--- name: "Frank Faylen" canonical: "https://film.one/person/frank-faylen" fi1m_id: "frank-faylen" imdb_id: "nm0269709" tmdb_id: 17759 wikidata_id: "Q459786" roles: ["Actor"] born: "8 December 1905" died: "2 August 1985" reviewed_on_fi1m: 10 average_fi1m_score: 77 average_as: "actor" average_over: 6 updated: "2026-09-25T03:09:23.245463+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Frank Faylen ## Identity Frank Faylen - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/frank-faylen - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** frank-faylen - **IMDb ID:** nm0269709 - **TMDB ID:** 17759 - **Wikidata ID:** Q459786 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Faylen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q459786, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0269709/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17759 Actor. Born 8 December 1905 in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. Died 2 August 1985. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 8 December 1905, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - **Died:** 2 August 1985 - **Active:** 1940–1968 - **Also known as:** Francis Charles Ruf, Frank Ruf, Charles Francis Ruf - **Titles on Fi1m:** 10: 6 acting, 4 other - **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 6 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 76 (9), 1960s 70 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 78 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 6, Romance 2, Action 1, Comedy 1, Family 1, Fantasy 1 - **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $81m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Faylen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q459786, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0269709/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17759 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*It's a Wonderful Life*](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md) (91), [*Funny Girl*](https://film.one/film/funny-girl.md) (70) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Frank Faylen > Frank Faylen spent thirty years in the small parts, the cabbie and the cop with three lines, and made most of them stick. Once, in *The Lost Weekend*, Billy Wilder gave him a hospital ward at night, and he was frightening. He arrives late in *The Lost Weekend* (1945), in the alcoholic ward, as a night attendant called Bim Nolan. He has seen a thousand men like Ray Milland's Don and he tells him so, kindly, as a matter of professional fact. We found him the most frightening thing in the film, and the fright is all in the kindness. He is not cruel. He is simply certain about how this ends, and Faylen never raises his voice to say so. He had been in pictures for a decade by then, mostly uncredited, mostly at Warner Bros., playing the cop, the cabbie, the bartender. Through 1950 he was working at a rate of around a dozen films a year, which explains both why the face is familiar and why the name on the credits so often was not. A year after Bim came Ernie the cab driver in *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), a small friendly part in a film we rate very highly, and the two roles between them mark out his whole territory: the ordinary man who can be trusted and the ordinary man who cannot, played with the same face and much the same manner. What he did was watch. In a scene built for the star, Faylen is the man at the edge of the frame who plainly has an opinion about what is happening and is keeping it to himself, and that is why a bit part of his registers when the scene around it does not. He had been doing it since he could stand. Recalling his parents' vaudeville act in 1948, he said: "I had a line in the act which I spoke on cue. I raised my bottle and said, 'bottle.'" It is as good a description of the character actor's job as we know: one word, on cue, and the audience remembers it. The reservation is the obvious one. He was a bit player who was handed two proper parts in consecutive years, and the business took the hint only once more, on television, where he spent four years as Herbert T. Gillis, the long-suffering father in *The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis* (1959–1963). He turns up early as Tim in *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940) and late as Keeney in *Funny Girl* (1968), after which he stopped. Nobody built a film around him, and nobody should have; his gift was for the two minutes that make the rest of the scene look honest. Watch *The Lost Weekend* for Milland, and then notice who you are still thinking about when the lights come up. ## Biography Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf, also