Robert Frazer (born Robert William Browne, June 29, 1891 – August 17, 1944) was an American

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

who appeared in some 224 shorts and films from the 1910s until his death. He began in films with the Eclair company which released through

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

Early years

Frazer was born in

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

, and educated in Massachusetts. When he was young, he worked in a grocery store during vacations and spent much of his spare time reading plays and literature about becoming an actor. He also staged backyard plays for his friends.

Acting career

Frazer acted with several repertory companies, including the Cosgrove Stock Company, toured the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in productions, and performed on Broadway in ''Seremonda'' (1917). After some theater experience he swiftly moved into acting in silent films. In 1912 he began his movie career by portraying

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

in ''The Holy City'', and in the same year played the lead in ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...

''. He also appeared in two classic horror films, '' White Zombie'' (1932) and ''

The Vampire Bat ''The Vampire Bat'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code horror film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye. Plot When the villagers of Kleinschloss start dying of blood loss, the town father ...

'' (1933).

Personal life and death

Frazer was married to Mildred Bright, an actress. On August 17, 1944, Frazer died of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...

in Los Angeles, California. He was 53.

Partial filmography

* ''

The Holy City A holy city is a city important to the history or faith of a specific religion. Such cities may also contain at least one headquarters complex (often containing a religious edifice, seminary, shrine, residence of the leading cleric of the religi ...

'' (1912) * ''

'' (1912) * '' Rob Roy'' (1913) * ''

Duty A duty (from "due" meaning "that which is owing"; , past participle of ; , whence "debt") is a commitment or expectation to perform some action in general or if certain circumstances arise. A duty may arise from a system of ethics or morality, e ...

'' (1914) * ''

The Lone Star Rush ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' ...

'' (1915) (filmed in

Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

)
here for Table of Contents
* '' The Decoy'' (1916) * ''

The Light at Dusk ''The Light at Dusk'' is a lost 1916 silent film drama directed by Edgar Lewis and produced by the Lubin Manufacturing Company.The Ballet Girl'' (1916) * '' The Dawn of Love'' (1916) * ''

The Feast of Life ''The Feast of Life'' is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Albert Capellani and starring Clara Kimball Young. It was distributed by the World Film Company. Cast *Clara Kimball Young as Aurora Fernandez * Mrs. E.M. Kimball as Senora F ...

'' (1916) * ''

Her Code of Honor ''Her Code of Honor'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by John M. Stahl and starring Florence Reed. Its alternate title was ''The Call of the Heart''. A print of it is held by the British Film Institute's National Film and Televisio ...

'' (1919) * ''

Bolshevism on Trial ''Bolshevism on Trial'' is a 1919 American Silent film, silent propaganda film made by the Mayflower Photoplay Company and distributed through Lewis J. Selznick, Lewis J. Selznick's Select Pictures Corporation. Directed by Harley Knoles from a ...

'' (1919) * '' Fascination'' (1922) * ''

My Friend the Devil ''My Friend the Devil'' is a lost 1922 silent film romantic drama directed by Harry Millarde. It starred stage actor Charles Richman and was produced and distributed by Fox Film. Cast * Charles Richman as George Dryden *Ben Grauer as George D ...

'' (1922) * ''

How Women Love ''How Women Love'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Kenneth S. Webb and starring Betty Blythe, Gladys Hulette and Julia Swayne Gordon.Munden p.367 Plot A promising singer his signed up by a backer for the new opera he is pro ...

'' (1922) * ''

When the Desert Calls ''When the Desert Calls'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Ray C. Smallwood and starring Violet Heming, Robert Frazer and Huntley Gordon.Connelly p.432 Cast * Violet Heming as Louise Caldwell * Robert Frazer as Eldred Caldwell ...

'' (1922) * '' Mr. Potter of Texas'' (1922) * '' As a Man Lives'' (1923) * ''

Jazzmania ''Jazzmania'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring his then-wife Mae Murray Mae Murray (born Marie Adrienne Koenig; May 10, 1885 – March 23, 1965) was an American actress, dancer, film producer, ...

