Fred Kelsey

Born: 1884-08-20 in Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Died: 1961-09-02

Known For: Acting

Biography

Frederick Alvin Kelsey (August 20, 1884 – September 2, 1961) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. Kelsey directed one- and two-reel films for Universal Film Manufacturing Company. He appeared in more than 400 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives. He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920. Kelsey was caricatured as the detective in the 1943 MGM cartoon Who Killed Who? directed by Tex Avery. He was born in Sandusky, Ohio and died at the Motion Picture Country Home in Hollywood, California, aged 77.

Filmography

1959

Westbound as Townsman (uncredited)

1958

Auntie Mame as Front Row Audience at Play (uncredited)

1957

The Helen Morgan Story as Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend as Barfly (uncredited)

1956

The Opposite Sex as Club Patron (uncredited)
Serenade as Opera Attendee (uncredited)

1955

To Catch a Thief as Party Guest (uncredited)
Tall Man Riding as Townsman (uncredited)
Illegal as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

1954

A Star Is Born as Audience Member (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue as Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
The Silver Chalice as Silversmith (uncredited)
Riding Shotgun as Townsman (uncredited)
Lucky Me as Passerby on Street (uncredited)
Racing Blood as Smithy
So You Want to Know Your Relatives as Mr. Watson (uncredited)
Outlaw's Son

1953

Crime Wave as Old Man Crossing Street (uncredited)
So You Want to Be a Musician as Restaurant diner
Murder Without Tears as Sergeant-at-Arms
So You Think You Can't Sleep as Sleeping patient in waiting room

1952

O. Henry's Full House as Mr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi")
Room for One More
Springfield Rifle as Barfly (uncredited)
Carson City as Townsman (uncredited)
Hans Christian Andersen as Gendarme #1
My Six Convicts as Store Detective
So You Want to Enjoy Life as Boat Salesman / Flugleman's Assistant (uncredited)
Strop, Look and Listen as Pierpont Alloy

1951

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok as Doc Jones (uncredited)
Strangers on a Train as Tennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited)
Storm Warning as Townsman (uncredited)
The Enforcer
Goodbye, My Fancy as Party Guest (Uncredited)

1950

The Flame and the Arrow as Guard (uncredited)
The Damned Don't Cry as Man on Dock (uncredited)
Backfire as Fight Fan (uncredited)
So You Think You're Not Guilty as Police Turnkey (uncredited)
So You Want a Raise
So You Want to Hold Your Husband as Lamb - Curry's Partner
Revenue Agent as Sgt. Wallace

1949

The Fountainhead as Old Watchman (uncredited)
Colorado Territory as Train Engineer (uncredited)
Dancing in the Dark as Deputy
The Inspector General as Villager (uncredited)
Flamingo Road as Train Conductor (uncredited)
So You Want to Be a Muscle Man as Delivery Man
Homicide as Officer O'Brien
So You Want to Be an Actor as Counter Man

1948

The Noose Hangs High as Cop (uncredited)
Silver River as Townsman (uncredited)
So You Want an Apartment as Apartment Manager with a Vacancy (uncredited)

1947

Nora Prentiss as Turnkey (uncredited)
The Unfaithful as Courtroom Spectator

1946

Night and Day as First-Nighter (uncredited)
The Man I Love as Mac the Doorman (uncredited)
Three Strangers as Man on the Street / Man in Pub (uncredited)
A Stolen Life as Bartender (uncredited)
Never Say Goodbye as Policeman (uncredited)
Monkey Businessmen as Smiling Sam McGann (uncredited)
So You Want to Play the Horses as Detective (uncredited)
The People's Choice
So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck as Fred
Andy Plays Hookey as Policeman
Hiss and Yell as Policeman (uncredited)
Detour to Danger as Det. Kelsey

1945

Mildred Pierce as Bumped First Night Diner (uncredited)
Christmas in Connecticut as Harper (uncredited)
How DOooo You Do as Detective
Saratoga Trunk as Train Conductor (uncredited)
If a Body Meets a Body as Detective
The Strange Mr. Gregory as Lefert
Frontier Days as Mayor Stone (uncredited)
Come Out Fighting as Mr. McGinnis, Sr. (as Fred Kelsy)
Snooper Service

1944

Mr. Skeffington as Cop in Raid (uncredited)
Make Your Own Bed as Turnkey
Shine on Harvest Moon as Policeman in patrol car (uncredited)
Crime by Night as Dad Martin (uncredited)
Trial by Trigger as Jerry (uncredited)
Roaring Guns

1943

Action in the North Atlantic as Joe (uncredited)
Northern Pursuit as Train Conductor (uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars as Pub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Old Acquaintance as Train Conductor / Man at Radio Broadcast (uncredited)
Murder on the Waterfront as Capt. Beal
True to Life as Cop (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk as Policeman
A Gem of a Jam as Police Chief
One Dangerous Night as Detective Dickens
Food and Magic

