Fred Kelsey

Known for acting · Born 20 August 1884 · Died 2 September 1961 · aged 77 · Sandusky, Ohio, USA

318 credits

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

So You Think You're Not Guilty

1950

Food and Magic

1943

So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck

1946

One Frightened Night

1935

Red Haired Alibi

1932

So You Think You Can't Sleep

1953

Paths to Paradise

1925

Road to Paradise

1930

Subway Express

1931

The Gorilla

1927

The Uneasy Three

1925

Smooth as Satin

1925

Acting (294)

1959WestboundTownsman (uncredited)Film

1958Auntie MameFront Row Audience at Play (uncredited)Film

1957Shoot-Out at Medicine BendBarfly (uncredited)Film

1957The Helen Morgan StoryNight Club Patron (uncredited)Film

1956SerenadeOpera Attendee (uncredited)Film

1956The Opposite SexClub Patron (uncredited)Film

1955To Catch a ThiefParty Guest (uncredited)Film

1955IllegalCourtroom Spectator (uncredited)Film

1955Tall Man RidingTownsman (uncredited)Film

1954A Star Is BornAudience Member (uncredited)Film

1954The Silver ChaliceSilversmith (uncredited)Film

1954Riding ShotgunTownsman (uncredited)Film

1954Phantom of the Rue MorgueCrowd Spectator (uncredited)Film

1954Lucky MePasserby on Street (uncredited)Film

1954Outlaw's SonFilm

1954So You Want to Know Your RelativesMr. Watson (uncredited)Film

1954Racing BloodSmithyFilm

1953Crime WaveOld Man Crossing Street (uncredited)Film

1953Murder Without TearsSergeant-at-ArmsFilm

1953So You Think You Can't SleepSleeping patient in waiting roomFilm

1953So You Want to Be a MusicianRestaurant dinerFilm

1952Hans Christian AndersenGendarme #1Film

1952Room for One MoreFilm

1952Springfield RifleBarfly (uncredited)Film

1952O. Henry's Full HouseMr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi")Film

1952Carson CityTownsman (uncredited)Film

1952My Six ConvictsStore DetectiveFilm

1952So You Want to Enjoy LifeBoat Salesman / Flugleman's Assistant (uncredited)Film

1952Strop, Look and ListenPierpont AlloyFilm

1951Strangers on a TrainTennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited)Film

