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The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.


Robert/Bob Frazer

Last name sometimes spelled: Fraser

Real name: Robert William Browne

1885 or 1889 - 1944



(Courtesy of Jack Tillmany)
Robert Frazer - circa 1910s



(Courtesy of Jack Tillmany)
Robert Frazer - circa 1920s at FBO



(Courtesy of Jack Tillmany)
Robert Frazer - circa 1937

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Robert Frazer got the acting bug in his teen years and did amateur stage plays before entering legitimate theater and silent films on the East coast. One of his early movie jobs was the lead in ROBIN HOOD (Eclair, 1912) which was filmed in and around Fort Lee, New Jersey.

He and his wife, stage actress Mildred Bright (1892-1967), moved to California in the early 1920s, and he began a long career in silents and talkies, including some starring roles.

Frazer was a very busy guy in silents, appearing in films for Fox, Universal, MGM, Rayart, First National, FBO, Tiffany-Stahl, more. In sound films, he had the lead in a few such as the serial MYSTERY TROOPER (Syndicate, 1931) and a dual role in TWO GUN CABALLERO (William Pizor, 1931). But in the early 1930s, he was 40+ years of age and his leading man days were over. For the remainder of his career, he was relegated to support/character roles in serials, westerns, detective/mysteries, melodramas, et al where he sometimes portrayed the brains/dress heavy, barking orders to his gang in a rich, deep voice.

Frazer did not specialize in B westerns. I most remember him in cliffhangers for Mascot and Republic as well as several Bela Lugosi horror flicks including WHITE ZOMBIE (1932). And who can forget Frazer as "Dr. Paul Gironda", revealed as the "evil hand that clutches", in Chapter 15 of the long and brain numbing THE AMAZING EXPLOITS OF THE CLUTCHING HAND (Weiss/Stage & Screen, 1936).

Frazer did occasionally portray Native Americans. Examples: he was "Chief Lone Eagle" in the George O'Brien THE RAINBOW TRAIL (Fox, 1932) as well as "Chief Black Wing" in the Tom Mix chapterplay THE MIRACLE RIDER (Mascot, 1935).

His 30+ year Hollywood career ran from about 1912-1944 and about 225 silent and sound films. His paydays at Republic Pictures occurred late in life, circa 1940s. At Republic, he did about fifteen films, including several serials and westerns.

In their Best Of The Badmen book, Boyd Magers, Bob Nareau and Bobby Copeland report that Frazer passed away from leukemia in 1944, and he had many talents including amateur portrait photography and oil portrait painting as well as being a chemist and inventor.

Jack Tillmany mentioned a Frazer role that didn't occur: "American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films 1941-1950 and also Variety (29 March 1944) credit Frazer as playing 'J. D. Edwards' in PARTNERS OF THE TRAIL (Johnny Mack Brown, Monogram, released March, 1944), but he does not appear in this film, and that role is played by Joseph Eggenton. Perhaps illness caused him to pull out at the last minute and production records were never corrected."

Among Frazer's final screen work was portraying the high priest in THE TIGER WOMAN (Republic, 1944) cliffhanger and playing a judge in the Hopalong Cassidy FORTY THIEVES (Harry Sherman Prod./United Artists, 1944). Both of those were released during Summer, 1944.

Robert Frazer passed away from leukemia on August 17, 1944. The August 21, 1944 Motion Picture Daily trade publication had a death announcement which noted that "Frazer is survived by his widow, Mildred Bright Frazer".

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Robert Frazer and his wife, Mildred Bright (1892-1967):
     Robert Frazer: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0292537/
     Mildred Bright: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0109167/

The Internet Broadway Database lists one play for Robert W. Frazer circa 1917: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-w-frazer-63490

The Family Search website (free), ProQuest obituaries, the California Death Index, death certificate, and newspaper and Hollywood tradepaper articles provide more on Frazer:

