Frazer was Chrysler's first sales manager and helped launch the Chrysler, Plymouth and DeSoto brands. When John North Willys dies in 1933, Frazer leaves Chrysler to head Willys-Overland. In 1944, Frazer acquires control of Graham-Paige, and then in 1947 transfers Graham-Paige assets to Kaiser to form Kaiser-Frazer with millionaire industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. Their plan was to break the Big Three's "stranglehold" on U.S. auto production. After meeting with only moderate success, the company merges with Willys in 1953.