FRANK J. SCANNELL

May 7, 1903

Frank J. Scannell was born on May 7, 1903 in Boston, Massachusetts, as Francis J. Scannell.  He was 18 years old when he began his career as a tap dancer and singer at a Chicago speakeasy owned by Al Capone who was his first boss in 1922.

He made his screen debut in an uncredited role in 1943′s Whistling in Brooklyn starring Red Skelton and William Frawley (aka Fred Mertz).  

In October 1945 he had an uncredited role in Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood in which Lucille Ball played herself in a cameo. 

A year later, he played a reporter in Lover Come Back starring Lucille Ball. 

In February 1952 he played the Burlesque Clown (aka ‘the poor soul’) who teaches Lucy Ricardo the ‘Slowly I Turn’ routine in “The Ballet” (ILL S1;E19).

From 1955 to 1958, Scannell did six episodes of “The
Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp” in various roles. The series was shot at Desilu Studios. 

On Desilu’s “The Untouchables” he played a Carnival Barker in three episodes from 1960 to 1961.

Also in 1960, Scannell was one of the partygoers in the film musical Bells Are Ringing who sing “Drop That Name”, a song by Comden and Green that rhymes “Lauren Bacall” with “Lucille Ball”!  

In 1969 he was reunited with Red Skelton (the star of his film debut) on “The Red Skelton Show”.  Two years later he was re-united with Lucille Ball when he guest starred as one of Harry’s Poker buddies on “Here’s Lucy.”  

His final screen role was on a 1976 episode of “McMillan and Wife” titled “All Bets Are Off”.  He played a roulette dealer in Las Vegas. 

Scannell died on November 19, 1989.  He was 86 years old.