Charles Lane
Known for Acting · 319 credits
- Born
- 1905-01-26
- Died
- 2007-07-09
- Place of birth
- San Francisco, California, USA
- Also known as
- Charles Gerstle Levison · Charles L. Lane · Charlie Lane · Charles Levinson · Charles Levison
Biography
Charles Lane (born Charles Gerstle Levison; January 26, 1905 – July 9, 2007) was an American character actor and centenarian whose career spanned 77 years. Lane gave his last performance at the age of 101 as a narrator in 2006. 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.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Known For
TV Shows (100)
Perry Mason
1957
as Dr. Williams
Little House on the Prairie
1974
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Mr. Frisby
The Donna Reed Show
1958
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as Charles Eckhardt
Maverick
1957
as Proprietor
Bewitched
1964
as Mr. Cushman / Jessie Mortimer / Mr. Roland / Ed Hotchkiss / Shotwell / George Meiklejohn / Mr. Harmon / Harold Jameson
Hunter
1984
as Motel Owner
The Wild Wild West
1965
as Roger Creed
The Beverly Hillbillies
1962
as Foster Phinney / Billy Hacker / Homer Bedloe
Get Smart
1965
as Uncle Abner
L.A. Law
1986
as Walter Graf
Lou Grant
1977
as Mort Farber
Petticoat Junction
1963
as Homer Bedloe
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Mr. Peckinpaugh
St. Elsewhere
1982
as Richard Welte
Burke's Law
1963
as Dr. Lusk
I Love Lucy
1951
as Mr. Stanley / Passport Office Clerk / Casting Director / Mr. Hickox
The Untouchables
1959
as Alcatraz Official (uncredited)
The Lucy Show
1962
as Mr. Barnsdahl
Maude
1972
One Day at a Time
1975
Lawman
1958
Today
1952
as Self
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
1957
as Lt. Kevin Anders (uncredited)
Dennis the Menace
1959
as Lawrence Finch
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964
as Charlie
Green Acres
1965
as Mr. Wilson
The Rookies
1972
77 Sunset Strip
1958
The Odd Couple
1970
as Sid
The Munsters
1964
The Millionaire
1955
as Simon Whipple
Mister Ed
1961
The Real McCoys
1957
as Mr. Leland
Soap
1977
as Judge Petrillo
Surfside 6
1960
as Cyrus Radford
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
as Ralph Harrison
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Walter Medford
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
1959
as Chester L. Wayzack, Esq.
The Doris Day Show
1968
as Judge Carter
Rhoda
1974
Honey West
1965
as Ash
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Mork & Mindy
1978
The Flying Nun
1967
Studio 57
1954
as Henry
Chico and the Man
1974
F Troop
1965
Judd, for the Defense
1967
The Comedy Factory
1985
as George McCloskey
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Dr. Shelley
Dark Shadows
1991
as Antique Dealer
Bachelor Father
1957
Screen Director's Playhouse
1955
The People's Choice
1955
The Thin Man
1957
Legends
2006
as Roy (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Winds of War
1983
as William Standley
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Mr. Pfeiffer
Movies (219)
It's a Wonderful Life
1946
as Real Estate Salesman
The Aristocats
1970
as Lawyer (voice)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963
as Airport Manager
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939
as Nosey
Arsenic and Old Lace
1944
as Reporter at Marriage License Office
The Gnome-Mobile
1967
as Dr. Scoggins
Sealed Lips
1942
as Attorney Emanuel 'Manny' T. Dixon
Date with an Angel
1987
as Father O'Shea
Mighty Joe Young
1949
as Producer (uncredited)
Mr. Skitch
1933
as Hotel Clerk
Billie
1965
as Coach Jones
Central Airport
1933
as Amarillo Radio Operator (uncredited)
Boy Slaves
1939
as Albee
Blondie Johnson
1933
as Cashier (uncredited)
Beware Spooks!
