Fred Kelsey

Fred Kelsey

Acting
Born Aug 20, 1884
From Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Died Sep 02, 1961

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.

Known For

Filmography — Acting

Strangers on a Train
7.7
1951

Strangers on a Train

Tennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited)

To Catch a Thief
7.3
1955

To Catch a Thief

Party Guest (uncredited)

Mildred Pierce
7.6
1945

Mildred Pierce

Bumped First Night Diner (uncredited)

Auntie Mame
7.0
1958

Auntie Mame

Front Row Audience at Play (uncredited)

A Star Is Born
7.1
1954

A Star Is Born

Audience Member (uncredited)

Gold Diggers of 1933
7.2
1933

Gold Diggers of 1933

Detective Jones (uncredited)

Mr. Skeffington
6.8
1944

Mr. Skeffington

Cop in Raid (uncredited)

Dancing in the Dark
5.0
1949

Dancing in the Dark

Deputy

The Fountainhead
6.8
1949

The Fountainhead

Old Watchman (uncredited)

Crime Wave
7.1
1953

Crime Wave

Old Man Crossing Street (uncredited)

Illegal
6.3
1955

Illegal

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

They Died with Their Boots On
6.6
1941

They Died with Their Boots On

Ft. Lincoln Bartender (uncredited)

Riding Shotgun
5.9
1954

Riding Shotgun

Townsman (uncredited)

The Flame and the Arrow
6.3
1950

The Flame and the Arrow

Guard (uncredited)

Christmas in Connecticut
7.0
1945

Christmas in Connecticut

Harper (uncredited)

Night and Day
5.9
1946

Night and Day

First-Nighter (uncredited)

The Enforcer
7.1
1951

The Enforcer

Colorado Territory
6.9
1949

Colorado Territory

Train Engineer (uncredited)

Action in the North Atlantic
7.1
1943

Action in the North Atlantic

Joe (uncredited)

Silver River
6.0
1948

Silver River

Townsman (uncredited)

Gentleman Jim
7.1
1942

Gentleman Jim

Sutro (uncredited)

In This Our Life
6.8
1942

In This Our Life

Jailer (uncredited)

The Damned Don't Cry
7.0
1950

The Damned Don't Cry

Man on Dock (uncredited)

A Stolen Life
6.4
1946

A Stolen Life

Bartender (uncredited)

Lucky Me
6.7
1954

Lucky Me

Passerby on Street (uncredited)

The Inspector General
6.6
1949

The Inspector General

Villager (uncredited)

Nora Prentiss
6.2
1947

Nora Prentiss

Turnkey (uncredited)

The Silver Chalice
4.4
1954

The Silver Chalice

Silversmith (uncredited)

The Opposite Sex
5.2
1956

The Opposite Sex

Club Patron (uncredited)

O. Henry's Full House
6.8
1952

O. Henry's Full House

Mr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi")

Private Number
6.5
1936

Private Number

Detective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)

Twentieth Century
6.8
1934

Twentieth Century

Train Detective (uncredited)

Storm Warning
6.7
1951

Storm Warning

Townsman (uncredited)

The Helen Morgan Story
5.0
1957

The Helen Morgan Story

Night Club Patron (uncredited)

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island
6.7
1939

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island

Detective - in Cab and at Theatre

Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend
5.8
1957

Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend

Barfly (uncredited)

The Bowery
5.0
1933

The Bowery

Detective Kelsey (uncredited)

Northern Pursuit
6.0
1943

Northern Pursuit

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Backfire
5.8
1950

Backfire

Fight Fan (uncredited)

My Six Convicts
6.3
1952

My Six Convicts

Store Detective

Thank Your Lucky Stars
6.1
1943

Thank Your Lucky Stars

Pub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)

Serenade
5.4
1956

Serenade

Opera Attendee (uncredited)

Love Is News
6.0
1937

Love Is News

Cop (uncredited)

Carson City
6.1
1952

Carson City

Townsman (uncredited)

Phantom of the Rue Morgue
6.2
1954

Phantom of the Rue Morgue

Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Room for One More
6.5
1952

Room for One More

If I Had a Million
6.6
1932

If I Had a Million

Prison Jailer (uncredited)

Bullet Scars
6.2
1942

Bullet Scars

Police Chief Hansen

Westbound
6.2
1959

Westbound

Townsman (uncredited)

Tall Man Riding
5.7
1955

Tall Man Riding

Townsman (uncredited)

The Man I Love
6.1
1946

The Man I Love

Mac the Doorman (uncredited)

