6 Best William Frawley Movies

By Vlad Zakh · July 22, 2026

William Frawley brought gruff, wisecracking charm to Hollywood across decades of films before his career-defining television role, playing cops, managers and reporters. Miracle on 34th Street puts a department store Santa on trial, Going My Way clashes an unconventional priest with his traditional superior, The Bride Came C.O.D. strands a pilot in the desert with a runaway heiress, and Footsteps in the Dark has a banker moonlighting as a detective novelist. Desire and Roberta round out the list.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 96% Metacritic 88

A department-store Santa's claim to be the real thing ends up in an actual courtroom.

Directed by George Seaton · 1h 36m · Rated NR

Won 3 Oscars10 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Going My Way (1944)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A young, unconventional priest's modern methods clash with his traditional, ageing superior at a struggling parish.

Directed by Leo McCarey · 2h 06m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)

TMDB ★ 7.0

Chick Chandler appears when a pilot hired to kidnap a runaway heiress ends up stranded with her in the desert.

Directed by William Keighley · 1h 32m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Footsteps in the Dark (1941)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A wealthy investment banker secretly moonlights as a detective novelist and amateur crime solver.

Directed by Lloyd Bacon · 1h 36m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Desire (1936)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A glamorous jewel thief's scheme is complicated when she falls for the American tourist she is using as cover.

Directed by Frank Borzage · 1h 35m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Roberta (1935)

TMDB ★ 7.1

An American football player inherits his aunt's Parisian fashion house and falls for its lead designer.

Directed by William A. Seiter · 1h 46m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: TCM · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best William Frawley Movies

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Going My Way (1944)

The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)

Footsteps in the Dark (1941)

Desire (1936)

Roberta (1935)

You might also like

6 Best Seamstress and Tailor Movies

6 Best Post Office and Mail Carrier Movies

50 Best Christmas Movies of All Time

6 Best Department Store and Retail Movies

6 Best Snub Pollard Movies

6 Best Chick Chandler Movies