Frank E. Freedman was born in 1896 and died March 21, 1970 at the age of 74. His father, Louis and mother, Fanny (nee Silberman) were Jewish immigrants from Austria and he had five brothers and a sister (Julius, Abraham known as Abe, Harry, Harris, Nathan and sister Anna). Frank Freedman grew up in East Buffalo and attended school PS32 at a time when over ninety per cent of pupils were Jewish. He attended Masten Park High School, graduating in 1912. He received his law degree from the University of Buffalo, Law School in 1919, and was admitted to the bar in 1920. He was a member of Brith Sholem (Orthodox) synagogue, known as the “Pine Street Shul”, and retained a life long interest in the Hebrew language.

While studying law, he began working as a reporter for the Buffalo Courier under Norman E. Mack. He later worked as a sports editor at the Buffalo Courier, and subsequently worked at the Buffalo Times. In 1921 he ran as a Republican candidate for the Ellicott District seat and won, serving as a member of the Erie County Board of Supervisors from 1921to 1927. He was identified as a “prime mover” in the establishment of the Erie County Park system and the city purchase of land for public parks at Chestnut Ridge, Emery, Como Lake and Ellicott Creek through his service as chairman of the Parks Committee. From 1927 to 1931 he served on the City Council and was instrumental in developing plans for the building of Buffalo City Hall. Between 1941 and 1965, he served as confidential clerk to the Justices Joseph A. Wechter and John V. Maloney, and as confidential secretary, to Supreme Court Justice Regis O’Brien.

Frank Freedman maintained a long personal friendship with Jack Yellen whom he knew from East Buffalo and through whom he became acquainted with other show business people including Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, George M. Cohan, Ben Bernie, Sophie Tucker and Will Rogers. As an amateur scriptwriter, he wrote political satire. In 1935 he helped found the Erie County Capital Hill Club that lampooned local and national politicians in an annual show. He contributed material to 32 annual shows. Frank Freedman’s political activity in the Republican Party is mentioned (on p. 345) in the classic history of Jewish Buffalo, Selig Adler and Thomas E. Connelly, From Ararat to Suburbia: The History of the Jewish Community of Buffalo, published by Jewish Publication Society of America in 1960. In the same publication, his role as a publicity organizer for Beth El musical productions is also included on p. 272.