credited as Francis Charles Ruf) was an American actor. He began his career in vaudeville as a child with his parents and later worked as a stage actor before entering films in the 1930s. He appeared in numerous productions, often in uncredited or supporting roles. Faylen is known for film roles including a soldier in *Gone with the Wind* (1939), Tim in *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940), 'Bim' Nolan in *The Lost Weekend* (1945), Ernie Bishop in *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), and Keeney in *Funny Girl* (1968). On television he played Herbert T. Gillis in the series *The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis* (1959–1963). He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (10) ### Performed in (6) — the average rests on these - *Funny Girl* (1968), Fi1m 70, as Keeney — [page](https://film.one/film/funny-girl.md) - *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), Fi1m 91, as Ernie — [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md) - *The Lost Weekend* (1945), Fi1m 82, as 'Bim' Nolan — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lost-weekend.md) - *Wake Island* (1942), Fi1m 73, Actor — [page](https://film.one/film/wake-island.md) - *Blossoms in the Dust* (1941), Fi1m 58, as Man with Man Carrying Dead Child — [page](https://film.one/film/blossoms-in-the-dust.md) - *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940), Fi1m 86, as Tim — [page](https://film.one/film/the-grapes-of-wrath.md) ### Also credited (4) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *The Palm Beach Story* (1942), Fi1m 80, as Taxi Driver (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-palm-beach-story.md) - *The Pride of the Yankees* (1942), Fi1m 71, as Yankee Third Base Coach (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-pride-of-the-yankees.md) - *Yankee Doodle Dandy* (1942), Fi1m 78, as Sergeant on Parade (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/yankee-doodle-dandy.md) - *Sergeant York* (1941), Fi1m 66, as But! Boy (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/sergeant-york.md) ## Complete filmography (187) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis?* (1977), as Herbert T. Gillis - *Quincy, M.E.* (1976), series, as Janus - *Funny Girl* (1968), as Keeney — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/funny-girl.md) - *That Girl* (1966), series, Actor - *When the Boys Meet the Girls* (1965), as Phin Gray - *My Mother the Car* (1965), series, Actor - *The Monkey's Uncle* (1965), as Mr. Dearborne - *Fluffy* (1965), as Catfish - *The Great Adventure* (1963), series, as O'Brien - *Petticoat Junction* (1963), series, as Ralph - *The Beverly Hillbillies* (1962), series, Actor - *North to Alaska* (1960), as Arnie (uncredited) - *The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis* (1959), series, as Herbert T. Gillis - *Man with a Camera* (1958), series, Actor - *Wanted: Dead or Alive* (1958), series, as Sheriff Earl Tipton - *Maverick* (1957), series, as Red Harrison - *Dino* (1957), as Frank Mandel - *Gunfight at the O.K. Corral* (1957), as Sheriff Cotton Wilson - *7th Cavalry* (1956), as Sgt. Kruger - *Three Brave Men* (1956), as Enos Warren - *Everything But the Truth* (1956), as 'Mac' McMillan - *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Doc Alvarez - *Away All Boats* (1956), as Chief Phillip P. 'Pappy' Moran - *Terror at Midnight* (1956), as Fred Hill - *Telephone Time* (1956), series, Actor - *The McConnell Story* (1955), as Sfc. Sykes - *The Looters* (1955), as Stan Leppich - *The Lone Gun* (1954), as Fairweather - *Riot in Cell Block 11* (1954), as Commissioner Haskell - *Red Garters* (1954), as Billy Buckett - *99 River Street* (1953), as Stan Hogan - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Farber - *Hangman's Knot* (1952), as Cass Browne - *The Lusty Men* (1952), as Al Dawson - *The Sniper* (1952), as Anderson - *My Favorite Spy* (1951), as Newton - *Detective Story* (1951), as Det. Gallagher - *Passage West* (1951), as Curly - *Racket Squad* (1951), series, Actor - *Fourteen Hours* (1951), as Walter, room service waiter - *Copper Canyon* (1950), as Mullins - *The Eagle and the Hawk* (1950), as Red' Hyatt - Danzeeger's Foreman - *Convicted* (1950), as Convict Ponti - *Francis* (1950), as Sergeant Chillingbacker - *The Nevadan* (1950), as Jeff - *Whispering Smith* (1948), as Whitey Du Sang - *Blood on the Moon* (1948), as Jake Pindalest - *Race Street* (1948), as Phil Dickson - *Hazard* (1948), as Oscar - *Road to Rio* (1947), as Trigger - *Variety Girl* (1947), as Frank Faylen - *The Perils of Pauline* (1947), as Mr. Joe Gurt - *The Trouble with Women* (1947), as