1939
as Moore (uncredited)
Back Street
1941
as Reporter for Associated News
The Music Man
1962
as Constable
Louisiana
1947
as McCormack
You Can't Take It with You
1938
as Henderson
But Not for Me
1959
as Al Atwood
They All Kissed the Bride
1942
as Spotter
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
1966
as Whitlow
Sis Hopkins
1941
as Mayor's aide
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
1936
as Hallor (uncredited)
Good Neighbor Sam
1964
as Jack Bailey
Movie Movie
1978
as Judge / Mr. Pennington
Thru Different Eyes
1942
as Mott
About Face
1942
as Rental Car Manager
Appointment for Love
1941
as Smith (uncredited)
Blondie
1938
as Furniture Salesman (uncredited)
Obliging Young Lady
1942
as Private Detective Smith
Looking for Love
1964
as Director
The Ugly Dachshund
1966
as Judge
Ball of Fire
1941
as Larsen
Three Loves Has Nancy
1938
as Cleaning Store Manager (uncredited)
Strange Invaders
1983
as Prof. Hollister
City Girl
1930
as Man at Train Station (uncredited)
Flying Tigers
1942
as Repkin (uncredited)
My Woman
1933
as Conn
They All Come Out
1939
as Psychiatrist
Strange Behavior
1981
as Donovan
The Juggler
1953
as Rosenberg
Danger – Love at Work
1937
as Gilroy, an attorney
I Wake Up Screaming
1941
as Keating- Florist
The Sniper
1952
as Loud Drunk at Club
Riding High
1950
as Erickson
Get to Know Your Rabbit
1972
as Mr. Beeman
Call Northside 777
1948
as Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
The Carpetbaggers
1964
as Eugene Denby
42nd Street
1933
as Author of 'Pretty Lady' (uncredited)
Papa's Delicate Condition
1963
as Mr. Cosgrove
Tarzan's New York Adventure
1942
as Sargent's Lawyer Gould Beaton
Born to Sing
1942
as Johnny
The Invisible Woman
1940
as Growley
When the Bough Breaks
1986
as Van der Graaf
Murphy's Romance
1985
as Amos Abbott
The Great Man's Lady
1941
as Pierce (uncredited)
Alcatraz Express
1961
The Boy with Green Hair
1948
Living in a Big Way
1947
as Hawkins (uncredited)
Ali Baba Goes to Town
1937
as Doctor
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
1947
as Landlord (uncredited)
Fifth Avenue Girl
1939
as Union Representative (uncredited)
Remains to Be Seen
1953
as Delapp
Criminal Lawyer
1937
as Attorney (uncredited)
Acting on Impulse
1993
as Bellhop
Gold Diggers of 1933
1933
as Society Reporter (uncredited)
The Bowery
1933
as Doctor (uncredited)
Johnny Apollo
1940
as Assistant D.A.
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
1995
as Regent Yarborough
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
1965
as Editor
My Dog, the Thief
1969
as Mr. Pfeiffer
Buy Me That Town
1941
as J. Montague Gainsborough
Teacher's Pet
1958
as Roy
Primrose Path
1940
as Mr. Smith (uncredited)
We Who Are Young
1940
as Perkins
City for Conquest
1940
as Al - Dance Team Manager (uncredited)
Easy to Take
1936
as Skip
Buck Benny Rides Again
1940
as Charlie Graham
State of the Union
1948
as Blink Moran
Long Way Home
1975
Mission to Moscow
1943
as Man in Kitchenin Montage (uncredited)
The Show-Off
1934
as Mr. Weitzenkorn
The Florentine Dagger
1935
as Man in Front Row (archive footage)
Smart Money
1931
as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
1936
as Man in Front Row (archive footage)
Nothing Sacred
1937
as Rubenstein (uncredited)
Golden Boy
1939
as Reporter Drake
Ride 'Em Cowboy
1941
as Martin Manning (uncredited)
Edison, the Man
1940
as Second Lecturer
Apartment for Peggy
1948
as Prof. Collins (uncredited)
The History of Hooterville
2005
as Self
The Great Profile
1940
as Director
The Great Man's Whiskers
1972
as Philbrick
Lady in a Jam
1942
as Government Man (uncredited)
The Wheeler Dealers
1963
as Judge (uncredited)
Union Depot
1932
as Luggage Checkroom Clerk (uncredited)
The Big Store
1941
as Finance Company Man (uncredited)
The Cat and the Canary
1939
as Reporter
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
1949
as Mr. Woodruff (uncredited)
Queen of the Mob
1940
as Horace Grimley
I Want My Man
1925
as French Doctor
God Is My Partner
1957
as Judge Warner
The Yellow Cab Man
1950
as L.A. Casualty Co. Executive (uncredited)
Here Comes the Groom
1951
as FBI Agent Ralph Burchard (uncredited)
Broadway Bill
1934
as Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
Ginger
1935
as Judge (uncredited)
A Bewitched Christmas
1994
as Jesse Mortimer
Three Girls About Town
1941
as Mortician
The Doctor Takes a Wife
1940
as Reporter (uncredited)
The New Interns
1964
as Connors
Blonde Crazy
1931
as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
The Mad Martindales
1942
as Virgil Hickling
You're My Everything
1949
as Mr. Eddie Pflum
Roses Are Red
1947
as Lipton
Kentucky
1938
as Auctioneer
The Texas Rangers Ride Again
1940
as Train Passenger (uncredited)
Moonrise
1948
as Mr. Chandler
Professor Beware
1938
as Joe - Photographer
Internes Can't Take Money
1937
as Grote
About Charles Lane
Charles Lane (born Charles Gerstle Levison; January 26, 1905 – July 9, 2007) was an American character actor and centenarian whose career spanned 77 years. Lane gave his last performance at the age of 101 as a narrator in 2006. 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… With 319 credits spanning from 1925 to 2006, Charles Lane has appeared in 219 films and 100 TV shows.
Fans searching for Charles Lane movies, Charles Lane filmography, or the latest projects starring Charles Lane can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Charles Lane Movies
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) — as Real Estate Salesman
- The Aristocats (1970) — as Lawyer (voice)
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) — as Airport Manager
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) — as Nosey
- Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) — as Reporter at Marriage License Office
Where to Watch Charles Lane Films
Most Charles Lane movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Charles Lane, check our movies catalogue and browse page.