Fred Kelsey

Aug 20, 1884 - Sep 02, 1961 (77 years old) in Sandusky, Ohio, USA

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

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While the City Sleeps

Detective in Shadow Box

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To Catch a Thief

Party Guest (uncredited)

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Danger Ahead

Detective O'Brien

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Dancing in the Dark

Deputy

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Frontier Days

Mayor Stone (uncredited)

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Three Strangers

Man on the Street / Man in Pub (uncredited)

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A Woman of Affairs

Detective (uncredited)

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The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance

Detective Dickens

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The Inspector General

Villager (uncredited)

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The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady

Dickens

Credits

Westbound 1959

Townsman (uncredited)

★ 6.2
Auntie Mame 1958

Front Row Audience at Play (uncredited)

★ 7
The Helen Morgan Story 1957

Night Club Patron (uncredited)

★ 5
Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend 1957

Barfly (uncredited)

★ 5.8
The Opposite Sex 1956

Club Patron (uncredited)

★ 5.2
Serenade 1956

Opera Attendee (uncredited)

★ 5.4
Illegal 1955

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

★ 6.4
To Catch a Thief 1955

Party Guest (uncredited)

★ 7.3
Tall Man Riding 1955

Townsman (uncredited)

★ 5.6
Outlaw's Son 1954

★ NR
The Silver Chalice 1954

Silversmith (uncredited)

★ 4.4
So You Want to Know Your Relatives 1954

Mr. Watson (uncredited)

★ NR
A Star Is Born 1954

Audience Member (uncredited)

★ 7.1
Lucky Me 1954

Passerby on Street (uncredited)

★ 6.7
Riding Shotgun 1954

Townsman (uncredited)

★ 5.8
So You Think You Can't Sleep 1953

Sleeping patient in waiting room

★ 5
Crime Wave 1953

Old Man Crossing Street (uncredited)

★ 7.1
Murder Without Tears 1953

Sergeant-at-Arms

★ 5.2
So You Want to Be a Musician 1953

Restaurant diner

★ NR
Hans Christian Andersen 1952

First Gendarme

★ 6.2
Springfield Rifle 1952

Barfly (uncredited)

★ 6.3
O. Henry's Full House 1952

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

★ 6.7
Carson City 1952

Townsman (uncredited)

★ 6.1
So You Want to Enjoy Life 1952

Boat Salesman / Flugleman's Assistant (uncredited)

★ 2
My Six Convicts 1952

Store Detective

★ 6.3
Room for One More 1952

★ 6.5
Strangers on a Train 1951

Tennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited)

★ 7.7
Goodbye, My Fancy 1951

Party Guest (Uncredited)

★ 5.9
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok 1951

Doc Jones (uncredited)

★ 4.5
The Enforcer 1951

★ 7.1
Storm Warning 1951

Townsman (uncredited)

★ 6.6
Revenue Agent 1950

Sgt. Wallace

★ 1
So You Want a Raise 1950

★ 6
The Flame and the Arrow 1950

Guard (uncredited)

★ 6.2
So You Want to Hold Your Husband 1950

Lamb - Curry's Partner

★ NR
The Damned Don't Cry 1950

Man on Dock (uncredited)

★ 7
So You Think You're Not Guilty 1950

Police Turnkey (uncredited)

★ 5.9
Backfire 1950

Fight Fan (uncredited)

★ 5.8
The Inspector General 1949

Villager (uncredited)

★ 6.5
So You Want to Be an Actor 1949

Counter Man

★ NR
Dancing in the Dark 1949

Deputy

★ 5
So You Want to Be a Muscle Man 1949

Delivery Man

★ NR
The Fountainhead 1949

Old Watchman (uncredited)

★ 6.8
Colorado Territory 1949

Train Engineer (uncredited)

★ 7
Flamingo Road 1949

Train Conductor (uncredited)

★ 7
Homicide 1949

Officer O'Brien

★ 5.3
Silver River 1948

Townsman (uncredited)

★ 5.9
The Noose Hangs High 1948

Cop (uncredited)

★ 6.8
So You Want an Apartment 1948

Apartment Manager with a Vacancy (uncredited)

★ 5
The Unfaithful 1947

Courtroom Spectator

★ 5.8
Nora Prentiss 1947

Turnkey (uncredited)

★ 6.1
So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck 1946

Fred

★ 6
The Man I Love 1946

Mac the Doorman (uncredited)

★ 6.1
Andy Plays Hookey 1946

Policeman

★ NR
Never Say Goodbye 1946

Policeman (uncredited)

★ 6.2
So You Want to Play the Horses 1946

Detective (uncredited)

★ 6
Night and Day 1946

First-Nighter (uncredited)

★ 5.9
A Stolen Life 1946

Bartender (uncredited)

★ 6.3
Hiss and Yell 1946

Policeman (uncredited)

★ 3.7
Three Strangers 1946

Man on the Street / Man in Pub (uncredited)

★ 6.4
Detour to Danger 1946

Det. Kelsey

★ NR
How DOooo You Do 1945

Detective

★ NR
Frontier Days 1945

Mayor Stone (uncredited)

★ 4
Saratoga Trunk 1945

Train Conductor (uncredited)

★ 5.7
Mildred Pierce 1945

Bumped First Night Diner (uncredited)

★ 7.6
Come Out Fighting 1945

Mr. McGinnis, Sr. (as Fred Kelsy)

★ 7
If a Body Meets a Body 1945

Detective

★ 5.3
Christmas in Connecticut 1945

Harper (uncredited)

★ 6.9
Snooper Service 1945

★ NR
The Strange Mr. Gregory 1945

Lefert

★ 5.1
Crime by Night 1944

Dad Martin (uncredited)

★ 6
Make Your Own Bed 1944

Turnkey

★ 5.8
Trial by Trigger 1944

Jerry (uncredited)

★ 2
Mr. Skeffington 1944

Cop in Raid (uncredited)

★ 6.7
Shine on Harvest Moon 1944

Policeman in patrol car (uncredited)

★ 6
Roaring Guns 1944

★ NR
A Gem of a Jam 1943

Police Chief

★ 7.3
True to Life 1943

Cop (uncredited)

★ 6
Old Acquaintance 1943

Train Conductor / Man at Radio Broadcast (uncredited)

★ 7
Food and Magic 1943

★ 5
Northern Pursuit 1943

Train Conductor (uncredited)

★ 6
Thank Your Lucky Stars 1943

Pub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)

★ 6
Murder on the Waterfront 1943

Capt. Beal

★ 5
Here Comes Mr. Zerk 1943

Policeman

★ NR
Action in the North Atlantic 1943

Joe (uncredited)

★ 7.1
One Dangerous Night 1943

Detective Dickens

★ 4.4
Gentleman Jim 1942

Sutro (uncredited)

★ 7.1
X Marks the Spot 1942

Police Officer Martin

★ 3.9
Dear! Deer! 1942

Policeman

★ NR
Counter-Espionage 1942

Dickens

★ 6.2
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady 1942

Policeman (uncredited)

★ NR
Spy Ship 1942

Night Watchman

★ 6
In This Our Life 1942

Jailer (uncredited)

★ 6.8
Larceny, Inc. 1942

Bronson

★ 7
Murder in the Big House 1942

"Screw"

★ 6.5
I Was Framed 1942

Drunk

★ 4
My Favorite Blonde 1942

Sam - Policeman

★ 6.4
Lady Gangster 1942

Policeman (uncredited)

★ 5.5
Bullet Scars 1942

Police Chief Hansen

★ 6.2
Wild Bill Hickok Rides 1942

Jailer

★ 4.7
Pacific Blackout 1941

Cop

★ 6.3
The Man Who Came to Dinner 1941

Detective (uncredited)

★ 6.9
They Died with Their Boots On 1941

Ft. Lincoln Bartender (uncredited)

★ 6.6
At the Stroke of Twelve 1941

Police Sergeant

★ 5
Secrets of the Lone Wolf 1941

Wesley Dickens

★ 6.3
One Foot in Heaven 1941

Train Conductor (uncredited)

★ 6.6
Invisible Ghost 1941

Detective Ryan

★ 5.3
Mr. District Attorney 1941

Officer McCloskey

★ 5.4
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance 1941

Detective Dickens

★ 6
Misbehaving Husbands 1940

Sgt. Murphy

★ 4.8
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date 1940

Dickens

★ 5.9
Mexican Spitfire Out West 1940

Jim - Detective

★ 4.6
The Green Archer 1940

Capt. Thompson

★ 5.9
The Golden Fleecing 1940

Cop (uncredited)

★ 5.3
Deadwood Dick 1940

Bottles

★ 6
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady 1940

Dickens

★ 6.3
Mutiny in the County 1940

Policeman

★ NR
The Lone Wolf Strikes 1940

Dickens

★ 6.3
High School 1940

Junk Man

★ 5.5
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk 1940

Bailiff

★ 4
Too Busy to Work 1939

Hank Fidler

★ NR
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence 1939

Pete - Railroad Detective

★ 6.3
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island 1939

Detective - in Cab and at Theatre

★ 6.6
Chicken Wagon Family 1939

Policeman

★ NR
Charlie Chan in Reno 1939

Reno Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

★ 6.3
Tell No Tales 1939

Policeman at School (uncredited)

★ 4.6
Moving Vanities 1939

Police Officer (uncredited)

