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Fred Kelsey

Fred Kelsey

Acting·1884–1961·267 films

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.

As Actor

Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train (1951)Tennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited)
To Catch a Thief
To Catch a Thief (1955)Party Guest (uncredited)
Mildred Pierce
Mildred Pierce (1945)Bumped First Night Diner (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born (1954)Audience Member (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)Detective Jones (uncredited)
Christmas in Connecticut
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)Harper (uncredited)
The Fountainhead
The Fountainhead (1949)Old Watchman (uncredited)
Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame (1958)Front Row Audience at Play (uncredited)
They Died with Their Boots On
They Died with Their Boots On (1941)Ft. Lincoln Bartender (uncredited)
The Enforcer
The Enforcer (1951)
Twentieth Century
Twentieth Century (1934)Train Detective (uncredited)
The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941)Detective (uncredited)
The Flame and the Arrow
The Flame and the Arrow (1950)Guard (uncredited)
Crime Wave
Crime Wave (1953)Old Man Crossing Street (uncredited)
Colorado Territory
Colorado Territory (1949)Train Engineer (uncredited)
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen (1952)First Gendarme
Mr. Skeffington
Mr. Skeffington (1944)Cop in Raid (uncredited)
Gentleman Jim
Gentleman Jim (1942)Sutro (uncredited)
The Damned Don't Cry
The Damned Don't Cry (1950)Man on Dock (uncredited)
Action in the North Atlantic
Action in the North Atlantic (1943)Joe (uncredited)
Flamingo Road
Flamingo Road (1949)Train Conductor (uncredited)
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930)Chief of Detectives (uncredited)
A Stolen Life
A Stolen Life (1946)Bartender (uncredited)
The Inspector General
The Inspector General (1949)Villager (uncredited)
In This Our Life
In This Our Life (1942)Jailer (uncredited)
Invisible Ghost
Invisible Ghost (1941)Detective Ryan
Room for One More
Room for One More (1952)
Illegal
Illegal (1955)Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
If I Had a Million
If I Had a Million (1932)Prison Jailer (uncredited)
Springfield Rifle
Springfield Rifle (1952)Barfly (uncredited)
O. Henry's Full House
O. Henry's Full House (1952)Mr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi")
Storm Warning
Storm Warning (1951)Townsman (uncredited)
The Silver Chalice
The Silver Chalice (1954)Silversmith (uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)Pub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Three Strangers
Three Strangers (1946)Man on the Street / Man in Pub (uncredited)
Old Acquaintance
Old Acquaintance (1943)Train Conductor / Man at Radio Broadcast (uncredited)
Wrong Again
Wrong Again (1929)
Night and Day
Night and Day (1946)First-Nighter (uncredited)
Larceny, Inc.
Larceny, Inc. (1942)Bronson
Backfire
Backfire (1950)Fight Fan (uncredited)
Silver River
Silver River (1948)Townsman (uncredited)
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)Detective - in Cab and at Theatre
Riding Shotgun
Riding Shotgun (1954)Townsman (uncredited)
The Man I Love
The Man I Love (1946)Mac the Doorman (uncredited)
Westbound
Westbound (1959)Townsman (uncredited)
The Last Warning
The Last Warning (1928)Inspector
Speak Easily
Speak Easily (1932)Process Server
A Woman of Affairs
A Woman of Affairs (1928)Detective (uncredited)
Nora Prentiss
Nora Prentiss (1947)Turnkey (uncredited)
The Noose Hangs High
The Noose Hangs High (1948)Cop (uncredited)
Northern Pursuit
Northern Pursuit (1943)Train Conductor (uncredited)
The Unfaithful
The Unfaithful (1947)Courtroom Spectator
My Favorite Blonde
My Favorite Blonde (1942)Sam - Policeman
Souls for Sale
Souls for Sale (1923)Detective Quinn (uncredited)
One Foot in Heaven
One Foot in Heaven (1941)Train Conductor (uncredited)