Springfield Rifle
6.3
1952

Springfield Rifle

Barfly (uncredited)

True to Life
7.3
1943

True to Life

Cop (uncredited)

Three Strangers
6.4
1946

Three Strangers

Man on the Street / Man in Pub (uncredited)

Rough Riders' Round-up
4.0
1939

Rough Riders' Round-up

Agitator

The Unfaithful
5.8
1947

The Unfaithful

Courtroom Spectator

The Man Who Came to Dinner
6.9
1941

The Man Who Came to Dinner

Detective (uncredited)

Old Acquaintance
7.1
1943

Old Acquaintance

Train Conductor / Man at Radio Broadcast (uncredited)

Diamond Jim
6.0
1935

Diamond Jim

Horsley's Secretary

Slave Ship
4.5
1937

Slave Ship

Seaman at Auction

Little Annie Rooney
6.9
1925

Little Annie Rooney

Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

Huddle
6.6
1932

Huddle

Policeman (uncredited)

Larceny, Inc.
7.0
1942

Larceny, Inc.

Bronson

A Woman of Affairs
6.4
1928

A Woman of Affairs

Detective (uncredited)

Hans Christian Andersen
6.2
1952

Hans Christian Andersen

First Gendarme

Josette
6.5
1938

Josette

Hotel Detective

The Garden Murder Case
5.5
1936

The Garden Murder Case

Heath's Assistant (Uncredited)

I'll Tell the World
1934

I'll Tell the World

Sergeant at Border

Only Saps Work
5.5
1930

Only Saps Work

Murphy (uncredited)

The Green Archer
5.9
1940

The Green Archer

Capt. Thompson

Charlie Chan in Reno
6.3
1939

Charlie Chan in Reno

Reno Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

Carnival
1935

Carnival

Bit Part

The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case
6.8
1930

The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case

Chief of Detectives (uncredited)

Wild Bill Hickok Rides
4.7
1942

Wild Bill Hickok Rides

Jailer

Saratoga Trunk
5.9
1945

Saratoga Trunk

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Night Spot
3.8
1938

Night Spot

Police Band Leader

Invisible Ghost
5.2
1941

Invisible Ghost

Detective Ryan

Scandal Sheet
1931

Scandal Sheet

Detective Sgt. Vincent Molloy

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
6.3
1939

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence

Pete - Railroad Detective

One Mile from Heaven
6.7
1937

One Mile from Heaven

Smitty - Policeman

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
6.3
1940

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady

Dickens

The Golden Fleecing
5.3
1940

The Golden Fleecing

Cop (uncredited)

One Foot in Heaven
6.8
1941

One Foot in Heaven

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Going Wild
6.0
1930

Going Wild

The Conductor

King of the Jungle
5.0
1933

King of the Jungle

Cop (uncredited)

Make Your Own Bed
5.8
1944

Make Your Own Bed

Turnkey

Spy Ship
6.0
1942

Spy Ship

Night Watchman

High School
5.5
1940

High School

Junk Man

Murder in the Big House
6.5
1942

Murder in the Big House

"Screw"

The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
5.9
1940

The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date

Dickens

Discarded Lovers
4.1
1932

Discarded Lovers

Delaney

Lady Gangster
5.5
1942

Lady Gangster

Policeman (uncredited)

Flamingo Road
7.0
1949

Flamingo Road

Train Conductor (uncredited)

The Witness Chair
6.2
1936

The Witness Chair

Detective Costigan

The Moth
1934

The Moth

Detective Blake

X Marks the Spot
3.9
1942

X Marks the Spot

Police Officer Martin

One Dangerous Night
4.4
1943

One Dangerous Night

Detective Dickens

Road to Paradise
6.2
1930

Road to Paradise

Casey

The Noose Hangs High
6.8
1948

The Noose Hangs High

Cop (uncredited)

Everybody's Doing It
4.5
1938

Everybody's Doing It

Police Sergeant

She Had to Eat
5.0
1937

She Had to Eat

Police Officer Tracy (uncredited)

The Last Warning
6.7
1928

The Last Warning

Inspector

At the Stroke of Twelve
5.0
1941

At the Stroke of Twelve

Police Sergeant

Mexican Spitfire Out West
4.6
1940

Mexican Spitfire Out West

Jim - Detective

Side Show
5.0
1931

Side Show

Sheriff Hornsby

Revenue Agent
1.0
1950

Revenue Agent

Sgt. Wallace

There Ain't No Santa Claus
5.5
1926

There Ain't No Santa Claus

Store Detective (uncredited)

