Stand-up comedian · 1891–1961

Frank Fay

Who Frank Fay is

Frank Fay was an American vaudeville comedian and master of ceremonies from San Francisco. He worked as a variety artist from around 1918 and was a vaudeville headliner during the 1920s. When talking pictures came he signed with Warner Bros., which cast him as master of ceremonies of The Show of Shows (1929), and he starred in Under a Texas Moon, Bright Lights and The Matrimonial Bed. His best-known role was Elwood P. Dowd in Mary Coyle Chase's play Harvey on Broadway, and in 1957 he released the comedy LP Be Frank with Fay on Bally. He was born to Irish Catholic parents.

Vote in My D.O.C. Legends

Put them in My D.O.C. Legends: your twelve for their era, counted with every reader’s on the Legends page.

At a glance

Born
1891
Died
1961
Albums
Be Frank with Fay
On screen
The Show of Shows, Under a Texas Moon, Bright Lights and 2 more

Specials, shows and podcasts

Albums

On screen

Career timeline

  1. 1891Born
  2. 1929The Show of Shows (film, master of ceremonies, Warner Bros., 1929) On screen
  3. 1957Be Frank with Fay (LP, Bally BAL 12015, 1957) Album
  4. 1961Died

Questions and answers

What TV shows and films is Frank Fay in?

The Show of Shows (film, master of ceremonies, Warner Bros., 1929), Under a Texas Moon (film), Bright Lights (film), The Matrimonial Bed (film) and Harvey (Broadway, as Elwood P. Dowd).

How old were they?

They were born in 1891 and died in 1961.

The D.O.C. letter, free

Who’s on the road, festival dates as they are announced and entry windows as they open, with the news of the comedians, rooms and towns you follow: one short comedy newsletter, free every Sunday.

What you get: the free D.O.C. letter, one Sunday roundup. Every letter has a one-click unsubscribe. How your address is kept

For fans 18 and over: signing up says you are. It makes you a Disciple, free.

The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to vote them into My D.O.C. Legends.

Sources

Updated · the record checked 10 November 2026