Born in Houston, Texas, Frawley had a short-lived acting career, appearing in supporting roles in film and television from 1963 to 1966.

A memorable appearance was the role of Hawaii District Attorney Alvarez in the 1965 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Feather Cloak."

TV series he directed included Cagney & Lacey, Magnum, P.I., Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, and Judging Amy, along with many others.

[citation needed] He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in 1967 for the episode "Royal Flush" of The Monkees, and was nominated for the same award the following year for another Monkees episode, "The Devil and Peter Tork.

"[5] Frawley died from a heart attack while at home in Indian Wells, California, on January 22, 2019, at the age of 82.