James Frawley

For the Australian rules football, see James Frawley (footballer).

James Frawley
Born	(1936-09-29)September 29, 1936 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Died	January 22, 2019(2019-01-22) (aged 82) Indian Wells, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Film director, actor
Years active	1960-2019

James Frawley (September 29, 1936 – January 22, 2019) was an American director and actor. He was a member of the Actors Studio since around 1961. He was best known for directing The Muppet Movie in 1979 and The Monkees television series.

Career

Born in Houston, Texas, Frawley had a short-lived acting career, appearing in supporting roles in film and television from 1963 to 1966. A memorable appearance was the role of Hawaii District Attorney Alvarez in the 1965 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Feather Cloak". In 1966, he was hired as a director for the new series The Monkees; he ended up directing half of the series' 58 episodes.

He began a career of over four decades as a director. TV series he directed included Cagney & Lacey, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer and Judging Amy, along with many others. He directed occasional feature films and television films, most notably The Muppet Movie in 1979, in which he also had a cameo. His last acting role was a bartender in TV's American Gothic in 1996.

He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in 1967 for the episode "Royal Flush" of The Monkees, and was nominated for the same award the following year for another Monkees episode, "The Devil and Peter Tork".

Frawley died in Indian Wells on January 22, 2019.

Filmography

Director

• Private Practice (2008–2009)
• Grey's Anatomy (2007–2009)
• Dirty Sexy Money (2007)
• Notes from the Underbelly (2007)
• Judging Amy (1999–2005)
• Smallville (2001)
• Ghost Whisperer (2005–2006)
• The Three Stooges (2000)
• Vengeance Unlimited (1998–1999)
• On the 2nd Day of Christmas (1997)
• Chicago Hope (1994–1996)
• Picket Fences (1994–1995)
• Law & Order (1992–1993)
• Father Dowling Mysteries (1990–1991)
• Fraternity Vacation (1985)
• Cagney & Lacey (1984–1988)
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983–1985)
• Magnum, P.I. (1982–1984)
• The Muppet Movie (1979)
• The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978–1979)
• Columbo (1977–1978)
• The Big Bus (1976)
• Kid Blue (1973)
• The Christian Licorice Store (1971)
• That Girl (1967–1968)
• The Monkees (1966–1968)

Actor

• Ladybug Ladybug (1963)
• The Troublemaker (1964)
• The Outer Limits (Episode: "The Inheritors") (1964)
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (1965)
• McHale's Navy (1966) (2 Episodes)
• My Favorite Martian (Episode: 'Doggone Martin') (1966)
• Blue Light (Episode: "Field of Dishonor") (1966)
• The Monkees (1966)
• The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1966)
• Hogan's Heroes (1966)
• I Spy (1966)
• The Muppet Movie (1979)

External links

• James Frawley at IMDb
• James Frawley at the Internet Broadway Database
• James Frawley at the TCM Movie Database