'' (1923) * '' The Love Piker'' (1923) * '' After the Ball'' (1924) * ''

Women Who Give ''Women Who Give'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker. It starred Barbara Bedford, Renee Adoree and Frank Keenan. Based upon the novel ''Cape Cod Folk'' by Sarah P. MacLean, it was produced by Louis B. Mayer Prod ...

'' (1924) * ''

Traffic in Hearts ''Traffic in Hearts'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Scott R. Dunlap and starring Robert Frazer, Mildred Harris, and Marion Feducha. Synopsis A man plans to build modern tenement buildings, but is opposed by his girlfriend's f ...

'' (1924) * ''

Men A man is an adult male human. Before adulthood, a male child or adolescent is referred to as a boy. Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the fa ...

'' (1924) * '' When a Man's a Man'' (1924) * ''

The Foolish Virgin ''The Foolish Virgin'' is a lost 1924 American silent romantic drama film released by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by George W. Hill and stars Elaine Hammerstein. It is based on the 1915 novel '' The Foolish Virgin: A Romance of Today' ...

'' (1924) * '' The Charmer'' (1925) * ''

Miss Bluebeard ''Miss Bluebeard'' is a 1925 American silent film, silent comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Bebe Daniels. It is based on a play, ''Little Miss Bluebeard'', by Avery Hopwood. Synopsis Larry Charters is a composer who is visiting ...

'' (1925) * '' The White Desert'' (1925) * '' The Other Woman's Story'' (1925) * ''

The Love Gamble ''The Love Gamble'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Edward LeSaint and starring Lillian Rich, Robert Frazer and Pauline Garon. Cast * Lillian Rich as Peggy Mason * Robert Frazer as Douglas Wyman * Pauline Garon as Jennie Howar ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Scarlet West ''The Scarlet West'' is a 1925 American silent historical drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Robert Frazer and Clara Bow. It was distributed by the First National company. This was an ambitious silent film made by an independe ...

'' (1925) * '' The Keeper of the Bees'' (1925) * '' Why Women Love'' (1925) * '' Secret Orders'' (1926) * ''

Sin Cargo ''Sin Cargo'' is a 1926 American silent thriller film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Shirley Mason, Robert Frazer and Earl Metcalfe. The film's sets were designed by the art director Edwin B. Willis. Plot The film is about a man ...

'' (1926) * '' The Speeding Venus'' (1926) * ''

Desert Gold Desert Gold may refer to: * ''Geraea canescens'', a wildflower also known as Desert Sunflower * Desert Gold (horse), a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse **Desert Gold (1919 Australian film), ''Desert Gold'' (1919 Australian film), an Australian fil ...

'' (1926) * ''

Dame Chance ''Dame Chance'' is a surviving 1926 American silent romantic drama film produced and released by independent companies David Hartford Productions and American Cinema Associates respectively. The stars are Julanne Johnston, Robert Frazer, Gertrud ...

'' (1926) * '' The Isle of Retribution'' (1926) * '' The City'' (1926) * ''

One Hour of Love ''One Hour of Love'' is a 1927 American silent romantic drama film directed by Robert Florey and starring Jacqueline Logan, Robert Frazer and Montagu Love. The film's sets were designed by the art director Edwin B. Willis. Cast * Jacqueline ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Silent Hero ''The Silent Hero'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Duke Worne and starring Robert Frazer, Edna Murphy and Joseph W. Girard.Connelly, p. 410. A man travels north to take part in the Alaska Gold Rush, leaving the woman he l ...

'' (1927) * ''

Lightning Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...

'' (1927) * ''

Out of the Past ''Out of the Past'' (billed in the United Kingdom as ''Build My Gallows High'') is a 1947 American film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Geoffrey Homes (Daniel ...

