Skip to content
Motif
Gary Frank

Gary Frank

Actor · Born October 9, 1950 (76) · Spokane, Washington, USA

Gary Frank (born October 9, 1950) is an acclaimed American actor most recognized for his portrayal of Willie Lawrence on the beloved 1970s ABC drama series Family. His sensitive performance on the show earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1977. Born in Spokane, Washington, Frank began his career as a child actor before gaining wider notice starring alongside Glynnis O'Connor in the 1974 series Sons and Daughters. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he became a prolific television presence, guest-starring on iconic programs such as Remington Steele, Murder, She Wrote, Matlock, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Beyond episodic TV, he appeared in notable television films like Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb and provided voice work for Batman: The Animated Series. As of 2024, Frank resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Carroll Newman, and has recently focused on writing his personal memoir.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 9, 1950 (76)
From
Spokane, Washington, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on Motif · 50 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 51% in 30 days

What are Gary Frank's films like?

Across their 10 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
36%
Survival
26%
Society
11%
Self
10%
Bonds
8%
Power
8%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 5

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 6 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 6 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 4
Hero
1 of 4
Shadow
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
5
Dread
3
Warm
1
Joyful
1
Other
6

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gary Frank's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 27 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gary Frank's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

50 credits, 27 with a Motif page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Giving Up the Ghost (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • The Batman(2022)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • How to Have a Happy Marriage (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Like Father, Like Santa(1998)

    as Smitty

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Prison of Secrets(1997)

    as Larry Schaffer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Profiler (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as James Davison

  • Pacific Blue(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Lenny Petrani

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Death in Small Doses(1995)

    as Bill Dillard Jr.

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Untamed Love (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    as Eldridge

  • Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7(1993)

    as Len

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Yedrin Dax

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Distinguished Gentleman(1992)

    as Iowa

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Batman: The Animated Series(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan Mockridge (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Getting Up and Going Home(1992)

    as Scott Stevens

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    as Dr. Garrick

  • Silk Stalkings(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · as Seaside Strangler

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Flying Blind (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    as Jason

  • People Like Us(1990)

    as Hubert Altemus

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Unspeakable Acts(1990)

    as Neil Harrison

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Deadly Weapon(1989)

    as Dalton

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Friday the 13th: The Series (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Winston Knight

  • Enemy Territory(1987)

    as Barry

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Visser

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Al Tomberg · as Doug Templitt

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Blacke's Magic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Isaacs

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Lee Callahan

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alan Rawling

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Whiz Kids (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Emergency Room (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    as Dr. Paul Klein

  • Remington Steele(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · as Detective James Jarvis

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Matt Houston (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hotel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Luther

  • T.J. Hooker(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Brett Williams

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Midnight Lace (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as Brian Preston

  • The Night the City Screamed(1980)

    as Ron Farrell

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Magnum, P.I.(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Spangler

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb(1980)

    as Maj. Tom Ferebee

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Gift (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    as Pete Devlin

  • Hart to Hart (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Barry Mason

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • The New Love Boat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Stanley Adams

  • Charlie's Angels(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Ted Grainger

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Family (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 86 episodes · as Willie Lawrence

  • Sons and Daughters (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 9 episodes · as Jeff Reed

  • Senior Year (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Jeff Reed

  • Love Is Not Forever (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Jeff

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Medical Center (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Ironside (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 69th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 50 titles from 1967 to 2025; peak year 1987.

Highest rated

Enemy Territory (1987)

Midcredits 51st

Most popular right now

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980)

Film career

19672025

Peak 1987 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1987Screen debut· Enemy Territory
  • 1987First top-billed film· Enemy Territory

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting49 of 50: 49 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score41stOther crew1 of 50: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1960s2 · acting1970s10 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s16 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Gary Frank's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 36th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 27 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7 (1993)

80th percentile spread · 39% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980)

Midcredits 53rd · 55% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 34. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Gary Frank work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gary Frank's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Carroll Newman shares the most, 3.

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles