Sykes
1955
7th CavalrySgt. Kruger
1956
Away All BoatsChief Phillip P. 'Pappy' Moran
1956
Everything But the Truth'Mac' McMillan
1956
Terror at MidnightFred Hill
1956
Three Brave MenEnos Warren
1956
DinoFrank Mandel
1957
Gunfight at the O.K. CorralSheriff Cotton Wilson
1957
North to AlaskaArnie (uncredited)
1960
FluffyCatfish
1965
The Monkey's UncleMr. Dearborne
1965
When the Boys Meet the GirlsPhin Gray
1965
Funny GirlKeeney
1968
Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis?Herbert T. Gillis
1977
James Stewart: A Wonderful LifeSelf (archive footage)
1987Television
The Bob Hope ShowSelf · 1 eps
1950
The Colgate Comedy HourSelf · 1 eps
1950
Racket Squad1 eps
1951
General Electric TheaterFarber · 1 eps
1953
Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreDoc Alvarez · 1 eps
1956
Telephone Time1 eps
1956
MaverickRed Harrison · 1 eps
1957
Man with a Camera1 eps
1958
Wanted: Dead or AliveSheriff Earl Tipton · 1 eps
1958
The Many Loves of Dobie GillisHerbert T. Gillis · 147 eps
1959
The Beverly Hillbillies1 eps
1962
Petticoat JunctionRalph · 1 eps
1963
The Great AdventureO'Brien · 1 eps
1963
My Mother the Car2 eps
1965
That Girl2 eps
1966
Quincy, M.E.Janus · 1 eps
1976Photos
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