1942

In This Our Life as Jailer (uncredited)
Gentleman Jim as Sutro (uncredited)
Murder in the Big House as "Screw"
My Favorite Blonde as Sam - Policeman
Larceny, Inc. as Bronson
Wild Bill Hickok Rides as Jailer
X Marks the Spot as Police Officer Martin
Counter-Espionage as Dickens
Spy Ship as Night Watchman
Lady Gangster as Policeman (uncredited)
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady as Policeman (uncredited)
I Was Framed as Drunk
Bullet Scars as Police Chief Hansen
Dear! Deer! as Policeman

1941

They Died with Their Boots On as Ft. Lincoln Bartender (uncredited)
The Man Who Came to Dinner as Detective (uncredited)
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance as Detective Dickens
One Foot in Heaven as Train Conductor (uncredited)
At the Stroke of Twelve as Police Sergeant
Mr. District Attorney as Officer McCloskey
Secrets of the Lone Wolf as Wesley Dickens
Invisible Ghost as Detective Ryan
Pacific Blackout as Cop

1940

The Man Who Wouldn't Talk as Bailiff
Mexican Spitfire Out West as Jim - Detective
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date as Dickens
The Lone Wolf Strikes as Dickens
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady as Dickens
The Green Archer as Capt. Thompson
The Golden Fleecing as Cop (uncredited)
High School as Junk Man
Mutiny in the County as Policeman
Deadwood Dick as Bottles
Misbehaving Husbands as Sgt. Murphy

1939

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island as Detective - in Cab and at Theatre
Rough Riders' Round-up as Agitator
Clock Wise as Landlord
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence as Pete - Railroad Detective
Charlie Chan in Reno as Reno Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Too Busy to Work as Hank Fidler
Tell No Tales as Policeman at School (uncredited)
Chicken Wagon Family as Policeman
Tiny Troubles as Judge
Moving Vanities as Police Officer (uncredited)

1938

Down on the Farm as Bit Role
Straight, Place and Show as Cop at Racetrack
Everybody's Doing It as Police Sergeant
Josette as Hotel Detective
Night Spot as Police Band Leader
Safety in Numbers as Cop
Berth Quakes as Train Conductor
Many Sappy Returns as Finnegan

1937

Love Is News as Cop (uncredited)
She Had to Eat as Police Officer Tracy (uncredited)
Super-Sleuth as Jailer
Time Out for Romance as Policeman
One Mile from Heaven as Smitty - Policeman
Slave Ship as Seaman at Auction
That I May Live as Abner Jenkins
Love and Hisses as Officer
Wild and Woolly as Policeman (uncredited)
Big Business as Oil Man at Well
The Lady Escapes as Man on telephone (uncredited)
Angel's Holiday as Conductor
Borrowing Trouble as Policeman

1936

Private Number as Detective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)
The Garden Murder Case as Heath's Assistant (Uncredited)
The Little Red Schoolhouse as First Detective
The Witness Chair as Detective Costigan
High Tension as Desk Sergeant
At Sea Ashore as Cop (uncredited)

1935

Death Flies East as Police Lieutenant O'Brien
Diamond Jim as Horsley's Secretary
Atlantic Adventure as Police Officer Riley
The Public Menace as Mike - Cop
Horses' Collars as Detective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)
Carnival as Bit Part
One Frightened Night as Sheriff Jenks
Danger Ahead as Detective O'Brien
Hot Money as Police Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)
A Notorious Gentleman as Detective
The Sagebrush Troubadour as Hank Polk

1934

I'll Tell the World as Sergeant at Border
Twentieth Century as Train Detective (uncredited)
School for Girls as Detective
I'll Be Suing You as Insurance Adjustor
The Crime Doctor as Bloodgood
Among the Missing as Police Sgt. Murphy
Beloved as Mulvaney
Lightning Strikes Twice as Dugan
Rough Necking as Joe Cuttlehammer Sr.
The Moth as Detective Blake
Strictly Fresh Yeggs as Policeman

1933

Gold Diggers of 1933 as Detective Jones (uncredited)
The Crime of the Century as Police Guard (uncredited)
King of the Jungle as Cop (uncredited)
Shadows of Sing Sing as Murphy
The Bowery as Detective Kelsey (uncredited)
Sailor's Luck as Cop
Quiet Please! as Train Conductor

