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Charles Lane was an American character actor and centenarian whose career spanned 72 years. Lane gave his last performance at the age of 95 as a narrator in 2000. Lane appeared in many Frank Capra films, including You Can't Take It With You (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Riding High (1950). He was a favored supporting actor of Lucille Ball, who often used him as a no-nonsense authority figure and comedic foe of her scatterbrained TV character on her TV series I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour and The Lucy Show. His first film of more than 250 was as a hotel clerk in Smart Money (1931) starring Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney.
Birth Name
Charles Gerstle Levison
Born
Thursday, 26 January 1905
Died
Monday, 09 July 2007
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | Regent Yarborough | 1995 |
Acting on Impulse | Bellhop | 1993 |
Dark Shadows | Antique Dealer | 1991 |
War and Remembrance | Adm. William Standley | 1988 |
Date with an Angel | Father O'Shea | 1987 |
Vanishing America | Shopkeeper | 1986 |
When the Bough Breaks | Van der Graaf | 1986 |
L.A. Law | Walter Graf | 1986 |
Murphy's Romance | Amos Abbott | 1985 |
Otherworld | Mr. Velcrows Widley | 1985 |
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | Regent Yarborough | 1995 |
Acting on Impulse | Bellhop | 1993 |
Dark Shadows | Antique Dealer | 1991 |
War and Remembrance | Adm. William Standley | 1988 |
Date with an Angel | Father O'Shea | 1987 |
Vanishing America | Shopkeeper | 1986 |
When the Bough Breaks | Van der Graaf | 1986 |
L.A. Law | Walter Graf | 1986 |
Murphy's Romance | Amos Abbott | 1985 |
Otherworld | Mr. Velcrows Widley | 1985 |
Hunter | Motel Owner | 1984 |
Sunset Limousine | Reinhammer | 1983 |
Strange Invaders | Professor Hollister / Prof. Hollister | 1983 |
The New Leave It to Beaver | Mr. Strawn | 1983 |
The Winds of War | Adm. William Standley | 1983 |
St. Elsewhere | Richard Welte | 1982 |
Strange Behavior | Donovan | 1981 |
The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies | Chief | 1981 |
The Little Dragons | J.J. | 1980 |
Movie Movie | Judge / Mr. Pennington / Judge (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Mr. Pennington (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933") | 1978 |
Mork & Mindy | Judge Baker | 1978 |
Lou Grant | Mort Farber / Rupert Hume | 1977 |
Soap | Judge Petrillo / Judge Anthony Petrillo | 1977 |
ABC Weekend Specials | Walter Becker | 1977 |
Sybil | Dr. Quinoness | 1976 |
Family | James Lawrence | 1976 |
Long Way Home | 1975 | |
The Family Holvak | Deacon Hurd | 1975 |
Karen | Dale Busch | 1975 |
Chico and the Man | Fred Cripps | 1974 |
Rhoda | Mr. Fosner | 1974 |
Little House on the Prairie | Jess Moffet | 1974 |
Adam's Rib | Mayor | 1973 |
The Girl with Something Extra | Segram | 1973 |
The Sandy Duncan Show | Judge | 1972 |
The New Temperatures Rising Show | Fulton Briggs | 1972 |
Maude | Doc Pritchard | 1972 |
Get to Know Your Rabbit | Mr. Beeman | 1972 |
The Rookies | Dealer | 1972 |
Hitched | Round Tree | 1971 |
The Aristocats | Lawyer | 1970 |
The Odd Couple | Sid | 1970 |