★ NR
Clock Wise 1939

Landlord

★ NR
Rough Riders' Round-up 1939

Agitator

★ 4
Tiny Troubles 1939

Judge

★ 6
Down on the Farm 1938

Bit Role

★ NR
Straight, Place and Show 1938

Cop at Racetrack

★ 6
Many Sappy Returns 1938

Finnegan

★ 4.8
Josette 1938

Hotel Detective

★ 6.5
Safety in Numbers 1938

Cop

★ NR
Berth Quakes 1938

Train Conductor

★ NR
Night Spot 1938

Police Band Leader

★ 3.8
Everybody's Doing It 1938

Police Sergeant

★ 5
Love and Hisses 1937

Officer

★ NR
Borrowing Trouble 1937

Policeman

★ 6
That I May Live 1937

Abner Jenkins

★ 6.5
One Mile from Heaven 1937

Smitty - Policeman

★ 6.7
The Lady Escapes 1937

Man on telephone (uncredited)

★ NR
Wild and Woolly 1937

Policeman (uncredited)

★ NR
Super-Sleuth 1937

Jailer

★ 5
She Had to Eat 1937

Police Officer Tracy (uncredited)

★ 5
Big Business 1937

Oil Man at Well

★ 5
Slave Ship 1937

Seaman at Auction

★ 4.5
Angel's Holiday 1937

Conductor

★ 5.5
Love Is News 1937

Cop (uncredited)

★ 6
Time Out for Romance 1937

Policeman

★ 5.6
High Tension 1936

Desk Sergeant

★ 5.4
Private Number 1936

Detective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)

★ 6.6
The Witness Chair 1936

Detective Costigan

★ 6.2
At Sea Ashore 1936

Cop (uncredited)

★ NR
The Little Red Schoolhouse 1936

First Detective

★ 5.5
The Garden Murder Case 1936

Heath's Assistant (Uncredited)

★ 5.4
The Sagebrush Troubadour 1935

Hank Polk

★ 5.5
Hot Money 1935

Police Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)

★ NR
The Public Menace 1935

Mike - Cop

★ 5
Diamond Jim 1935

Horsley's Secretary

★ 6
Atlantic Adventure 1935

Police Officer Riley

★ 5.5
Danger Ahead 1935

Detective O'Brien

★ 4.2
One Frightened Night 1935

Sheriff Jenks

★ 5.3
Death Flies East 1935

Police Lieutenant O'Brien

★ 5
Carnival 1935

Bit Part

★ NR
A Notorious Gentleman 1935

Detective

★ 6
Horses' Collars 1935

Detective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)

★ 6.1
Lightning Strikes Twice 1934

Dugan

★ 4.7
Among the Missing 1934

Police Sgt. Murphy

★ 6.3
I'll Be Suing You 1934

Insurance Adjustor

★ NR
Twentieth Century 1934

Train Detective (uncredited)

★ 6.8
Rough Necking 1934

Joe Cuttlehammer Sr.

★ 10
I'll Tell the World 1934

Sergeant at Border

★ NR
Strictly Fresh Yeggs 1934

Policeman

★ NR
School for Girls 1934

Detective

★ 6
The Crime Doctor 1934

Bloodgood

★ 2.7
Beloved 1934

Mulvaney

★ NR
The Moth 1934

Detective Blake

★ NR
The Bowery 1933

Detective Kelsey (uncredited)

★ 5
Quiet Please! 1933

Train Conductor

★ 2
Sailor's Luck 1933

Cop

★ 5
King of the Jungle 1933

Cop (uncredited)

★ 5
The Crime of the Century 1933

Police Guard (uncredited)

★ 6.3
Boys Will Be Boys 1932

Doorman

★ NR
If I Had a Million 1932

Prison Jailer (uncredited)

★ 6.6
Red Haired Alibi 1932

Corcoran

★ 4.4
Yoo-Hoo 1932

Detective

★ NR
Speak Easily 1932

Process Server

★ 5.6
The Iceman's Ball 1932

Police Sergeant

★ 1
Guilty as Hell 1932

Detective Duffy

★ 5.8
Huddle 1932

Policeman (uncredited)

★ 6.6
Love in High Gear 1932

Detective Duffy

★ 5
The Trial of Vivienne Ware 1932

Cop (uncredited)

★ NR
Shopping with Wifie 1932

Det. Dugan

★ 1
Discarded Lovers 1932

Delaney

★ 4.3
Side Show 1931

Sheriff Hornsby

★ 5
Young Donovan's Kid 1931

Collins

★ NR
Subway Express 1931

Detective Kearney

★ NR
Scandal Sheet 1931

Detective Sgt. Vincent Molloy

★ NR
The Naughty Flirt 1931

Policeman (uncredited)

