William Gerald Franey (June 23, 1889 – December 6, 1940) was an American film actor. Born in Chicago in 1889, Franey appeared in more than 400 films between 1914 and 1941, mostly playing comedic roles. He was an actor of disheveled appearance and fuzzy mustache, usually in a suit a couple of sizes too big. His late career included numerous uncredited appearances in classics like ''

Bringing Up Baby ''Bringing Up Baby'' is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film tells the story of a paleontologist in a number of predi ...

'', and he also appeared as the father-in-law of Edgar Kennedy in several of his series of short comedies. Franey contracted

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptom ...

and died from complications involving the illness in 1940. in his funeral the Mouners were

Gale Henry Gale Henry (April 15, 1893 – June 17, 1972) was an American film actress. A prominent comedian, she appeared in more than 230 films between 1914 and 1933. In 1923, Gale Henry and her husband, Henry East, began training dogs for motion p ...

Vivian Oakland Vivien Oakland (born Vivian Ruth Andersen; May 20, 1895 – August 1, 1958), was an American actress best known for her work in comedies in Hollywood in the 1920s and 1930s, most notably with the Hal Roach Studios. Oakland appeared in 157 films ...

Milburn Morante Milburn Morante (April 6, 1887 – January 28, 1964) was an American actor, film director and makeup artist.Katchmer p. 267 Partial filmography * '' The Covered Trail'' (1924) * '' Battling Mason'' (1924) * '' The Terror of Pueblo'' (1924) * '' ...

, Edgar Kennedy, and

Max Asher (actor) Max Asher, born Max Ascher, (May 5, 1885 – April 15, 1957) was an actor whose career spanned the early silent film era to talkies in the early 1930s. His career began on stage. He appeared in various comedic shorts. He was 5'9" and more than ...

Partial filmography

* ''The Leak'' (1917)''

Motography ''Motography'' was an American film journal that was first published in 1909 and ran until mid-1918. The magazine was published in 1909 and was originally named ''The Nickelodeon'',"Motography." The Bioscope. 9 Feb. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2015 http:/ ...

'' Volume 17, Issue 4 - Page 1019 1917 ''The Leak'' (William Franey) * '' Skirts'' (1921) * '' Quincy Adams Sawyer'' (1922) * '' A Western Demon'' (1922) * ''

The White Panther ''The White Panther'' is a 1924 American drama film set in India starring Australian actor Snowy Baker in a story about the love affair between Major Wainwright, an English officer, and the governor's daughter. It features an early appearance by ...

'' (1924) * ''

The Fire Patrol ''The Fire Patrol'' is surviving American 1924 silent melodrama film directed by Hunt Stromberg and starring Anna Q. Nilsson that was based upon the 1891 play of the same name by James W. Harkins and Edwin Barbour. Stromberg also produced the fi ...

'' (1924) * '' With Kit Carson Over the Great Divide'' (1925) * '' Manhattan Madness'' (1925) * ''

S.O.S. Perils of the Sea ''S.O.S. Perils of the Sea'' is a 1925 American silent film, silent action drama film featuring Elaine Hammerstein, directed by James P. Hogan (director), James P. Hogan, and released through Columbia Pictures. Plot As described in a film magazi ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Fear Fighter ''The Fear Fighter'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Billy Sullivan, Ruth Dwyer and J.P. McGowan.Munden p.234 Cast * Billy Sullivan as Billy Griffin * Ruth Dwyer as Catherine Curtis * J.P ...

'' (1925) * '' The Great Sensation'' (1925) * '' The False Alarm'' (1926) *'' Moran of the Mounted'' (1926) * ''

Señor Daredevil ''Senor Daredevil'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Ken Maynard, Dorothy Devore, and George Nichols (actor), George Nichols.Munden, p. 631 Cast * Ken Maynard as Don ...

'' (1926) * '' King of the Saddle'' (1926) * ''

The Windjammer ''The Windjammer'' is a 1926 American silent action film directed by Harry Joe Brown and starring Billy Sullivan, Thelma Hill and Billy Franey.Munden p.907 It was distributed by the independent Rayart Pictures, the forerunner of Monogram Pictu ...

'' (1926) * ''

Code of the Northwest ''Code of the Northwest'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Frank S. Mattison and starring Tom London, Frank Austin and Shirley Palmer.Munden, p. 135-36 Synopsis In Canada a Mountie is assisted by his police dog to bring i ...