Subway Express
1931

Subway Express

Detective Kearney

Goodbye, My Fancy
6.2
1951

Goodbye, My Fancy

Party Guest (Uncredited)

Homicide
5.3
1949

Homicide

Officer O'Brien

A Gem of a Jam
7.3
1943

A Gem of a Jam

Police Chief

Pacific Blackout
6.3
1941

Pacific Blackout

Cop

Scarlet Pages
6.5
1930

Scarlet Pages

Murphy

The Strange Mr. Gregory
5.1
1945

The Strange Mr. Gregory

Lefert

The Crime of the Century
6.4
1933

The Crime of the Century

Police Guard (uncredited)

Roaring Guns
1944

Roaring Guns

My Favorite Blonde
6.4
1942

My Favorite Blonde

Sam - Policeman

Secrets of the Lone Wolf
6.3
1941

Secrets of the Lone Wolf

Wesley Dickens

Angel's Holiday
5.5
1937

Angel's Holiday

Conductor

Hot Money
1935

Hot Money

Police Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)

Shine on Harvest Moon
6.0
1944

Shine on Harvest Moon

Policeman in patrol car (uncredited)

Tell No Tales
4.6
1939

Tell No Tales

Policeman at School (uncredited)

Counter-Espionage
6.3
1942

Counter-Espionage

Dickens

Manslaughter
5.2
1922

Manslaughter

Member of the Jury (uncredited)

Speak Easily
5.7
1932

Speak Easily

Process Server

Never Say Goodbye
6.2
1946

Never Say Goodbye

Policeman (uncredited)

A Notorious Gentleman
6.0
1935

A Notorious Gentleman

Detective

The Trial of Vivienne Ware
1932

The Trial of Vivienne Ware

Cop (uncredited)

The Lone Wolf Strikes
6.3
1940

The Lone Wolf Strikes

Dickens

Too Busy to Work
1939

Too Busy to Work

Hank Fidler

Wrong Again
6.7
1929

Wrong Again

Souls for Sale
6.2
1923

Souls for Sale

Detective Quinn (uncredited)

The Wright Idea
1928

The Wright Idea

M. T. Flatt

Guilty as Hell
6.2
1932

Guilty as Hell

Detective Duffy

Sailor's Luck
5.0
1933

Sailor's Luck

Cop

The Woman Racket
4.7
1930

The Woman Racket

Police Captain

1921

Puppets of Fate

Bobs

Beloved
1934

Beloved

Mulvaney

One Frightened Night
5.3
1935

One Frightened Night

Sheriff Jenks

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance
6.0
1941

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance

Detective Dickens

School for Girls
6.0
1934

School for Girls

Detective

Crazy Like a Fox
6.2
1926

Crazy Like a Fox

Man with Badge on Train (uncredited)

Hiss and Yell
3.7
1946

Hiss and Yell

Policeman (uncredited)

Safety in Numbers
1938

Safety in Numbers

Cop

The Little Red Schoolhouse
5.5
1936

The Little Red Schoolhouse

First Detective

Among the Missing
6.3
1934

Among the Missing

Police Sgt. Murphy

Super-Sleuth
5.0
1937

Super-Sleuth

Jailer

Red Haired Alibi
4.5
1932

Red Haired Alibi

Corcoran

On Trial
6.0
1928

On Trial

Clerk

Wild and Woolly
1937

Wild and Woolly

Policeman (uncredited)

Say It with Babies
5.0
1926

Say It with Babies

Policeman

Orchids and Ermine
5.1
1927

Orchids and Ermine

Police Sergeant

Harold Teen
7.0
1928

Harold Teen

Mr. Lovewell

High Tension
5.4
1936

High Tension

Desk Sergeant

Frontier Days
4.0
1945

Frontier Days

Mayor Stone (uncredited)

The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
4.0
1940

The Man Who Wouldn't Talk

Bailiff

Soft Cushions
1927

Soft Cushions

The Police

Chicken Wagon Family
1939

Chicken Wagon Family

Policeman

The Lady Escapes
1937

The Lady Escapes

Man on telephone (uncredited)

1954

So You Want to Know Your Relatives

Mr. Watson (uncredited)

The Naughty Flirt
5.8
1931

The Naughty Flirt

Policeman (uncredited)

Captain Fly-by-Night
5.8
1922

Captain Fly-by-Night

Gomez

The Song of Life
5.0
1922

The Song of Life

Police Inspector

I Was Framed
4.0
1942

I Was Framed

Drunk

Friendly Enemies
1925

Friendly Enemies

The Gorilla
1927

The Gorilla

Mulligan

Bromo and Juliet
5.6
1926

Bromo and Juliet

The Detective (uncredited)

Rough Necking
10.0
1934

Rough Necking

Joe Cuttlehammer Sr.

