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Frank Faylen

Frank Faylen (1905 - 1985) was an American movie and television actor. Born Frank Ruf in St. Louis, Missouri, he began his acting career as an infant appearing with his vaudeville performing parents on stage. After traveling with his showbiz parents through his childhood, Faylen became a stage actor at 18, and eventually began working in movies in the 1930s. He began playing a number of unmemorable bit parts for Warner Bros. Faylen's breakthrough came in 1945, where he was cast as Bim, the cynical male nurse at Bellevue's alcoholic ward in The Lost Weekend. He was then cast as in a series of bad guy roles for a number of years. Faylen appeared in almost 200 films.

Faylen's career also stretched to television, playing Herbert T. Gillis on the 1950s television sitcom Dobie Gillis. In 1968 he had a small part in the Barbra Streisand film Funny Girl. Faylen was married to Carol Hughes, also a movie actress.

On his passing in 1985, Frank Faylen was interred in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2005.

Frank Faylen Facts

Birth NameFrank Ruf
OccupationActor
BirthdayDecember 8, 1905
SignSagittarius
BirthplaceSt. Louis, Missouri, USA
Date of deathAugust 2, 1985 (age 79)

Selected Filmography

Mystery Of The 13Th Guest
It's A Wonderful Life
The Lost Weekend
The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis: The Complete Series
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
California
The Nevadan
Detective Story
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