Robert Frazer

(Image 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 film work on the East coast. One of his early film roles 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. When talkies arrived, Frazer had the lead in a few films such as the serial MYSTERY TROOPER (Syndicate, 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 westerns - I most remember him in cliffhangers for Mascot, Republic, etc. 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 also portrayed Native Americans in both silents and talkies. 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).

Frazer appeared in about 225 silent and sound films over a 30+ year career which spanned the period from 1912-1944. His paychecks from Republic Pictures occurred late in life, circa 1940-1944. At Republic, he did about 15 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.

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: 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.

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."

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 four 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. Go to: http://radiogoldindex.com/cgi-local/p3.cgi?ArtistName=Frazer,+Robert&ArtistNumber=33585

The Fort Lee (New Jersey) Film Commission website has a writeup on the Eclair film company (where Frazer starred as Robin Hood): http://www.fortleefilm.org/studios.html

(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 Les Adams)

Above is the title lobby card from TWO GUN CABALLERO (William Pizor, 1931) which had Robert Frazer in the title role. Frazer is on the left with the twin six-shooters, and in the photo, he's in the center seat. In the 1930s, William Pizor (and his Imperial Pictures company) churned out western shorts starring Wally Wales. Pizor signed Tim McCoy to a contract for a new sagebrush series. But the proposed films were never made and McCoy wound up being off the screen for about a year and a half. Tim initiated a lawsuit and won a judgement against Pizor in November, 1939.

(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 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 image 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 the greenish pants and vest and a tan shirt. Wearin' the rope is Robert Frazer.

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above, a scene from the RIDERS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1942), the eighth and final film in the Rough Riders series. From L-to-R 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 and Adams were the brains/dress heavies, and Haade and Lewis reported to them. Chapters 2, 4, 5, and 12 from DAREDEVILS have been in circulation for years. In May, 2008, the complete serial was shown at the Serial Squadron's "Serialfest" in Newton, Pennsylvania (courtesy of the Brigham Young University Republic Serial Archive and James D'Arc, curator of the archive).