Nanny and the Professor | Ticket Seller / Driving Inspector | 1970 |
The Debbie Reynolds Show | Samson | 1969 |
Medical Center | Dr. Kelford | 1969 |
60 Minutes | Himself - Former Executive Editor, The New Republic (segment "Lies") / Himself - Former Executive Editor, The New Republic (segment "Lies") (archive footage) | 1968 |
The Doris Day Show | Judge Carter | 1968 |
The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn | Mountain Lion | 1968 |
What's So Bad About Feeling Good? | Dr. Shapiro | 1968 |
Judd for the Defense | Bridgeman | 1967 |
The Flying Nun | Mr. O' Reilly | 1967 |
He & She | Mr. Simpson | 1967 |
The Gnome-Mobile | Dr. Scoggins | 1967 |
Eight on the Lam | Bank Examiner | 1967 |
The Phyllis Diller Show | Maxwell | 1966 |
Love on a Rooftop | Bert Bennington | 1966 |
The Ugly Dachshund | Judge | 1966 |
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken | Lawyer Whitlow / Whitlow | 1966 |
Get Smart | Uncle Abner | 1965 |
My Brother the Angel | Wiggins | 1965 |
Honey West | Ash | 1965 |
The Wild Wild West | Roger Creed | 1965 |
Green Acres | Mr. Wilson | 1965 |
Please Don't Eat the Daisies | Man | 1965 |
F Troop | Mr. S. A. MacGuire | 1965 |
Billie | Coach Jones | 1965 |
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! | 'Strife' Magazine Editor | 1965 |
Gomer Pyle: USMC | General Richards / Charlie | 1964 |
The Cara Williams Show | McAvie | 1964 |
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Ralph Harrison | 1964 |
Kentucky Jones | Doc Axby | 1964 |
Bewitched | Shotwell / Mr. Roland / Mr. Harmon / Mr. Cushman / Jessie Mortimer / Harold Jameson / George Meiklejohn / Ed Hotchkiss | 1964 |
Wendy and Me | Mr. Benson | 1964 |
Looking for Love | Director | 1964 |
Good Neighbor Sam | Jack Bailey | 1964 |
The New Interns | Connors | 1964 |
The Carpetbaggers | Denby | 1964 |
The Munsters | Mr. Holmes | 1964 |
The Wheeler Dealers | Judge | 1963 |
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World | Airport Manager | 1963 |
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Charles Eckhardt | 1963 |
Petticoat Junction | Homer Bedloe | 1963 |
The Bill Dana Show | Mr. Hanley / Doctor | 1963 |
The Farmer's Daughter | Clerk | 1963 |
Burke's Law | Dr. Lusk | 1963 |
Temple Houston | Amos Riggs | 1963 |
Papa's Delicate Condition | Mr. Cosgrove | 1963 |
The Lucy Show | Mr. Barnsdahl | 1962 |
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Caleb | 1962 |
The Beverly Hillbillies | Foster Phinney / Homer Bedloe / Billy Hacker | 1962 |
McKeever and the Colonel | Mayor | 1962 |
Saints and Sinners | Faye | 1962 |
The Music Man | Constable Locke / Constable | 1962 |
The Bob Newhart Show | Self | 1961 |
The Joey Bishop Show | Mr. Cosgrove | 1961 |
Mister Ed | Charley Foster | 1961 |
The Jim Backus Show | Alfred | 1960 |
Surfside 6 | Joseph Cooper / Cyrus Radford | 1960 |
The Andy Griffith Show | Mr. Frisby | 1960 |
Guestward Ho! | Mr. Langdon | 1960 |
Pete and Gladys | Slater / Mr. Vincent | 1960 |
The Tab Hunter Show | Dr. Spike | 1960 |
Hawaiian Eye | Crosby Page | 1959 |
Dennis the Menace | Lawrence Finch | 1959 |
The Twilight Zone | Mr. Peckinpaugh | 1959 |