1932

If I Had a Million as Prison Jailer (uncredited)
The Trial of Vivienne Ware as Cop (uncredited)
Huddle as Policeman (uncredited)
The Iceman's Ball as Police Sergeant
Love in High Gear as Detective Duffy
Boys Will Be Boys as Doorman
Speak Easily as Process Server
Guilty as Hell as Detective Duffy
Red Haired Alibi as Corcoran
Shopping with Wifie as Det. Dugan
Yoo-Hoo as Detective
Discarded Lovers as Delaney

1931

The Naughty Flirt as Policeman (uncredited)
Young Donovan's Kid as Collins
Scandal Sheet as Detective Sgt. Vincent Molloy
Side Show as Sheriff Hornsby
Subway Express as Detective Kearney

1930

The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case as Chief of Detectives (uncredited)
Murder on the Roof as Ryan
Only Saps Work as Murphy (uncredited)
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1 as Self - Tour Guide
She Got What She Wanted
Road to Paradise as Casey
The Girl Said No as Policeman
Going Wild as The Conductor
The Woman Racket as Police Captain
Wide Open as Detective
Scarlet Pages as Murphy
Men Without Law as Deputy Sheriff Jeff

1929

Wrong Again
Smiling Irish Eyes as County Fair Manager
The Donovan Affair as Carney
The Faker as Police Detective

1928

While the City Sleeps as Detective in Shadow Box
A Woman of Affairs as Detective (uncredited)
Harold Teen as Mr. Lovewell
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath as Detective
The Last Warning as Inspector
A Midnight Adventure as Cassidy
On Trial as Clerk
Tenderloin as Detective Simpson
The Wright Idea as M. T. Flatt
Plastered in Paris
Naughty Baby as Dugan

1927

Soft Cushions as The Police
Held by the Law as Detective
Orchids and Ermine as Police Sergeant
The Gorilla as Mulligan
Jewish Prudence as Rent Collector
The 13th Juror as The Detective
The Thirteenth Hour as Det. Shaw

1926

The Third Degree as Assistant Chief of Detectives
Dog Shy as Cop
Crazy Like a Fox as Man with Badge on Train (uncredited)
Bromo and Juliet as The Detective (uncredited)
That's My Baby as Murphy
Say It with Babies as Policeman
There Ain't No Santa Claus as Store Detective (uncredited)
The Social Highwayman as Chief of Police
Atta Boy as Detective
The Mystery Pilot as Skipper Larsen

1925

Seven Keys to Baldpate
Smooth as Satin as Kersey
Paths to Paradise as Confederate
Little Annie Rooney as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Excuse Me as George Ketchem
Seven Sinners as Policeman
The Lawful Cheater as Tom Horan
Youth and Adventure as Red Mullin
The Uneasy Three
Friendly Enemies

1924

Traffic in Hearts as Tim Tracy
The Yankee Consul as Agent John J. Doyle
The Night Hawk

1923

Souls for Sale as Detective Quinn (uncredited)
Lovebound as Detective Hahn
The Eleventh Hour as The Submarine Commander
Bag and Baggage as Fred
Lights Out as Decker

1922

Captain Fly-by-Night as Gomez
Deserted at the Altar as The Other Man
The Song of Life as Police Inspector
One Clear Call as Starnes
Manslaughter as Member of the Jury (uncredited)
Don't Shoot as Police Officer
South of Suva as Karl Swartz

1921

The Off-Shore Pirate as Sailor
There Are No Villains as Dugall
The Match-Breaker as Detective
Puppets of Fate as Bobs
The Last Card as Detective (uncredited)

1920

The Third Generation as Brody
Alias Jimmy Valentine as Bit Part (uncredited)

1919

The Silk Lined Burglar as Capt. von Hoffmeier
The Light of Victory as Captain Eric von Prohme
The Fire Flingers as Sgt. Powers

1918

The Purple Lily ... (Director)
A Society Sensation as JIm Cox
The Yellow Dog as Max Kummich
The Empty Cab as The Detective

1917

A 44-Calibre Mystery ... (Director)
The Bad Man of Cheyenne ... (Director)
The Outlaw and the Lady ... (Director)
The Fighting Gringo ... (Director)
The Almost Good Man ... (Director)
The Honor of an Outlaw as The Deputy
Goin' Straight ... (Director)
The Drifter ... (Director)
Blood Money ... (Director)
Hair-Trigger Burke ... (Scenario Writer)
The Mysterious Outlaw ... (Director)
The Wrong Man ... (Director)
The Golden Bullet ... (Director)
Six-Shooter Justice ... (Director)
The Fugitive ... (Director)

1916

Brothers Equal ... (Director)
The Nymph ... (Director)
The Black Terror ... (Director)

1915

Her Buried Past ... (Director)
The Pretender ... (Director)
Station Content ... (Director)

1914

Over the Ledge ... (Director)
Arms and the Gringo
The Exposure ... (Director)
Silent Sandy as Silent Sandy

1911

A Left Hook