Francis Curray "Frank" McHugh was an American film and television actor, born on May 23, 1898, in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Coming from a theatrical family, McHugh's parents ran a stock theatre company, and as a young child, he performed on stage. His brother Matt and sister Kitty joined him in an act by the time he was ten years old, but the family eventually left the stage around 1930. Another brother, Ed, went on to become a stage manager and agent in New York.
McHugh made his Broadway debut in The Fall Guy in 1925, and in 1930, Warner Bros. hired him as a contract player. Throughout his career, he played a wide range of roles, from lead actor to sidekick, often providing comedy relief. He appeared in over 150 films and television productions, working alongside almost every star at Warner Bros. McHugh was particularly close to James Cagney, appearing in eleven movies with him between 1932 and 1953, and their friendship endured until McHugh's passing.
As the 1950s progressed, McHugh's film career began to slow down, as evident in his smaller role in Career (1959). However, he continued to work in television, playing the role of Willie Walters, a live-in handyman, on ABC's sitcom The Bing Crosby Show from 1964 to 1965. His final television appearance was as Charlie Wingate in the episode "The Fix-It Man" on CBS's Lancer western series, where he once again played a handyman.
McHugh was married to Dorothy Spencer and had three children and two grandchildren.