★ 5.7
Going Wild 1930

The Conductor

★ 6
Only Saps Work 1930

Murphy (uncredited)

★ 5.5
She Got What She Wanted 1930

★ NR
Men Without Law 1930

Deputy Sheriff Jeff

★ NR
Scarlet Pages 1930

Murphy

★ 6.5
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1 1930

Self - Tour Guide

★ NR
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case 1930

Chief of Detectives (uncredited)

★ 6.7
Road to Paradise 1930

Casey

★ 6.2
The Girl Said No 1930

Policeman

★ 5.5
Wide Open 1930

Detective

★ 5.3
Murder on the Roof 1930

Ryan

★ NR
The Woman Racket 1930

Police Captain

★ 4.7
Smiling Irish Eyes 1929

County Fair Manager

★ NR
The Donovan Affair 1929

Carney

★ 6
Wrong Again 1929

★ 6.7
The Faker 1929

Police Detective

★ NR
The Last Warning 1928

Inspector

★ 6.7
Naughty Baby 1928

Dugan

★ 4
A Woman of Affairs 1928

Detective (uncredited)

★ 6.4
On Trial 1928

Clerk

★ 6
Plastered in Paris 1928

★ NR
The Wright Idea 1928

M. T. Flatt

★ NR
Harold Teen 1928

Mr. Lovewell

★ 7
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath 1928

Detective

★ NR
Tenderloin 1928

Detective Simpson

★ NR
While the City Sleeps 1928

Detective in Shadow Box

★ 5.9
The Gorilla 1927

Mulligan

★ NR
The 13th Juror 1927

The Detective

★ NR
The Thirteenth Hour 1927

Det. Shaw

★ 7
Soft Cushions 1927

The Police

★ NR
Jewish Prudence 1927

Rent Collector

★ 6.5
Held by the Law 1927

Detective

★ NR
Orchids and Ermine 1927

Police Sergeant

★ 5.1
There Ain't No Santa Claus 1926

Store Detective (uncredited)

★ 6
The Third Degree 1926

Assistant Chief of Detectives

★ NR
Atta Boy 1926

Detective

★ NR
Bromo and Juliet 1926

The Detective (uncredited)

★ 5.6
Crazy Like a Fox 1926

Man with Badge on Train (uncredited)

★ 6.2
Say It with Babies 1926

Policeman

★ 5
The Mystery Pilot 1926

Skipper Larsen

★ NR
That's My Baby 1926

Murphy

★ NR
Dog Shy 1926

Cop

★ 6.6
The Uneasy Three 1925

★ NR
Seven Sinners 1925

Policeman

★ 6
Seven Keys to Baldpate 1925

★ NR
Little Annie Rooney 1925

Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

★ 6.9
The Lawful Cheater 1925

Tom Horan

★ NR
Paths to Paradise 1925

Confederate

★ 5.8
Friendly Enemies 1925

★ NR
Excuse Me 1925

George Ketchem

★ NR
Youth and Adventure 1925

Red Mullin

★ NR
The Yankee Consul 1924

Agent John J. Doyle

★ NR
The Night Hawk 1924

★ NR
Lights Out 1923

Decker

★ NR
Bag and Baggage 1923

Fred

★ NR
The Eleventh Hour 1923

The Submarine Commander

★ NR
Souls for Sale 1923

Detective Quinn (uncredited)

★ 6.2
Lovebound 1923

Detective Hahn

★ NR
Captain Fly-by-Night 1922

Gomez

★ 5.8
Deserted at the Altar 1922

The Other Man

★ NR
Manslaughter 1922

Member of the Jury (uncredited)

★ 5.2
Don't Shoot 1922

Police Officer

★ NR
South of Suva 1922

Karl Swartz

★ NR
One Clear Call 1922

Starnes

★ NR
The Song of Life 1922

Police Inspector

★ 5
There Are No Villains 1921

Dugall

★ NR
The Match-Breaker 1921

Detective

★ NR
The Last Card 1921

Detective (uncredited)

★ NR
Puppets of Fate 1921

Bobs

★ NR
The Off-Shore Pirate 1921

Sailor

★ NR
Alias Jimmy Valentine 1920

Bit Part (uncredited)

★ NR
The Fire Flingers 1919

Sgt. Powers

★ NR
The Silk Lined Burglar 1919

Capt. von Hoffmeier

★ NR
The Light of Victory 1919

Captain Eric von Prohme

★ NR
The Yellow Dog 1918

Max Kummich

★ NR
A Society Sensation 1918

JIm Cox

★ 5.8
The Empty Cab 1918

The Detective

★ NR
The Honor of an Outlaw 1917

The Deputy

★ NR
Arms and the Gringo 1914

★ NR
Silent Sandy 1914

Silent Sandy

★ NR
A Left Hook 1911

★ NR