Frank Whaley grew up in Syracuse, New York and left home at eighteen to pursue an acting career. His older brother Robert originally wanted to be an actor but Frank later became interested in the profession and followed in his brother's footsteps. He not only has a brother but two sisters as well. His brother is the lead singer of the New York based band, the Niagras, and was also the composer for Frank's directorial debut Joe Henry. Frank makes his home in New York and is close friends with actor Ethan Hawke who he made friends with on the set of A Midnight Clear.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 43. A staunch supporter of indie-films, he hosted the MetroChannel cable TV New York Stories Angelika Film Festival. Gained 30 pounds for role in Homage. Wife Heather Bucha, graduate of Colby College, is a playwright and actress, author of "Social Notes: An Evening with Dorothy Parker". Graduate of State University of New York at Albany. Is good friends with actor Ethan Hawke, who also lists Whaley in the acknowledges of his novel, Ash Wednesday. Plays bit parts in big movies and successful star vehicles (_Pulp Fiction (1994)_ , _JFK (1992)_ , Broken Arrow, The Freshman, Born on the Fourth of July and Red Dragon) and leads in mostly bad movies ("Career Opportunites," "Cold Dog Soup" and "The Jimmy Show"). Does all his own musical work whenever he plays a musician in a movie. Brother of musician/composer/actor Robert Whaley. He founded a theater company called Malaparte with Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard and Steve Zahn.