1951The EnforcerFilm

1951Storm WarningTownsman (uncredited)Film

1951Goodbye, My FancyParty Guest (Uncredited)Film

1951The Adventures of Wild Bill HickokDoc Jones (uncredited)Series

1950The Flame and the ArrowGuard (uncredited)Film

1950The Damned Don't CryMan on Dock (uncredited)Film

1950BackfireFight Fan (uncredited)Film

1950So You Think You're Not GuiltyPolice Turnkey (uncredited)Film

1950Revenue AgentSgt. WallaceFilm

1950So You Want a RaiseFilm

1950So You Want to Hold Your HusbandLamb - Curry's PartnerFilm

1949The FountainheadOld Watchman (uncredited)Film

1949Colorado TerritoryTrain Engineer (uncredited)Film

1949Flamingo RoadTrain Conductor (uncredited)Film

1949The Inspector GeneralVillager (uncredited)Film

1949HomicideOfficer O'BrienFilm

1949Dancing in the DarkDeputyFilm

1949So You Want to Be a Muscle ManDelivery ManFilm

1949So You Want to Be an ActorCounter ManFilm

1948Silver RiverTownsman (uncredited)Film

1948The Noose Hangs HighCop (uncredited)Film

1948So You Want an ApartmentApartment Manager with a Vacancy (uncredited)Film

1947Nora PrentissTurnkey (uncredited)Film

1947The UnfaithfulCourtroom SpectatorFilm

1946A Stolen LifeBartender (uncredited)Film

1946Night and DayFirst-Nighter (uncredited)Film

1946Three StrangersMan on the Street / Man in Pub (uncredited)Film

1946The Man I LoveMac the Doorman (uncredited)Film

1946Never Say GoodbyePoliceman (uncredited)Film

1946Monkey BusinessmenSmiling Sam McGann (uncredited)Film

1946So You Think You're a Nervous WreckFredFilm

1946Hiss and YellPoliceman (uncredited)Film

1946So You Want to Play the HorsesDetective (uncredited)Film

1946Andy Plays HookeyPolicemanFilm

1946Detour to DangerDet. KelseyFilm

1946The People's ChoiceFilm

1945Mildred PierceBumped First Night Diner (uncredited)Film

1945Christmas in ConnecticutHarper (uncredited)Film

1945Saratoga TrunkTrain Conductor (uncredited)Film

1945The Strange Mr. GregoryLefertFilm

1945If a Body Meets a BodyDetectiveFilm

1945Frontier DaysMayor Stone (uncredited)Film

1945How DOooo You DoDetectiveFilm

1945Come Out FightingMr. McGinnis, Sr. (as Fred Kelsy)Film

1945Snooper ServiceFilm

1944Mr. SkeffingtonCop in Raid (uncredited)Film

1944Crime by NightDad Martin (uncredited)Film

1944Make Your Own BedTurnkeyFilm

1944Shine on Harvest MoonPoliceman in patrol car (uncredited)Film

1944Trial by TriggerJerry (uncredited)Film

1944Roaring GunsFilm

1943Action in the North AtlanticJoe (uncredited)Film

1943Thank Your Lucky StarsPub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)Film

