Biography for
Frank Fay More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

17 November 1897, San Francisco, California, USA

Date of Death

25 September 1961, Santa Monica, California, USA

Birth Name

Francis Anthony Donner

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Spouse

Barbara Stanwyck	(26 August 1928 - 30 December 1935) (divorced)
Frances White	(? - ?)
Lee Buchanan	(? - ?) (divorced)

Trivia

Buried at Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA - Section F, Lot 1583, Grave 12

A popular vaudeville star, on stage from age 4.

Severe alcoholism ruined his marriage to actress Barbara Stanwyck and nearly obliterated his career.

He revived himself in the 40s when he starred in the play "Harvey" as Elwood P. Dowd, whose friend is an invisible rabbit. James Stewart played the role in the film version.

Known for his clever wit and uncontrollable ego, he once, when asked during a court appearance what his profession was, exclaimed "I'm the greatest comedian in the world." He later told his exasperated attorney, "I was under oath, wasn't I?"

He was the first really successful stand up comedian and MC to work in nightclubs and in Vaudville. He did his act in top hat and tails(Sans clown makeup, costumes and pratfalls). He used wit and interaction with the other performers and the audiences to make his act unique. He was also responsible for discovering Comic/character actresses Patsy Kelly and Barbara Stanwyck (formerly Ruby Stevens) and giving them their first acting gigs in Vaudville and in the theater. Mr. Fay and Ms. Stanwyck appeared in the star studded film comedy "The Slippery Pearls" in April, 1931. (The film was produced as a fund raiser by The Hollywood Masquers Club and by Paramount Pictures to raise monies to build The Will Rogers Memorial Hospital in Lake Saranc, New York).

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 155-156. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

His son Dion Anthony "Tony" Fay was born in February, 1932. He was adopted on December 5, 1932.

A week before his death in 1961, he was confined to a hospital in St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California and deemed legally incompetent.

He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6282 Hollywood Boulevard and for Radio at 1752 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

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