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Zoology Teacher / Prof. McGuffy / P.T. Atwater / Chester L. Wayzack, Esq. / Charlie Wayzack / Charles Wayzak | 1959 |
The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Dr. Shelley | 1959 |
Fibber McGee and Molly | Bill Gordon | 1959 |
But Not for Me | Al Atwood | 1959 |
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock | Stanford Bates / Standard Bates | 1959 |
The Mating Game | Inspector General Bigelow | 1959 |
The Untouchables | Alcatraz Official | 1959 |
Grand Jury | George Presby | 1959 |
77 Sunset Strip | Henry Distal | 1958 |
The Ann Sothern Show | Cameron | 1958 |
Lawman | Morris Weeks | 1958 |
The Donna Reed Show | Mr. Samson | 1958 |
Teacher's Pet | Roy | 1958 |
The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour | Claims Clerk / Customs Officer | 1957 |
How to Marry a Millionaire | Emil Quincy / Mr. Parkhurst | 1957 |
The Real McCoys | Harry Poulson / Man / Mr. Leland | 1957 |
The Gray Ghost | Hall | 1957 |
Goodyear Theatre | Adam | 1957 |
The Restless Gun | Mayor Peter Mercer | 1957 |
Maverick | Proprietor | 1957 |
Perry Mason | Dr. Williams | 1957 |
The Thin Man | Harry Gordon | 1957 |
Bachelor Father | Mr. Pettigrew | 1957 |
God Is My Partner | Judge Warner | 1957 |
Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Lt. Kevin Anders | 1957 |
Top Secret Affair | Bill Hadley | 1957 |
Whirlybirds | Larkin | 1957 |
The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna | Pierce | 1956 |
The Birds and the Bees | Charlie Jenkins - Bartender / Charlie Jenkins | 1956 |
Telephone Time | Josiah | 1956 |
The People's Choice | Manager | 1955 |
Screen Directors Playhouse | Joseph P. Garrity | 1955 |
The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial | Grayson | 1955 |
Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre | Henry | 1955 |
Kiss Me Deadly | Doctor | 1955 |
The Millionaire | Simon Whipple | 1955 |
The Bob Cummings Show | S. J. Jollisson | 1955 |
The Magical World of Disney | Dr. Scroggins / Judge / Mr. Pfeiffer | 1954 |
The Lineup | Gallagher | 1954 |
Studio 57 | Henry | 1954 |
Willy | Willy's Boss | 1954 |
Dear Phoebe | Mr. Fosdick / G. R.. Fosdick | 1954 |
Topper | Mr. Kittler | 1953 |
The Danny Thomas Show | Oliver Watkins / Mr. Baker | 1953 |
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis | Chemistry Professor Obispo / Prof. Obispo | 1953 |
Remains to Be Seen | Delapp (examiner) / Delapp | 1953 |
The Juggler | Rosenberg | 1953 |
Three for Bedroom C | Trainman | 1952 |
The Sniper | Drunk in Bar / Loud Drunk at Club | 1952 |
I Love Lucy | Casting Director / Mr. Hickox / Mr. Stanley / Passport Office Clerk | 1951 |
Here Comes the Groom | Ralph Burchard / FBI Agent Ralph Burchard | 1951 |
Criminal Lawyer | Frederick Waterman | 1951 |
I Can Get It for You Wholesale | Herman Pulvermacher | 1951 |
The Du Pont Story | Lammot du Pont | 1950 |
For Heaven's Sake | Arthur Crane (IRS) | 1950 |
The Second Face | Mr. West - Insurance Claims Adjustor / Mr. Westcott | 1950 |
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show | Mr. Fitzpatrick / Joe Crawford / Arthur Stebbins | 1950 |
Lux Video Theatre | Walter Medford | 1950 |
Rookie Fireman | Loan Officer | 1950 |