1943Old AcquaintanceTrain Conductor / Man at Radio Broadcast (uncredited)Film

1943Northern PursuitTrain Conductor (uncredited)Film

1943One Dangerous NightDetective DickensFilm

1943A Gem of a JamPolice ChiefFilm

1943Food and MagicFilm

1943True to LifeCop (uncredited)Film

1943Murder on the WaterfrontCapt. BealFilm

1943Here Comes Mr. ZerkPolicemanFilm

1942Gentleman JimSutro (uncredited)Film

1942In This Our LifeJailer (uncredited)Film

1942Larceny, Inc.BronsonFilm

1942My Favorite BlondeSam - PolicemanFilm

1942Lady GangsterPoliceman (uncredited)Film

1942X Marks the SpotPolice Officer MartinFilm

1942Bullet ScarsPolice Chief HansenFilm

1942Counter-EspionageDickensFilm

1942Murder in the Big House"Screw"Film

1942Wild Bill Hickok RidesJailerFilm

1942I Was FramedDrunkFilm

1942Spy ShipNight WatchmanFilm

1942The Daughter of Rosie O'GradyPoliceman (uncredited)Film

1942Dear! Deer!PolicemanFilm

1941They Died with Their Boots OnFt. Lincoln Bartender (uncredited)Film

1941The Man Who Came to DinnerDetective (uncredited)Film

1941Invisible GhostDetective RyanFilm

1941One Foot in HeavenTrain Conductor (uncredited)Film

1941Mr. District AttorneyOfficer McCloskeyFilm

1941The Lone Wolf Takes a ChanceDetective DickensFilm

1941Pacific BlackoutCopFilm

1941Secrets of the Lone WolfWesley DickensFilm

1941At the Stroke of TwelvePolice SergeantFilm

1940The Lone Wolf Meets a LadyDickensFilm

1940The Lone Wolf Keeps a DateDickensFilm

1940Misbehaving HusbandsSgt. MurphyFilm

1940The Lone Wolf StrikesDickensFilm

1940The Golden FleecingCop (uncredited)Film

1940The Green ArcherCapt. ThompsonFilm

1940Mexican Spitfire Out WestJim - DetectiveFilm

1940The Man Who Wouldn't TalkBailiffFilm

1940High SchoolJunk ManFilm

1940Deadwood DickBottlesFilm

1940Mutiny in the CountyPolicemanFilm

1939Charlie Chan at Treasure IslandDetective - in Cab and at TheatreFilm

1939Charlie Chan in RenoReno Desk Sergeant (uncredited)Film

1939Tell No TalesPoliceman at School (uncredited)Film

1939Heaven with a Barbed Wire FencePete - Railroad DetectiveFilm

1939Tiny TroublesJudgeFilm

1939Rough Riders' Round-upAgitatorFilm

1939Moving VanitiesPolice Officer (uncredited)Film

1939Chicken Wagon FamilyPolicemanFilm

1939Clock WiseLandlordFilm

1939Too Busy to WorkHank FidlerFilm

1938Night SpotPolice Band LeaderFilm

1938JosetteHotel DetectiveFilm

1938Everybody's Doing ItPolice SergeantFilm

1938Straight, Place and ShowCop at RacetrackFilm

1938Many Sappy ReturnsFinneganFilm

1938Berth QuakesTrain ConductorFilm

1938Safety in NumbersCopFilm

1938Down on the FarmBit RoleFilm

1937Love Is NewsCop (uncredited)Film

1937Slave ShipSeaman at AuctionFilm

1937Time Out for RomancePolicemanFilm

1937Super-SleuthJailerFilm

1937One Mile from HeavenSmitty - PolicemanFilm

1937She Had to EatPolice Officer Tracy (uncredited)Film

1937That I May LiveAbner JenkinsFilm

1937Angel's HolidayConductorFilm

1937Big BusinessOil Man at WellFilm

1937Borrowing TroublePolicemanFilm

1937Love and HissesOfficerFilm

1937The Lady EscapesMan on telephone (uncredited)Film

1937Wild and WoollyPoliceman (uncredited)Film

1936The Garden Murder CaseHeath's Assistant (Uncredited)Film

1936The Witness ChairDetective CostiganFilm

1936High TensionDesk SergeantFilm

1936Private NumberDetective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)Film

1936The Little Red SchoolhouseFirst DetectiveFilm

1936At Sea AshoreCop (uncredited)Film

1935Horses' CollarsDetective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)Film

