Fred Kelsey
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.
Also recorded as Frederick Alvin Kelsey
Fred Kelsey

Film screenshot (Sam Katzman Prod.) · Public domain
- Name
- Fred Kelsey
- Birth Name
- Frederick Alvin Kelsey
- Born
- 20 August 1884
- Birthplace
- Sandusky, Ohio, U.S.
- Died
- 2 September 1961
- Place of death
- Hollywood, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
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.
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wikidata · Q3086867 · wikipedia · Fred Kelsey
In this article
Biography
Biography
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.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Fred Kelsey • Birth Name — Frederick Alvin Kelsey • Born — 20 August 1884 • Birthplace — Sandusky, Ohio, U.S. • Died — 2 September 1961 • Place of death — Hollywood, California, U.S. • Occupation — * Actor • director • screenwriter • Years Active — 1911–1958
Selected filmography
Selected filmography
• Film • Year — Film — Role — Notes • 1917 — Blood Money — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Bad Man of Cheyenne — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Outlaw and the Lady — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Drifter — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • Goin' Straight — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Fighting Gringo — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • Hair-Trigger Burke — Scenario Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Honor of an Outlaw — Director, scenario Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • A 44-Calibre Mystery — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Almost Good Man — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Mysterious Outlaw — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Golden Bullet — Director • The Wrong Man — Director • Six-Shooter Justice — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Texas Sphinx — Director • 1918 — The Purple Lily — Director • 1924 — The Night Hawk — Director Credited as Fred A. Kelsey • The Yankee Consul — as Agent John J. Doyle • 1925 — Smooth as Satin • 1926 — Cruise of the Jasper B — Bailiff — Uncredited • Atta Boy — Detective • 1927 — Soft Cushions — The Police • The Gorilla • 1928 — Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath — Detective • 1929 — Wrong Again • The Fall of Eve • The Faker • 1930 — The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case — Chief of Detectives • Murder on the Roof • Men Without Law — Deputy Sheriff Jeff • 1931 — Young Donovan's Kid — Collins — Alternative title: Donovan's Kid • 1932 — The Loud Mouth — Max, Manager of Blue Sox • 1933 — Shadows of Sing Sing — Murphy • 1934 — The Moth — Detective Blake • 1935 — One Frightened Night — Sheriff Jenks • Horses' Collars — Detective Hyden Zeke — Three Stooges short - Uncredited • School for Girls — Detective • 1937 — The Jones Family in Big Business — Oil man at well • 1939 — Tiny Troubles — The Judge • 1940 — The Lone Wolf Strikes • The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady • 1941 — Dutiful But Dumb — Vulgarian Colonel • The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance — Dickens • 1942 — My Favorite Blonde — Sam - Policeman • Yankee Doodle Dandy — Irish Cop in "Peck's Bad Boy" — Uncredited • 1943 — A Gem of a Jam — Policeman • 1945 — Micro-Phonies — Boss — Uncredited • If a Body Meets a Body — Detective • San Antonio — Bartender — Uncredited • 1946 — Monkey Businessmen — Smiling Sam McGann — Uncredited • The Strange Mr. Gregory — Detective Lefert • 1951 — Havana Rose — Policeman • 1952 — Hans Christian Andersen — First Gendarme • O. Henry's Full House — Mr. Schultz/Santa Claus • 1953 — Pardon My Backfire — Father — Uncredited • 1955 — The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell — Courtroom Extra — Uncredited • 1958 — Auntie Mame — Front Row Audience at Play — Uncredited • Television • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1952–1955 — The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok — Various roles — 4 episodes • 1958 — Perry Mason — Courtroom Spectator — 1 episode, uncredited
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1961
Fred Kelsey died at Hollywood.
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Sandusky.
Birth place
Hollywood.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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