Serenade
Serenade (1956)Opera Attendee (uncredited)
Lady Gangster
Lady Gangster (1942)Policeman (uncredited)
The Opposite Sex
The Opposite Sex (1956)Club Patron (uncredited)
Little Annie Rooney
Little Annie Rooney (1925)Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
So You Think You're Not Guilty
So You Think You're Not Guilty (1950)Police Turnkey (uncredited)
Carson City
Carson City (1952)Townsman (uncredited)
Charlie Chan in Reno
Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)Reno Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Horses' Collars
Horses' Collars (1935)Detective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954)Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Saratoga Trunk
Saratoga Trunk (1945)Train Conductor (uncredited)
Tall Man Riding
Tall Man Riding (1955)Townsman (uncredited)
Never Say Goodbye
Never Say Goodbye (1946)Policeman (uncredited)
The Garden Murder Case
The Garden Murder Case (1936)Heath's Assistant (Uncredited)
One Frightened Night
One Frightened Night (1935)Sheriff Jenks
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (1940)Dickens
Manslaughter
Manslaughter (1922)Member of the Jury (uncredited)
Crazy Like a Fox
Crazy Like a Fox (1926)Man with Badge on Train (uncredited)
Red Haired Alibi
Red Haired Alibi (1932)Corcoran
The Helen Morgan Story
The Helen Morgan Story (1957)Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend
Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend (1957)Barfly (uncredited)
X Marks the Spot
X Marks the Spot (1942)Police Officer Martin
The Crime of the Century
The Crime of the Century (1933)Police Guard (uncredited)
Goodbye, My Fancy
Goodbye, My Fancy (1951)Party Guest (Uncredited)
Lucky Me
Lucky Me (1954)Passerby on Street (uncredited)
The Bowery
The Bowery (1933)Detective Kelsey (uncredited)
Love Is News
Love Is News (1937)Cop (uncredited)
Paths to Paradise
Paths to Paradise (1925)Confederate
My Six Convicts
My Six Convicts (1952)Store Detective
Homicide
Homicide (1949)Officer O'Brien
Road to Paradise
Road to Paradise (1930)Casey
Bullet Scars
Bullet Scars (1942)Police Chief Hansen
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (1940)Dickens
While the City Sleeps
While the City Sleeps (1928)Detective in Shadow Box
Mr. District Attorney
Mr. District Attorney (1941)Officer McCloskey
Bromo and Juliet
Bromo and Juliet (1926)The Detective (uncredited)
Guilty as Hell
Guilty as Hell (1932)Detective Duffy
Jewish Prudence
Jewish Prudence (1927)Rent Collector
The Strange Mr. Gregory
The Strange Mr. Gregory (1945)Lefert
Misbehaving Husbands
Misbehaving Husbands (1940)Sgt. Murphy
Slave Ship
Slave Ship (1937)Seaman at Auction
Counter-Espionage
Counter-Espionage (1942)Dickens
Crime by Night
Crime by Night (1944)Dad Martin (uncredited)
The Lone Wolf Strikes
The Lone Wolf Strikes (1940)Dickens
One Dangerous Night
One Dangerous Night (1943)Detective Dickens
Discarded Lovers
Discarded Lovers (1932)Delaney
Danger Ahead
Danger Ahead (1935)Detective O'Brien
The Golden Fleecing
The Golden Fleecing (1940)Cop (uncredited)
Tell No Tales
Tell No Tales (1939)Policeman at School (uncredited)
If a Body Meets a Body
If a Body Meets a Body (1945)Detective
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941)Detective Dickens
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence (1939)Pete - Railroad Detective
A Gem of a Jam
A Gem of a Jam (1943)Police Chief
The Witness Chair
The Witness Chair (1936)Detective Costigan
Dog Shy
Dog Shy (1926)Cop
Private Number
Private Number (1936)Detective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)
Mexican Spitfire Out West
Mexican Spitfire Out West (1940)Jim - Detective
Huddle
Huddle (1932)Policeman (uncredited)
Make Your Own Bed
Make Your Own Bed (1944)Turnkey
Monkey Businessmen
Monkey Businessmen (1946)Smiling Sam McGann (uncredited)
High Tension
High Tension (1936)Desk Sergeant
King of the Jungle