1946

The People's Choice

While the City Sleeps
5.9
1928

While the City Sleeps

Detective in Shadow Box

Deserted at the Altar
1922

Deserted at the Altar

The Other Man

1942

The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady

Policeman (uncredited)

The Faker
1929

The Faker

Police Detective

The Public Menace
5.0
1935

The Public Menace

Mike - Cop

So You Think You're Not Guilty
5.8
1950

So You Think You're Not Guilty

Police Turnkey (uncredited)

There Are No Villains
1921

There Are No Villains

Dugall

Straight, Place and Show
6.0
1938

Straight, Place and Show

Cop at Racetrack

Food and Magic
5.0
1943

Food and Magic

1932

Boys Will Be Boys

Doorman

The Crime Doctor
2.7
1934

The Crime Doctor

Bloodgood

Death Flies East
5.0
1935

Death Flies East

Police Lieutenant O'Brien

Atlantic Adventure
5.5
1935

Atlantic Adventure

Police Officer Riley

Jewish Prudence
6.6
1927

Jewish Prudence

Rent Collector

1.0
1932

The Iceman's Ball

Police Sergeant

The Girl Said No
5.5
1930

The Girl Said No

Policeman

Tenderloin
1928

Tenderloin

Detective Simpson

Wide Open
5.0
1930

Wide Open

Detective

Love and Hisses
1937

Love and Hisses

Officer

2.0
1933

Quiet Please!

Train Conductor

The Light of Victory
1919

The Light of Victory

Captain Eric von Prohme

6.0
1946

So You Want to Play the Horses

Detective (uncredited)

That I May Live
6.5
1937

That I May Live

Abner Jenkins

Murder Without Tears
5.2
1953

Murder Without Tears

Sergeant-at-Arms

Atta Boy
1926

Atta Boy

Detective

1926

That's My Baby

Murphy

Horses' Collars
6.1
1935

Horses' Collars

Detective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)

Smiling Irish Eyes
1929

Smiling Irish Eyes

County Fair Manager

The Third Degree
1926

The Third Degree

Assistant Chief of Detectives

Paths to Paradise
5.8
1925

Paths to Paradise

Confederate

How DOooo You Do
5.0
1945

How DOooo You Do

Detective

Crime by Night
6.0
1944

Crime by Night

Dad Martin (uncredited)

Excuse Me
1925

Excuse Me

George Ketchem

6.0
1950

So You Want a Raise

Dog Shy
6.6
1926

Dog Shy

Cop

If a Body Meets a Body
5.3
1945

If a Body Meets a Body

Detective

Seven Keys to Baldpate
1925

Seven Keys to Baldpate

Shadows of Sing Sing
1933

Shadows of Sing Sing

Murphy

Murder on the Waterfront
5.0
1943

Murder on the Waterfront

Capt. Beal

The Night Hawk
1924

The Night Hawk

Monkey Businessmen
6.2
1946

Monkey Businessmen

Smiling Sam McGann (uncredited)

The Donovan Affair
6.0
1929

The Donovan Affair

Carney

Lovebound
1923

Lovebound

Detective Hahn

Lights Out
1923

Lights Out

Decker

Alias Jimmy Valentine
1920

Alias Jimmy Valentine

Bit Part (uncredited)

Don't Shoot
1922

Don't Shoot

Police Officer

Tiny Troubles
6.0
1939

Tiny Troubles

Judge

Young Donovan's Kid
1931

Young Donovan's Kid

Collins

Down on the Farm
1938

Down on the Farm

Bit Role

Borrowing Trouble
6.0
1937

Borrowing Trouble

Policeman

The Thirteenth Hour
7.0
1927

The Thirteenth Hour

Det. Shaw

At Sea Ashore
1936

At Sea Ashore

Cop (uncredited)

Mr. District Attorney
5.4
1941

Mr. District Attorney

Officer McCloskey

1950

So You Want to Hold Your Husband

Lamb - Curry's Partner

Trial by Trigger
2.0
1944

Trial by Trigger

Jerry (uncredited)

Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
1928

Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

Detective

Naughty Baby
4.0
1928

Naughty Baby

Dugan

Big Business
5.0
1937

Big Business

Oil Man at Well

Deadwood Dick
6.0
1940

Deadwood Dick

Bottles

The Last Card
1921

The Last Card

Detective (uncredited)

Seven Sinners
6.0
1925

Seven Sinners

Policeman

The Yellow Dog
1918

The Yellow Dog

Max Kummich

Murder on the Roof
1930

Murder on the Roof

Ryan

1949

So You Want to Be an Actor

Counter Man

Arms and the Gringo
1914

Arms and the Gringo

A Society Sensation
5.8
1918

A Society Sensation

JIm Cox

The Yankee Consul
1924

The Yankee Consul

Agent John J. Doyle

1934

I'll Be Suing You

Insurance Adjustor

Outlaw's Son
1954

Outlaw's Son

Love in High Gear
5.0
1932

Love in High Gear

Detective Duffy

Time Out for Romance
5.6
1937

Time Out for Romance

Policeman

Lightning Strikes Twice
4.7
1934

Lightning Strikes Twice

Dugan

The Fire Flingers
1919

The Fire Flingers

Sgt. Powers

Danger Ahead
4.2
1935

Danger Ahead

Detective O'Brien

Come Out Fighting
7.0
1945

Come Out Fighting

Mr. McGinnis, Sr. (as Fred Kelsy)

5.0
1948

So You Want an Apartment

Apartment Manager with a Vacancy (uncredited)

1934

Strictly Fresh Yeggs

Policeman

Detour to Danger
1946

Detour to Danger

Det. Kelsey

1928

Plastered in Paris

The Uneasy Three
1925

The Uneasy Three

1930

She Got What She Wanted

The Eleventh Hour
1923

The Eleventh Hour

The Submarine Commander

So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck
6.0
1946

So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck

Fred

1949

So You Want to Be a Muscle Man

Delivery Man

1911

A Left Hook

1938

Berth Quakes

Train Conductor

Misbehaving Husbands
4.8
1940

Misbehaving Husbands

Sgt. Murphy

1953

So You Want to Be a Musician

Restaurant diner

The Lawful Cheater
1925

The Lawful Cheater

Tom Horan

Clock Wise
1939

Clock Wise

Landlord

2.0
1952

So You Want to Enjoy Life

Boat Salesman / Flugleman's Assistant (uncredited)

Here Comes Mr. Zerk
1943

Here Comes Mr. Zerk

Policeman

1940

Mutiny in the County

Policeman

5.0
1953

So You Think You Can't Sleep

Sleeping patient in waiting room

One Clear Call
1922

One Clear Call

Starnes

Moving Vanities
1939

Moving Vanities

Police Officer (uncredited)

Many Sappy Returns
4.8
1938

Many Sappy Returns

Finnegan

The Off-Shore Pirate
1921

The Off-Shore Pirate

Sailor

Men Without Law
1930

Men Without Law

Deputy Sheriff Jeff

1917

The Honor of an Outlaw

The Deputy

Snooper Service
1945

Snooper Service

1914

Silent Sandy

Silent Sandy

The Silk Lined Burglar
1919

The Silk Lined Burglar

Capt. von Hoffmeier

Youth and Adventure
1925

Youth and Adventure

Red Mullin

Bag and Baggage
1923

Bag and Baggage

Fred

The Empty Cab
1918

The Empty Cab

The Detective

1932

Yoo-Hoo

Detective

The 13th Juror
1927

The 13th Juror

The Detective

1952

Strop, Look and Listen

Pierpont Alloy

The Match-Breaker
1921

The Match-Breaker

Detective

South of Suva
1922

South of Suva

Karl Swartz

1942

Dear! Deer!

Policeman

Held by the Law
1927

Held by the Law

Detective

Smooth as Satin
1925

Smooth as Satin

Kersey

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
1930

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1

Self - Tour Guide

The Sagebrush Troubadour
5.5
1935

The Sagebrush Troubadour

Hank Polk

1928

A Midnight Adventure

Cassidy

1926

The Mystery Pilot

Skipper Larsen

1946

Andy Plays Hookey

Policeman

The Third Generation
1920

The Third Generation

Brody

Racing Blood
1954

Racing Blood

Smithy

1.0
1932

Shopping with Wifie

Det. Dugan

1924

Traffic in Hearts

Tim Tracy

The Social Highwayman
1926

The Social Highwayman

Chief of Police

Filmography — Crew