Love That Brute | Joe Evans - Cigar Store Owner | 1950 |
Riding High | Erickson | 1950 |
The Yellow Cab Man | L.A. Casualty Co. Executive | 1950 |
Borderline | Peterson - U.S. Customs Man | 1950 |
Backfire | Dr. Nolan | 1950 |
Miss Grant Takes Richmond | Mr. Woodruff | 1949 |
The House Across the Street | Apartment Manager | 1949 |
Mighty Joe Young | Producer | 1949 |
You're My Everything | Mr. Eddie Pflum | 1949 |
Mother Is a Freshman | Mr. De Haven | 1949 |
The Boy with Green Hair | Passerby | 1948 |
Moonrise | Mr. Chandler - Man in Black | 1948 |
Apartment for Peggy | Prof. Collins | 1948 |
Out of the Storm | Mr. Evans | 1948 |
The Gentleman from Nowhere | Fenmore | 1948 |
Race Street | Switchboard Operator-Clerk | 1948 |
Smart Woman | Reporter | 1948 |
State of the Union | Blink Moran | 1948 |
Call Northside 777 | Prosecuting Attorney | 1948 |
Louisiana | McCormack | 1947 |
Roses Are Red | Lipton | 1947 |
Bury Me Dead | Brighton / Mr. Brighton | 1947 |
Intrigue | Hotel Desk Clerk | 1947 |
Living in a Big Way | Hawkins | 1947 |
It Happened on Fifth Avenue | Landlord | 1947 |
The Farmer's Daughter | Jackson | 1947 |
It's a Wonderful Life | Real Estate Salesman | 1946 |
Swell Guy | Ben Tilwell | 1946 |
The Show-Off | Quiz Master | 1946 |
The Invisible Informer | Nick Steele | 1946 |
Mysterious Intruder | Detective Burns | 1946 |
Just Before Dawn | Dr. Steiner | 1946 |
A Close Call for Boston Blackie | Hack Hagen | 1946 |
Arsenic and Old Lace | Reporter / Reporter at Marriage License Office | 1944 |
Mission to Moscow | Man in Kitchenin Montage | 1943 |
Flying Tigers | Repkin | 1942 |
Pardon My Sarong | Bus Company Superintendent | 1942 |
Friendly Enemies | Braun | 1942 |
Lady in a Jam | Government Man | 1942 |
Thru Different Eyes | Mott | 1942 |
Are Husbands Necessary? | Mr. Brooks | 1942 |
They All Kissed the Bride | Spotter | 1942 |
The Mad Martindales | Virgil Hickling | 1942 |
Sunday Punch | Ringside Spectator at Ole's First Fight | 1942 |
Tarzan's New York Adventure | Gould Beaton / Sargent's Lawyer Gould Beaton | 1942 |
Home in Wyomin' | Newspaper Editor | 1942 |
About Face | Rental Car Manager / Garage Manager | 1942 |
Broadway | Hungry Harry | 1942 |
Yokel Boy | Cynic | 1942 |
The Adventures of Martin Eden | Mr. White, Publisher / Mr. White | 1942 |
What's Cookin' | K.D. Reynolds | 1942 |
Born to Sing | Johnny | 1942 |
Ride 'Em Cowboy | Martin Manning | 1942 |
The Lady Is Willing | K.K. Miller | 1942 |
Obliging Young Lady | Private Detective Smith | 1942 |
A Close Call for Ellery Queen | Coroner | 1942 |
A Gentleman at Heart | Holloway | 1942 |
Ball of Fire | Larsen | 1942 |
Sealed Lips | Attorney Emanuel 'Manny' T. Dixon | 1942 |
Look Who's Laughing | Club Secretary | 1941 |
Birth of the Blues | Wilbur - Theater Manager | 1941 |
Birth of the Oases | Wilbur - Theater Manager | 1941 |
The Great Man's Lady | Pierce | 1941 |
I Wake Up Screaming | Keating / Keating- Florist | 1941 |
New York Town | Census Taker | 1941 |
Appointment for Love | Smith | 1941 |
Three Girls About Town | Mortician | 1941 |
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break | Man | 1941 |
Buy Me That Town | J. Montague Gainsborough | 1941 |