1935One Frightened NightSheriff JenksFilm

1935Danger AheadDetective O'BrienFilm

1935The Sagebrush TroubadourHank PolkFilm

1935Atlantic AdventurePolice Officer RileyFilm

1935Death Flies EastPolice Lieutenant O'BrienFilm

1935A Notorious GentlemanDetectiveFilm

1935Diamond JimHorsley's SecretaryFilm

1935The Public MenaceMike - CopFilm

1935Hot MoneyPolice Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)Film

1935CarnivalBit PartFilm

1934Twentieth CenturyTrain Detective (uncredited)Film

1934The Crime DoctorBloodgoodFilm

1934Lightning Strikes TwiceDuganFilm

1934Among the MissingPolice Sgt. MurphyFilm

1934School for GirlsDetectiveFilm

1934I'll Be Suing YouInsurance AdjustorFilm

1934I'll Tell the WorldSergeant at BorderFilm

1934Rough NeckingJoe Cuttlehammer Sr.Film

1934BelovedMulvaneyFilm

1934The MothDetective BlakeFilm

1934Strictly Fresh YeggsPolicemanFilm

1933Gold Diggers of 1933Detective Jones (uncredited)Film

1933The Crime of the CenturyPolice Guard (uncredited)Film

1933The BoweryDetective Kelsey (uncredited)Film

1933King of the JungleCop (uncredited)Film

1933Sailor's LuckCopFilm

1933Quiet Please!Train ConductorFilm

1933Shadows of Sing SingMurphyFilm

1932If I Had a MillionPrison Jailer (uncredited)Film

1932Speak EasilyProcess ServerFilm

1932Red Haired AlibiCorcoranFilm

1932Guilty as HellDetective DuffyFilm

1932Discarded LoversDelaneyFilm

1932HuddlePoliceman (uncredited)Film

1932The Iceman's BallPolice SergeantFilm

1932Love in High GearDetective DuffyFilm

1932Shopping with WifieDet. DuganFilm

1932Yoo-HooDetectiveFilm

1932Boys Will Be BoysDoormanFilm

1932The Trial of Vivienne WareCop (uncredited)Film

1931Side ShowSheriff HornsbyFilm

1931The Naughty FlirtPoliceman (uncredited)Film

1931Subway ExpressDetective KearneyFilm

1931Scandal SheetDetective Sgt. Vincent MolloyFilm

1931Young Donovan's KidCollinsFilm

1930The Laurel-Hardy Murder CaseChief of Detectives (uncredited)Film

1930Road to ParadiseCaseyFilm

1930Wide OpenDetectiveFilm

1930The Woman RacketPolice CaptainFilm

1930The Girl Said NoPolicemanFilm

1930Going WildThe ConductorFilm

1930Scarlet PagesMurphyFilm

1930Only Saps WorkMurphy (uncredited)Film

1930She Got What She WantedFilm

1930Men Without LawDeputy Sheriff JeffFilm

1930Murder on the RoofRyanFilm

1930Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1Self - Tour GuideFilm

1929Wrong AgainFilm

1929The Donovan AffairCarneyFilm

1929The FakerPolice DetectiveFilm

1929Smiling Irish EyesCounty Fair ManagerFilm

1928The Last WarningInspectorFilm

1928A Woman of AffairsDetective (uncredited)Film

1928While the City SleepsDetective in Shadow BoxFilm

1928Naughty BabyDuganFilm

1928Harold TeenMr. LovewellFilm

1928On TrialClerkFilm

1928The Wright IdeaM. T. FlattFilm

1928Ladies' Night in a Turkish BathDetectiveFilm

1928TenderloinDetective SimpsonFilm

1928Plastered in ParisFilm

1928A Midnight AdventureCassidyFilm

1927Jewish PrudenceRent CollectorFilm

1927Orchids and ErminePolice SergeantFilm

1927The Thirteenth HourDet. ShawFilm

1927Soft CushionsThe PoliceFilm

1927The GorillaMulliganFilm

1927The 13th JurorThe DetectiveFilm

1927Held by the LawDetectiveFilm

1926Crazy Like a FoxMan with Badge on Train (uncredited)Film

1926Bromo and JulietThe Detective (uncredited)Film

1926Dog ShyCopFilm

1926There Ain't No Santa ClausStore Detective (uncredited)Film

1926Say It with BabiesPolicemanFilm

1926That's My BabyMurphyFilm

1926Atta BoyDetectiveFilm

1926The Third DegreeAssistant Chief of DetectivesFilm

1926The Mystery PilotSkipper LarsenFilm

1926The Social HighwaymanChief of PoliceFilm

1925Little Annie RooneyDesk Sergeant (uncredited)Film

1925Paths to ParadiseConfederateFilm

1925Seven SinnersPolicemanFilm

1925Friendly EnemiesFilm

1925Seven Keys to BaldpateFilm

1925The Uneasy ThreeFilm

1925Excuse MeGeorge KetchemFilm

1925Youth and AdventureRed MullinFilm

1925Smooth as SatinKerseyFilm

1925The Lawful CheaterTom HoranFilm

1924The Yankee ConsulAgent John J. DoyleFilm

1924The Night HawkFilm

1924Traffic in HeartsTim TracyFilm

1923Souls for SaleDetective Quinn (uncredited)Film

1923Lights OutDeckerFilm

1923LoveboundDetective HahnFilm

1923The Eleventh HourThe Submarine CommanderFilm

1923Bag and BaggageFredFilm

1922ManslaughterMember of the Jury (uncredited)Film

1922Captain Fly-by-NightGomezFilm

1922The Song of LifePolice InspectorFilm

1922Deserted at the AltarThe Other ManFilm

1922One Clear CallStarnesFilm

1922Don't ShootPolice OfficerFilm

1922South of SuvaKarl SwartzFilm

1921The Last CardDetective (uncredited)Film

1921There Are No VillainsDugallFilm

1921Puppets of FateBobsFilm

1921The Off-Shore PirateSailorFilm

1921The Match-BreakerDetectiveFilm

1920Alias Jimmy ValentineBit Part (uncredited)Film

1920The Third GenerationBrodyFilm

1919The Silk Lined BurglarCapt. von HoffmeierFilm

1919The Light of VictoryCaptain Eric von ProhmeFilm

1919The Fire FlingersSgt. PowersFilm

1918A Society SensationJIm CoxFilm

1918The Empty CabThe DetectiveFilm

1918The Yellow DogMax KummichFilm

1917The Honor of an OutlawThe DeputyFilm

1914Arms and the GringoFilm

1914Silent SandySilent SandyFilm

1911A Left HookFilm

Directing (20)

1918The Purple LilyDirectorFilm

1917The DrifterDirectorFilm

1917The FugitiveDirector, ProducerFilm

1917The Honor of an OutlawDirector, Scenario WriterFilm

1917A 44-Calibre MysteryDirectorFilm

1917The Almost Good ManDirectorFilm

1917Six-Shooter JusticeDirectorFilm

1917Blood MoneyDirectorFilm

1917The Wrong ManDirectorFilm

1917The Mysterious OutlawDirectorFilm

1917The Golden BulletDirectorFilm

1917The Fighting GringoDirectorFilm

1916The Black TerrorDirectorFilm

1916Brothers EqualDirectorFilm

1916The NymphDirectorFilm

1915Her Buried PastDirectorFilm

1915Station ContentDirectorFilm

1915The PretenderDirectorFilm

1914Over the LedgeDirectorFilm

1914The ExposureDirectorFilm

Writing (4)

1917The Bad Man of CheyenneWriter, DirectorFilm

1917The Outlaw and the LadyScenario Writer, DirectorFilm

1917Goin' StraightScenario Writer, DirectorFilm

1917Hair-Trigger BurkeScenario WriterFilm