'' (1927) * '' Back to God's Country'' (1927) * ''

Burning Up Broadway ''Burning Up Broadway'' is a 1928 American silent drama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Helene Costello, Robert Frazer, and Sam Hardy, and was released February 1928. Plot Spike and Nick own a speakeasy in New York, where the chief chor ...

'' (1928) * '' The City of Purple Dreams'' (1928) * ''

Black Butterflies ''Black Butterflies'' is an English-language Dutch drama film about the life of South-African Afrikaans poet and anti-apartheid political dissident Ingrid Jonker. The film was directed by Paula van der Oest and premiered in the Netherlands on F ...

'' (1928) * '' Out of the Ruins'' (1928) * '' Sioux Blood'' (1929) * ''

The Woman I Love The Woman I Love may refer to: * ''The Woman I Love'' (1929 film), American film * ''The Woman I Love'' (1937 film), American film * "The Woman I Love" (song), song by Jason Mraz {{DEFAULTSORT:Woman I Love ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Drake Case ''The Drake Case'' is a 1929 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Edward Laemmle and written by J.G. Hawks, Charles Logue and Dudley Early. The film stars Gladys Brockwell, Forrest Stanley, Robert Frazer, and Doris Lloyd. The film was rele ...

'' (1929) * '' Beyond the Law'' (1930) * ''

Two-Gun Caballero ''Two-Gun Caballero'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by Jack Nelson and starring Robert Frazer, Consuelo Dawn and Carmen Laroux.Pitts p.182 Cast * Robert Frazer as Bob Blake - posing as Lopez * Consuelo Dawn as Sally Thompson * ...

'' (1931) * '' Ten Nights in a Bar-Room'' (1931) * ''Mystery Trooper'' (1931) rare serial * ''

The King Murder ''The King Murder'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Conway Tearle, Natalie Moorhead and Marceline Day.Pitts p. 90 Plot Cast * Conway Tearle as Detective Chief Henry Barton * Natalie Moorhea ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Arm of the Law ''The Arm of the Law'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime film directed by Louis King and starring Rex Bell, Marceline Day and Lina Basquette. It was distributed by Monogram Pictures.Katchmer p.322 Plot A reporter investigates the murder of a nig ...

'' (1932) * '' White Zombie'' (1932) * ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...

'' (1933) * ''The Mystery Squadron'' (1933) * ''

'' (1933) * ''The Fighting Parson (1933 film), The Fighting Parson'' (1933) * ''Found Alive (film), Found Alive'' (1933) * ''Love Past Thirty'' (1934) * ''Green Eyes (1934 film), Green Eyes'' (1934) * ''One in a Million (1934 film), One in a Million'' (1934) * ''The Clutching Hand'' (1935) * ''The Fighting Pilot'' (1935) * ''Trails of The Wild'' (1935) * ''Million Dollar Haul'' (1935) * ''The Black Coin'' (1936) * ''Easy Money (1936 film), Easy Money'' (1936) * ''We're in the Legion Now!'' (1936) * ''Left-Handed Law'' (1937) * ''Black Aces (film), Black Aces'' (1937) * ''Religious Racketeers'' (1938) * ''Cipher Bureau (film), Cipher Bureau'' (1938) * ''Law of the Wolf'' (1939) * ''Navy Secrets'' (1939) * ''Crashing Thru (1939 film), Crashing Thru'' (1939) * ''Roar of the Press'' (1941) * ''Pals of the Pecos'' (1941) * ''Gangs of Sonora'' (1941) * ''Black Dragons'' (1942) * ''Inside the Law'' (1942) * ''Seeing Hands'' (1943) * ''Captain America (serial), Captain America'' (1944, Serial) * ''Forty Thieves (film), Forty Thieves'' (1944) * ''Law Men'' (1944)

Notes

References

External links

* *
portraits
(New York City Public Library, Billy Rose collection)
with Pola Negri in the 1924 film ''Men''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frazer, Robert 1891 births 1944 deaths American male silent film actors Male actors from Massachusetts 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)