  • 1900 census: 44 year old John Browne (born Nova Scotia), 48 year old wife Mary A. (born Nova Scotia), and 11 year old son Robert W. Browne (born Massachusetts) resided in Framingham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9T3-8H2
  • 1930 census: 39 year old Robert W. Frazer (born Massachusetts) and 37 year old wife Mildred (born New York), and Mildred's parents and sister lived in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XCVZ-VYL
  • 1940 census: 50 year old Robert W. Frazer (born Massachusetts) and 47 year old wife Mildred (born New York) lived in West Hollywood, California: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K97C-J58
    1940 census takers worksheet: the Frazers owned their home at 329 Westbourne Drive in West Hollywood. Frazer's employment was "actor - motion picture studio", and in 1939, he worked 20 weeks and earned $2000.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27791-13841-12?cc=2000219&wc=M9Q8-TZD:642507274
  • 1942 World War II draft registration: 53 year old Robert William Frazer was born June 29, 1885 and his birth location appears to be misspelled as Worster, Massachusetts (should be Worcester, Massachusetts). Occupation/employer was "Self Employed", and he and wife Mildred still lived at 329 Westbourne Drive in West Hollywood: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16386-68256-19?cc=1861144
  • Death certificate - 52 year old Robert William Browne, AKA Robert Wm. Frazer, was born June 29, 1889 in Worcester, Mass.; occupation was "Actor - Motion Pictures"; parents were John Browne and Mary Frazer and both were born in Nova Scotia. Wife Mildred was the death certificate informant and they lived at 329 Westbourne, West Hollywood. He had leukemia (2 years duration) and was hospitalized for 17 days at St. Vincents Hospital, Los Angeles and passed away there on August 17, 1944. Pierce Bros. Hollywood was the funeral director and Frazer was cremated.
  • California Death Index mirrors the death certificate: Robert William Browne, born 6/29/1889 in Massachusetts, Mother's maiden name of Frazer, and he passed away 8/17/1944 in the Los Angeles area.
  • There were newspaper funeral notices as well as Hollywood trade publication mentions. Excerpts: "Private funeral services for Robert William Frazer, 55, motion-picture actor, will be conducted today at Pierce Bros. Hollywood ..."; "... leaves his widow Mildred ..." (no children or other relatives were mentioned.)
    Funeral service clipping from the August 22, 1944 Los Angeles Times newspaper: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87605116/funeral-service-for-movie-actor-robert/
  • Find A Grave website notes that Frazer is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Glendale, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8755688/robert-frazer

Frazer had a good voice and was able to deliver dialog well, probably because of his early years doing plays. I wondered if he did any radio work and checked J. David Goldin's RadioGoldIndex website and found five 1930s programs featuring "Robert Frazer". However, I had none of these in my collection, so am unable to confirm this is our movie Robert Frazer. When you get to the site, click "Start Here", then select "Search By Artist", then select F, and then scroll down for Robert Frazer radio credits: http://radiogoldindex.com/

The Silents Are Golden website has a 1920s photo of Frazer: http://www.silentsaregolden.com/photos/robertfrazerphoto.html

The Barrymore Film Center, Fort Lee, New Jersey website has a writeup on the Eclair film company (where Frazer starred as Robin Hood): https://www.barrymorefilmcenter.com/history




(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Left to right in the above lobby card from the silent SIOUX BLOOD (MGM, 1929) are Marian Douglas, Robert Frazer (as "Lone Eagle"), and the trussed up hero, Tim McCoy.



(Courtesy of Richard Harrison)

Above is the title lobby card from the lost/missing TWO GUN CABALLERO (William Pizor, 1931) with star Robert Frazer shown on the left and right sides in this dual role oater. Note that he is billed as Fraser (with an S). Below is another lobby card with Frazer on the left with the twin six-shooters, and in the photo, he's in the center seat.


(Courtesy of Les Adams)




(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above is a crop from a lobby card from the police yarn MILLION DOLLAR HAUL (Superior/Stage & Screen, 1935). From L-to-R are Janet Chandler, Robert Frazer and hero Reed Howes. HAUL was one of Reed Howes' last starring roles.



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above is a lobby card and crop/blowup from Chapter 10 of THE BLACK COIN (Weiss/Stage & Screen, 1936). From left to right in the crop/blowup are Robert Walker, bartender William Desmond, Robert Frazer, Roger Williams and Carl Mathews.



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above are Robert Frazer and Roger Williams in a chapter 11 lobby card from the serial THE BLACK COIN (Weiss/Stage & Screen, 1936).



(From Old Corral collection)

In the above lobby card from PALS OF THE PECOS (Republic, 1941), Bob Livingston is in the blue shirt, Bob Steele has the reddish shirt and tan trousers, and Rufe Davis is wearing a vest and light colored shirt. Wearin' the rope is Robert Frazer. On the left is heroine June Johnson, daughter of Chic Johnson of the Olsen and Johnson comedy team.



(From Old Corral collection)

Above is a scene still from the RIDERS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1942), one of the eight Monogram Rough Riders adventures starring Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton. From left to right are Christine McIntyre, Sarah Padden, Raymond Hatton (white coat), Harry Woods (without his usual moustache), Walter McGrail, Buck Jones (sitting on desk), and Bud Osborne. Dennis Moore is kneeling over the floored Robert Frazer. Christine McIntyre was the resident leading lady in the Columbia Pictures short subjects unit, and today is best remembered for her work in about three dozen two-reelers starring the Three Stooges.



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above are the quartet of no-goodniks from the Allan Lane serial DAREDEVILS OF THE WEST (Republic, 1943). From left to right are William Haade, Robert Frazer, Ted Adams and George J. Lewis. Frazer is the brains heavy and Adams is his crooked attorney. Haade and Lewis report to them.



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