Sing Another Chorus | Ryan | 1941 |
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime | Dr. Prouty / Dr. Prouty (coroner) | 1941 |
Blondie in Society | Washing Machine Salesman | 1941 |
The Big Store | Finance Company Man | 1941 |
Sis Hopkins | Rollo / Mayor's aide | 1941 |
Barnacle Bill | Auctioneer | 1941 |
Repent at Leisure | Clarence Morgan | 1941 |
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery | Doc Prouty | 1941 |
Footlight Fever | Link - Insurance Agent | 1941 |
You're the One | Announcer | 1941 |
Back Street | Reporter for Associated News / Blake | 1941 |
The Invisible Woman | Growley | 1940 |
Texas Rangers Ride Again | Train Passenger | 1940 |
Ellery Queen, Master Detective | Dr. Prouty | 1940 |
Dancing on a Dime | Freeman Taylor | 1940 |
Blondie Plays Cupid | Train Conductor | 1940 |
A Little Bit of Heaven | Stafford | 1940 |
City for Conquest | Al - Dance Team Manager | 1940 |
The Leather Pushers | Henry 'Mitch' Mitchell | 1940 |
Rhythm on the River | Bernard Schwartz | 1940 |
The Great Profile | Director | 1940 |
We Who Are Young | Perkins | 1940 |
Queen of the Mob | Horace Grimley | 1940 |
You Can't Fool Your Wife | Salesman | 1940 |
On Their Own | Johnson | 1940 |
Alias the Deacon | Supervisor | 1940 |
Edison, the Man | Second Lecturer | 1940 |
The Crooked Road | Phil Wesner, Defense Attorney | 1940 |
I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby | Gannon | 1940 |
The Doctor Takes a Wife | Reporter | 1940 |
Buck Benny Rides Again | Charlie Graham | 1940 |
Primrose Path | Mr. 'Smitty' Smith / Hawkins | 1940 |
It's a Date | Mr. Horner | 1940 |
Johnny Apollo | Assistant District Attorney / Assistant D.A. | 1940 |
Parole Fixer | Florist's Customer | 1940 |
Charlie McCarthy, Detective | Charlie's Doctor | 1939 |
The Honeymoon's Over | D.W. O'Connor | 1939 |
The Cat and the Canary | Reporter | 1939 |
Beware Spooks! | Moore / Mr. Moore, Credit Man | 1939 |
Television Spy | Mr. Adler | 1939 |
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Nosey | 1939 |
Honeymoon in Bali | Photographer for Morrissey's | 1939 |
Fifth Avenue Girl | Union Representative | 1939 |
Golden Boy | Reporter Drake / Drake - Reporter | 1939 |
Miracles for Sale | Fleetwood Apartments Desk Clerk | 1939 |
They All Come Out | Psychiatrist | 1939 |
News Is Made at Night | District Attorney Rufe Reynolds | 1939 |
Second Fiddle | Studio Chief | 1939 |
Unexpected Father | Department of Health Quarantine Man | 1939 |
Rose of Washington Square | Sam Kress | 1939 |
Lucky Night | Carpenter | 1939 |
Let Us Live | Auto Salesman | 1939 |
Inside Story | District Attorney | 1939 |
Boy Slaves | Albee | 1939 |
Kentucky | Auctioneer | 1938 |
Thanks for Everything | Dr. Olson | 1938 |
Blondie | Furniture Salesman | 1938 |
Always in Trouble | Donald Gower | 1938 |
Three Loves Has Nancy | Cleaning Store Manager | 1938 |
You Can't Take It with You | Henderson | 1938 |
The Rage of Paris | Department Head | 1938 |
Professor Beware | Joe - Photographer | 1938 |
Cocoanut Grove | Weaver | 1938 |
Joy of Living | Fan in Margaret's Dressing Room / Fan in Margaret's Dressing Room (Uncredited) | 1938 |
In Old Chicago | Booking Agent | 1938 |