King of the Jungle (1933)Cop (uncredited)
Time Out for Romance
Time Out for Romance (1937)Policeman
The Green Archer
The Green Archer (1940)Capt. Thompson
Food and Magic
Food and Magic (1943)
Orchids and Ermine
Orchids and Ermine (1927)Police Sergeant
Shine on Harvest Moon
Shine on Harvest Moon (1944)Policeman in patrol car (uncredited)
She Had to Eat
She Had to Eat (1937)Police Officer Tracy (uncredited)
Super-Sleuth
Super-Sleuth (1937)Jailer
Sailor's Luck
Sailor's Luck (1933)Cop
Night Spot
Night Spot (1938)Police Band Leader
Wide Open
Wide Open (1930)Detective
Josette
Josette (1938)Hotel Detective
The Naughty Flirt
The Naughty Flirt (1931)Policeman (uncredited)
Murder Without Tears
Murder Without Tears (1953)Sergeant-at-Arms
One Mile from Heaven
One Mile from Heaven (1937)Smitty - Policeman
Murder in the Big House
Murder in the Big House (1942)"Screw"
The Woman Racket
The Woman Racket (1930)Police Captain
The Girl Said No
The Girl Said No (1930)Policeman
Side Show
Side Show (1931)Sheriff Hornsby
Pacific Blackout
Pacific Blackout (1941)Cop
Going Wild
Going Wild (1930)The Conductor
Rough Riders' Round-up
Rough Riders' Round-up (1939)Agitator
Secrets of the Lone Wolf
Secrets of the Lone Wolf (1941)Wesley Dickens
True to Life
True to Life (1943)Cop (uncredited)
Among the Missing
Among the Missing (1934)Police Sgt. Murphy
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
Wild Bill Hickok Rides (1942)Jailer
Naughty Baby
Naughty Baby (1928)Dugan
The Crime Doctor
The Crime Doctor (1934)Bloodgood
At the Stroke of Twelve
At the Stroke of Twelve (1941)Police Sergeant
A Society Sensation
A Society Sensation (1918)JIm Cox
I Was Framed
I Was Framed (1942)Drunk
Lightning Strikes Twice
Lightning Strikes Twice (1934)Dugan
Hiss and Yell
Hiss and Yell (1946)Policeman (uncredited)
The Sagebrush Troubadour
The Sagebrush Troubadour (1935)Hank Polk
So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck
So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck (1946)Fred
Dancing in the Dark
Dancing in the Dark (1949)Deputy
Only Saps Work
Only Saps Work (1930)Murphy (uncredited)
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk (1940)Bailiff
High School
High School (1940)Junk Man
Scarlet Pages
Scarlet Pages (1930)Murphy
Angel's Holiday
Angel's Holiday (1937)Conductor
The Little Red Schoolhouse
The Little Red Schoolhouse (1936)First Detective
Captain Fly-by-Night
Captain Fly-by-Night (1922)Gomez
Everybody's Doing It
Everybody's Doing It (1938)Police Sergeant
Atlantic Adventure
Atlantic Adventure (1935)Police Officer Riley
Tiny Troubles
Tiny Troubles (1939)Judge
Straight, Place and Show
Straight, Place and Show (1938)Cop at Racetrack
Revenue Agent
Revenue Agent (1950)Sgt. Wallace
That I May Live
That I May Live (1937)Abner Jenkins
Many Sappy Returns
Many Sappy Returns (1938)Finnegan
There Ain't No Santa Claus
There Ain't No Santa Claus (1926)Store Detective (uncredited)
Trial by Trigger
Trial by Trigger (1944)Jerry (uncredited)
The Public Menace
The Public Menace (1935)Mike - Cop
Diamond Jim
Diamond Jim (1935)Horsley's Secretary
Death Flies East
Death Flies East (1935)Police Lieutenant O'Brien
Spy Ship
Spy Ship (1942)Night Watchman
School for Girls
School for Girls (1934)Detective
Come Out Fighting
Come Out Fighting (1945)Mr. McGinnis, Sr. (as Fred Kelsy)
Frontier Days
Frontier Days (1945)Mayor Stone (uncredited)
On Trial
On Trial (1928)Clerk
The Thirteenth Hour
The Thirteenth Hour (1927)Det. Shaw
Love in High Gear
Love in High Gear (1932)Detective Duffy
How DOooo You Do
How DOooo You Do (1945)Detective
The Donovan Affair
The Donovan Affair (1929)Carney
Deadwood Dick
Deadwood Dick (1940)Bottles
Borrowing Trouble
Borrowing Trouble (1937)Policeman
Say It with Babies
Say It with Babies (1926)Policeman
A Notorious Gentleman
A Notorious Gentleman (1935)Detective
Harold Teen
Harold Teen (1928)Mr. Lovewell
The Song of Life
The Song of Life (1922)Police Inspector
Big Business
Big Business (1937)Oil Man at Well