Geeger - *Welcome Stranger* (1947), as Bill Walters - *Easy Come, Easy Go* (1947), as Boss - *California* (1947), as Whitey - *Suddenly It's Spring* (1947), as Harold Michaels - *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), as Ernie — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md) - *Cross My Heart* (1946), as Fingerprint Expert - *Two Years Before the Mast* (1946), as Hansen - *Blue Skies* (1946), as Mack (uncredited) - *Our Hearts Were Growing Up* (1946), as Federal Agent - *The Well Groomed Bride* (1946), as Cabbie - *The Blue Dahlia* (1946), as Man Recommending Motel - *To Each His Own* (1946), as Babe - *Masquerade in Mexico* (1945), as Brooklyn (uncredited) - *The Lost Weekend* (1945), as 'Bim' Nolan — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lost-weekend.md) - *Incendiary Blonde* (1945), as Hotel Clerk (uncredited) - *The Affairs of Susan* (1945), as Brooklyn Boy (uncredited) - *You Came Along* (1945), as Bellboy (uncredited) - *Bring on the Girls* (1945), as Sailor - *Bombalera* (1945), as Houlihan - *The Canterville Ghost* (1944), as Lieutenant John Kane - *Address Unknown* (1944), as Jimmie Blake - *Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble* (1944), as Taxi Driver #2 (uncredited) - *And the Angels Sing* (1944), as Holman - *See Here, Private Hargrove* (1944), as M.P. (uncredited) - *A Guy Named Joe* (1944), as Major (uncredited) - *Standing Room Only* (1944), as Cabbie - *The Gang's All Here* (1943), as Marine Sergeant (uncredited) - *The Mystery of the 13th Guest* (1943), as Speed Dugan - *The Unknown Guest* (1943), as Truck Driver (uncredited) - *Corvette K-225* (1943), as Shipyard Painter - *Thank Your Lucky Stars* (1943), as Sailor (uncredited) - *Nazty Nuisance* (1943), as Seaman Benson - *Young Ideas* (1943), as Reporter (uncredited) - *Yanks Ahoy* (1943), as Quartermaster Jenkins - *Get Going* (1943), as Hank - *Prairie Chickens* (1943), as Clem - *Good Morning, Judge* (1943), as Ben Pollard - *Mission to Moscow* (1943), as Reporter (uncredited) - *Taxi, Mister* (1943), as Henchman Silk - *The Falcon Strikes Back* (1943), as Cecil, a Hobo (uncredited) - *Slightly Dangerous* (1943), as Gateman (uncredited) - *Dixie Dugan* (1943), as Soldier (uncredited) - *Silver Skates* (1943), as Eddie - *Fall In* (1942), as Capt. Gillis - *Across the Pacific* (1942), as Sidewalk Toy Vendor (uncredited) - *The Palm Beach Story* (1942), as Taxi Driver (uncredited) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-palm-beach-story.md) - *Somewhere I'll Find You* (1942), as Soldier Driving Jeep - *Wake Island* (1942), Actor — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/wake-island.md) - *A-Haunting We Will Go* (1942), as Train Detective (uncredited) - *The Pride of the Yankees* (1942), as Yankee Third Base Coach (uncredited) — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/the-pride-of-the-yankees.md) - *Tough as They Come* (1942), as Collector - *Maisie Gets Her Man* (1942), as Stage Manager (Uncredited) - *Yankee Doodle Dandy* (1942), as Sergeant on Parade (uncredited) — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/yankee-doodle-dandy.md) - *Whispering Ghosts* (1942), as Curly - *About Face* (1942), as Bartender Jerry - *Mokey* (1942), as Police Desk Sergeant - *Star Spangled Rhythm* (1942), as Soldier (uncredited) - *Joe Smith, American* (1942), as Man in Waiting Room with Matches (uncredited) - *Steel Against the Sky* (1941), as Egg Man in Diner (uncredited) - *H.M. Pulham, Esq.* (1941), as Marine Sergeant (uncredited) - *Top Sergeant Mulligan* (1941), as Pat Dolan - *Sergeant York* (1941), as But! Boy (uncredited) — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/sergeant-york.md) - *Tanks a Million* (1941), as Pvt. Skivic - *Let's Go Collegiate* (1941), as Speed Dorman - *Blossoms in the Dust* (1941), as Man with Man Carrying Dead Child — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/blossoms-in-the-dust.md) - *Father Steps Out* (1941), as Tall Hobo 'King', aka The King of Siam - *The Reluctant Dragon* (1941), as Orchestra Leader (uncredited) - *Thieves Fall Out* (1941), as Pick - *Model Wife* (1941), as Master of Ceremonies - *Footsteps in the Dark* (1941), as Gus a Taxi Driver (uncredited) - *Come Live with Me* (1941), as Waiter - *East of the River* (1940), as Tour Guide (uncredited) - *Just a Cute Kid* (1940), as Benny - *City for Conquest* (1940), as Band Conductor and Emcee (uncredited) - *No Time for Comedy* (1940), as Cab Driver - *They Drive by Night* (1940), as Driver in Cafe (uncredited) - *Pop Always Pays* (1940), as Minerva Auto Loan Cashier - *Blame It on Love* (1940), as Studio Electrician - *Brother Orchid* (1940), as Parkway Biltmore Desk Clerk (uncredited) - *La Conga Nights* (1940), as Jeepers Peepers - *Edison, the Man* (1940), as Galbreath - *Saturday's Children* (1940), as Cab Driver (uncredited) - *Curtain Call* (1940), as Spike Malone - *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940), as Tim — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-grapes-of-wrath.md) - *Alice in Movieland* (1940), as Master of Ceremonies (uncredited) - *Castle on the Hudson* (1940), as Guard Who is Slugged (uncredited) - *The Fighting 69th* (1940), as Engineer Sergeant (uncredited) - *Married and in Love* (1940), as Jim Carter, Man in Bar - *Invisible Stripes* (1939), as Steve - Henchman on Bank Job (uncredited) - *Gone with the Wind* (1939), as Soldier Aiding Dr. Meade (uncredited) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/gone-with-the-wind.md) - *Nick Carter, Master Detective* (1939), as Pete Foley - 1st pilot - *Reno* (1939), as J. Hezmer Briggs - *No Place to Go* (1939), as Pete Shaffer - *Slapsie Maxie's* (1939), as Tiger Dorsey - *Thunder Afloat* (1939), as Recruiting Officer (uncredited) - *Waterfront* (1939), as Skids Riley - *Five Came Back* (1939), as Photographer (uncredited) - *It's a Wonderful World* (1939), as Peters - Stagehand (uncredited) - *Lucky Night* (1939), as Play Palace Announcer (uncredited) - *Women in the Wind* (1939), as Chuck - the Mechanic (uncredited) - *The Flying Irishman* (1939), as New York Mechanic - *The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle* (1939), as Adjutant (uncredited) - *You Can't Get Away with Murder* (1939), as Boat Tour Guide (uncredited) - *Twelve Crowded Hours* (1939), as Henchman (uncredited) - *Idiot's Delight* (1939), as Ed - *Crime Rave* (1939), Actor - *Too Hot to Handle* (1938), as Assistant Dubber (uncredited) - *No Time to Marry* (1938), as Waxler - *The Invisible Menace* (1938), as Private of the Guard - *Headin' East* (1937), as Joe - *Wine, Women and Horses* (1937), as Horse Buyer - *That Certain Woman* (1937), as Reporter (uncredited) - *Back in Circulation* (1937), as James Maxwell - a Reporter (uncredited) - *Ever Since Eve* (1937), as Bandit Leader at Monteray Tavern (uncredited) - *They Won't Forget* (1937), as Reporter - *Dance Charlie Dance* (1937), as Ted Parks - *The Case of the Stuttering Bishop* (1937), as Charlie Downs - *Kid Galahad* (1937), as Barney - *San Quentin* (1937), as Convict Envying Hoffman (uncredited) - *The Go-Getter* (1937), as Country Club Man #2 (uncredited) - *The Cherokee Strip* (1937), as Joe Brady - *Marked Woman* (1937), as Cabbie #2 (uncredited) - *Midnight Court* (1937), as Reporter - *Smart Blonde* (1937), as Ambulance Driver (uncredited) - *King of Hockey* (1936), as Swede - *Night Waitress* (1936), as Policeman at Torre's - *All American Chump* (1936), as Reporter (uncredited) - *The Sky Parade* (1936), as Pilot (uncredited) - *China Clipper* (1936), as Weatherman (uncredited) - *Bullets or Ballots* (1936), as Gatley - Pinball Racketeer (uncredited) - *Border Flight* (1936), as Jimmie - *Romance in the Air* (1936), as Sure-Fire - *Road Gang* (1936), as Radio Dispatcher (uncredited) - *Double Exposure* (1935), as Press Photographer (uncredited) ## Gallery - ![Frank Faylen](https://film.one/media/person/102340/gallery-870f02779f6a.jpg) Frank Faylen — Trailer for "Hangman's Knot" (1952), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Frank-faylen-trailer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Frank Faylen & Jean Porter in That Nazty Nuisance (1943) aka The Last Three aka Double Crossed Fool - lobby card (cropped)](https://film.one/media/person/102340/gallery-76207b0e3117.jpg) Frank Faylen & Jean Porter in That Nazty Nuisance (1943) aka The Last Three aka Double Crossed Fool - lobby card (cropped) — unknown (Hal Roach Studios), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Frank_Faylen_in_Nazty_Nuisance.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Screenshot with Ray Milland from the trailer for the American film The Lost Weekend (1945) by Billy Wilder. Ray Milland, Frank Faylen](https://film.one/media/person/102340/gallery-26d0c50f308f.jpg) Screenshot with Ray Milland from the trailer for the American film The Lost Weekend (1945) by Billy Wilder. Ray Milland, Frank Faylen — Paramount Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/The_Lost_Weekend_%281945_film%29_G.jpg/1280px-The_Lost_Weekend_%281945_film%29_G.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Frank Faylen](https://film.one/media/person/102340/gallery-94272e8fabff.jpg) Frank Faylen — Image via TMDB - ![Frank Faylen](https://film.one/media/person/102340/gallery-bde79d2bbf2a.jpg) Frank Faylen — Image via TMDB --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/frank-faylen