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

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

1953

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

1952

Springfield Rifle as Barfly (uncredited)
O. Henry's Full House as Mr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi")
Carson City as Townsman (uncredited)
Room for One More
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)
The Enforcer
Storm Warning as Townsman (uncredited)
Goodbye, My Fancy as Party Guest (Uncredited)

1950

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

1949

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

1948

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

1945

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

1944

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

1943

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

1942

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

1941

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

1940

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

1939

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

1938

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

1937

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

1936

Private Number as Detective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)
The Witness Chair as Detective Costigan
The Garden Murder Case as Heath's Assistant (Uncredited)
The Little Red Schoolhouse as First Detective
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
The Public Menace as Mike - Cop
Atlantic Adventure as Police Officer Riley
Carnival as Bit Part
A Notorious Gentleman as Detective
The Sagebrush Troubadour as Hank Polk
Horses' Collars as Detective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)
Danger Ahead as Detective O'Brien
Hot Money as Police Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)
One Frightened Night as Sheriff Jenks

1934

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

1933

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

1932

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

1931

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

1930

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

1929

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

1928

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

1927

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

1926

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

1925

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

1924

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

1923

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

1922

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

1921

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

1920

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

1919

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

1918

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

1917

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

1916

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

1915

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

1914

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

1911

A Left Hook