Seven Sinners
Seven Sinners (1925)Policeman
Murder on the Waterfront
Murder on the Waterfront (1943)Capt. Beal
Love and Hisses
Love and Hisses (1937)Officer
The Lady Escapes
The Lady Escapes (1937)Man on telephone (uncredited)
The Gorilla
The Gorilla (1927)Mulligan
The 13th Juror
The 13th Juror (1927)The Detective
Young Donovan's Kid
Young Donovan's Kid (1931)Collins
Wild and Woolly
Wild and Woolly (1937)Policeman (uncredited)
Murder on the Roof
Murder on the Roof (1930)Ryan
Dear! Deer!
Dear! Deer! (1942)Policeman
Friendly Enemies
Friendly Enemies (1925)
The Uneasy Three
The Uneasy Three (1925)
Chicken Wagon Family
Chicken Wagon Family (1939)Policeman
Soft Cushions
Soft Cushions (1927)The Police
The Fire Flingers
The Fire Flingers (1919)Sgt. Powers
I'll Tell the World
I'll Tell the World (1934)Sergeant at Border
The Eleventh Hour
The Eleventh Hour (1923)The Submarine Commander
Too Busy to Work
Too Busy to Work (1939)Hank Fidler
Bag and Baggage
Bag and Baggage (1923)Fred
Beloved
Beloved (1934)Mulvaney
Tenderloin
Tenderloin (1928)Detective Simpson
Scandal Sheet
Scandal Sheet (1931)Detective Sgt. Vincent Molloy
Alias Jimmy Valentine
Alias Jimmy Valentine (1920)Bit Part (uncredited)
The Trial of Vivienne Ware
The Trial of Vivienne Ware (1932)Cop (uncredited)
Down on the Farm
Down on the Farm (1938)Bit Role
Carnival
Carnival (1935)Bit Part
Youth and Adventure
Youth and Adventure (1925)Red Mullin
The Match-Breaker
The Match-Breaker (1921)Detective
The Social Highwayman
The Social Highwayman (1926)Chief of Police
The Faker
The Faker (1929)Police Detective
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Here Comes Mr. Zerk (1943)Policeman
Lights Out
Lights Out (1923)Decker
Men Without Law
Men Without Law (1930)Deputy Sheriff Jeff
Rough Necking
Rough Necking (1934)Joe Cuttlehammer Sr.
Clock Wise
Clock Wise (1939)Landlord
The Night Hawk
The Night Hawk (1924)
Outlaw's Son
Outlaw's Son (1954)
The Off-Shore Pirate
The Off-Shore Pirate (1921)Sailor
The Silk Lined Burglar
The Silk Lined Burglar (1919)Capt. von Hoffmeier
Safety in Numbers
Safety in Numbers (1938)Cop
The Yankee Consul
The Yankee Consul (1924)Agent John J. Doyle
The Third Degree
The Third Degree (1926)Assistant Chief of Detectives
Seven Keys to Baldpate
Seven Keys to Baldpate (1925)
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath (1928)Detective
Moving Vanities
Moving Vanities (1939)Police Officer (uncredited)
The Light of Victory
The Light of Victory (1919)Captain Eric von Prohme
Shadows of Sing Sing
Shadows of Sing Sing (1933)Murphy
Subway Express
Subway Express (1931)Detective Kearney
Deserted at the Altar
Deserted at the Altar (1922)The Other Man
South of Suva
South of Suva (1922)Karl Swartz
There Are No Villains
There Are No Villains (1921)Dugall
Smiling Irish Eyes
Smiling Irish Eyes (1929)County Fair Manager
Roaring Guns
Roaring Guns (1944)
Lovebound
Lovebound (1923)Detective Hahn
The Third Generation
The Third Generation (1920)Brody
Atta Boy
Atta Boy (1926)Detective
Detour to Danger
Detour to Danger (1946)Det. Kelsey
The Last Card
The Last Card (1921)Detective (uncredited)
Snooper Service
Snooper Service (1945)
Excuse Me
Excuse Me (1925)George Ketchem
Don't Shoot
Don't Shoot (1922)Police Officer
One Clear Call
One Clear Call (1922)Starnes
At Sea Ashore
At Sea Ashore (1936)Cop (uncredited)
Hot Money
Hot Money (1935)Police Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)
Smooth as Satin
Smooth as Satin (1925)Kersey
Held by the Law
Held by the Law (1927)Detective
Racing Blood
Racing Blood (1954)Smithy
The Wright Idea
The Wright Idea (1928)M. T. Flatt
The Empty Cab
The Empty Cab (1918)The Detective
Arms and the Gringo
Arms and the Gringo (1914)
The Lawful Cheater
The Lawful Cheater (1925)Tom Horan
The Moth
The Moth (1934)Detective Blake
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1 (1930)Self - Tour Guide
The Yellow Dog
The Yellow Dog (1918)Max Kummich

As Director

As Writer