Frankfather guest-starred in many popular television series of the late 20th century, including MacGyver, Night Court, The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele, Murphy Brown, Picket Fences, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Melrose Place, Empty Nest, Wings, NYPD Blue, Tales from the Crypt and Mama's Family.
His feature-film credits include Mouse Hunt, The Rocketeer, and Death Becomes Her, but is best remembered on-screen for his menacing performance as Whitey Jackson, the killer albino, in the 1978 comedy film Foul Play.
Notably, Frankfather is able to achieve serious menace despite the fact viewers never hear a word of dialogue spoken by his character throughout the film.
There is a scene where Whitey Jackson is using a pay phone while Goldie Hawn watches him from an upstairs window but you never hear what he says so his voice remains unheard.
Frankfather died at University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center December 28, 1998, from complications of liver disease.