'' (1926) * '' A Desperate Moment'' (1926) * '' Danger Quest'' (1926) * '' The Dead Line'' (1926) * ''

The Dangerous Dude ''The Dangerous Dude'' is a 1926 American silent action film directed by Harry Joe Brown and starring Reed Howes, Bruce Gordon and Dorothy Dwan.Munden p.166 Cast * Reed Howes as Bob Downs * Bruce Gordon as Harold Simpson * Dorothy Dwan as J ...

'' (1926) * '' The Golden Stallion'' (1927) * '' Out All Night'' (1927) * '' She's a Sheik'' (1927) * ''

The Racing Fool ''The Racing Fool'' is a 1927 American silent action film directed by Harry Joe Brown and starring Reed Howes, Ruth Dwyer and Ernest Hilliard.Munden p.672 Cast * Reed Howes as Jack Harlowe * Ruth Dwyer as Helen Drake * Ernest Hilliard as Colw ...

'' (1927) * ''

King of the Herd ''King of the Herd'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Frank S. Mattison and starring Raymond McKee, Nola Luxford and Bud Osborne. Given an initial release in 1927, it went on a more general release in 1929. Cast * White Sta ...

'' (1927) * '' The Royal American'' (1927) * '' The Lost Limited'' (1927) * '' Under the Tonto Rim'' (1928) * '' Five and Ten Cent Annie'' (1928) * '' Romance of a Rogue'' (1928) * ''

The Glorious Trail ''The Glorious Trail'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Ken Maynard, Gladys McConnell and Frank Hagney. Cast * Ken Maynard as Pat O'Leary * Gladys McConnell as Alice Harper * Frank Hagney as ...

'' (1928) * ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...

'' (1929) * '' The Royal Rider'' (1929) * ''

Anne Against the World ''Anne Against the World'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by Duke Worne and featuring Boris Karloff.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30'' by The American Film Institute, c.1971 Cast * Shirley Mason as Anne * J ...

'' (1929) * '' Dumb Dicks'' (1931) (short) * '' Freighters of Destiny'' (1931) * '' Forgotten Women'' (1931) * ''

The Sheriff's Secret ''The Sheriff's Secret'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by James P. Hogan and starring Jack Perrin, Dorothy Bauer and Fred Hargreaves. Cast * Jack Perrin as Jack Rawlins * Dorothy Bauer as Alice * Fred Hargreaves as Bill * Joe Smi ...

'' (1931) * '' Partners'' (1932) * '' The Night of June 13'' (1932) (uncredited) * ''

Guests Wanted ''Guests Wanted'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code short subject directed by Ralph Ceder. Cast *Benny Rubin as Benny * Nell Breen as Nell *Louise Carver as Mrs. Carver *Charles Dorety as Second Miner *Billy Franey as First Miner *Bud Jamison ...

'' (1932) (short) * ''

Ghost Valley ''Ghost Valley'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film starring Tom Keene. It made a profit of $20,000. Plot A jailed cowpoke is hired by the corrupt Judge Drake to impersonate one of the heirs to a gold mine. The cowpoke is in fact, the missing ...

'' (1932) * ''

Somewhere in Sonora ''Somewhere in Sonora'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Western film directed by Mack V. Wright and starring John Wayne. It is a remake of the 1927 silent film of the same name. The story was based on a 1925 novel named "Somewhere South" by ...

'' (1933) * '' The Fiddlin' Buckaroo'' (1933) * '' No More Women'' (1934) * '' Western Racketeers'' (1934) * ''

The Star Packer ''The Star Packer'' is a 1934 Western film directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring John Wayne, George "Gabby" Hayes, Yakima Canutt, and Verna Hillie. Plot U.S. Marshal John Travers becomes the sheriff of a turn-of-the-20th century west ...

'' (1934) * ''

Five Bad Men ''Five Bad Men'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by Clifford S. Smith, starring Noah Beery Jr., Bill Patton, and Jay Wilsey. Cast * Noah Beery Jr. as Gene Taggart * Bill Patton as Bad man * Jay Wilsey (credited as Buffalo Bill Jr ...

'' (1935) * '' Dummy Ache'' (1936) (short) * ''

'' (1938)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Franey, Billy 1889 births 1940 deaths American male silent film actors Deaths from influenza Infectious disease deaths in California 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Chicago