City Girl | Dr. Abbott | 1938 |
Nothing Sacred | Rubenstein | 1937 |
Ali Baba Goes to Town | Doctor | 1937 |
Partners in Crime | Druggist | 1937 |
Danger - Love at Work | Gilroy / Gilroy, an attorney | 1937 |
Hot Water | Grayson | 1937 |
Trapped by G-Men | Fingers | 1937 |
Fit for a King | Spears | 1937 |
Bad Guy | Walden's Lawyer / Attorney | 1937 |
One Mile from Heaven | Webb / Webb - Fingerprint Man | 1937 |
Born Reckless | Barnes's lawyer / Barnes' Lawyer | 1937 |
Big Business | Webster - Bank Representative | 1937 |
Venus Makes Trouble | District Attorney | 1937 |
Internes Can't Take Money | Grote | 1937 |
Sea Devils | Judge | 1937 |
We're on the Jury | Mr. Horace Smith / Horace Smith | 1937 |
Criminal Lawyer | Nora's Attorney / Attorney | 1937 |
Three Men on a Horse | Cleaner | 1936 |
Come Closer, Folks | Prosecutor | 1936 |
Easy to Take | Skip - Reporter / Skip | 1936 |
Lady Luck | Feinberg | 1936 |
Two-Fisted Gentleman | Joe Gordon | 1936 |
36 Hours to Kill | Rickert / Lawyer Rickert | 1936 |
The Bride Walks Out | Judge | 1936 |
The Crime of Dr. Forbes | Defense Attorney | 1936 |
Ticket to Paradise | Shyster | 1936 |
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | Hallor | 1936 |
It Had to Happen | State Examiner | 1936 |
The Milky Way | Willard | 1936 |
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell | Man in Front Row (archive footage) / Man in Front Row | 1936 |
Two for Tonight | Writer | 1935 |
Here Comes the Band | Mr. Scurry | 1935 |
Woman Wanted | Defense Attorney Herman | 1935 |
Ginger | Judge | 1935 |
Princess O'Hara | Morris Goldberg | 1935 |
The Florentine Dagger | Man in Front Row (archive footage) / Man in Front Row | 1935 |
One More Spring | Representative | 1935 |
The Band Plays On | Shyster Lawyer | 1934 |
A Wicked Woman | Defense Attorney Beardsley | 1934 |
Broadway Bill | Sully - Morgan's Henchmanan | 1934 |
I'll Fix It | Al Nathan | 1934 |
Smoked Hams | Man in audience | 1934 |
Let's Talk It Over | Reporter | 1934 |
Twentieth Century | Max Jacobs | 1934 |
Twenty Million Sweethearts | Reporter | 1934 |
Looking for Trouble | Switchboard Operator | 1934 |
The Show-Off | Mr. Weitzenkorn | 1934 |
Mr. Skitch | Hotel Clerk | 1933 |
Advice to the Forlorn | Circulation Manager | 1933 |
Broadway Thru a Keyhole | Columnist #2 / Columnist #2 (replaced by Andrew Tombes) | 1933 |
The Bowery | Doctor | 1933 |
My Woman | Conn | 1933 |
She Had to Say Yes | Mr. Bernstein | 1933 |
Private Detective 62 | Process Server / Process Server (Uncredited) | 1933 |
Gold Diggers of 1933 | Society Reporter | 1933 |
Central Airport | Amarillo Radio Operator | 1933 |
42nd Street | Author of 'Pretty Lady' | 1933 |
Blondie Johnson | Cashier | 1933 |
Grand Slam | Waiter at Nicolai Restaurant / Ivan | 1933 |
Employees' Entrance | Shoe Salesman | 1933 |
Blessed Event | Kane | 1932 |
The Mouthpiece | Hotel Desk Clerk / Hotel Desk Clerk (Uncredited) | 1932 |
Union Depot | Luggage Checkroom Clerk | 1932 |
Manhattan Parade | Desk Clerk | 1932 |
Blonde Crazy | Four-Eyes - Hotel Desk Clerk | 1931 |
The Road to Singapore | Desk Clerk at Club | 1931 |
Smart Money | Hotel Desk Clerk | 1931 |
City Girl | Man at Train Station | 1930 |