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
| Birth Location | San Francisco, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Born | 1905-01-26 |
| Died | 2007-07-09 |
Movies
The History of Hooterville
as Self
2005
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
as Regent Yarborough
1995
Acting on Impulse
as Bellhop
1993
When the Bough Breaks
as Van der Graaf
1986
Murphy's Romance
as Amos Abbott
1985
Sunset Limousine
as Reinhammer
1983
Strange Invaders
as Prof. Hollister
1983
Strange Behavior
as Donovan
1981
1981
The Little Dragons
as J.J.
1980
Movie Movie
as Judge / Mr. Pennington
1978
1975
Get to Know Your Rabbit
as Mr. Beeman
1972
The Great Man's Whiskers
as Philbrick
1972
The Aristocats
as Lawyer
1970
My Dog the Thief
as Mr. Pfeiffer
1969
What's So Bad About Feeling Good?
as Dr. Shapiro
1968
The Gnome-Mobile
as Dr. Scoggins
1967
The Ugly Dachshund
as Judge
1966
The Ghost & Mr. Chicken
as Whitlow
1966
Billie
as Coach Jones
1965
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
as Editor
1965
Rendezvous in Space
as Interviewee
1964
Looking for Love
as Director
1964
Good Neighbor Sam
as Jack Bailey
1964
The New Interns
as Connors
1964
The Carpetbaggers
as Eugene Denby
1964
The Wheeler Dealers
as Judge (uncredited)
1963
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
as Airport Manager
1963
Papa's Delicate Condition
as Mr. Cosgrove
1963
The Music Man
as Constable
1962
But Not for Me
as Al Atwood
1959
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock
as Standard Bates
1959
The Mating Game
as Inspector General Bigelow
1959
Teacher's Pet
as Roy
1958
God Is My Partner
as Judge Warner
1957
The Birds and the Bees
as Charlie Jenkins
1956
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis
as Prof. Obispo
1953
Remains to Be Seen
as Delapp
1953
The Juggler
as Rosenberg
1953
The Sniper
as Loud Drunk at Club
1952
Here Comes the Groom
as Ralph Burchard
1951
Criminal Lawyer
as Frederick Waterman
1951
I Can Get It for You Wholesale
as Herman Pulvermacher (uncredited)
1951
The Second Face
as Mr. Westcott
1950
Riding High
as Erickson
1950
The Yellow Cab Man
as L.A. Casualty Co. Executive (uncredited)
1950
Backfire
as Dr. Nolan (uncredited)
1950
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
as Mr. Woodruff (uncredited)
1949
The House Across the Street
as Apartment Manager (uncredited)
1949
Mighty Joe Young
as Producer (uncredited)
1949
You're My Everything
as Mr. Eddie Pflum
1949
Moonrise
as Mr. Chandler
1948
Apartment for Peggy
as Prof. Collins (uncredited)
1948
Race Street
as Switchboard Operator Clerk (uncredited)
1948
Out of the Storm
as Mr. Evans
1948
The Gentleman from Nowhere
as Fenmore
1948
Smart Woman
as Reporter
1948
State of the Union
as Blink Moran
1948
Call Northside 777
as Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
1948
Intrigue
as Hotel Desk Clerk
1947
Louisiana
as McCormack
1947
Roses Are Red
as Lipton
1947
Bury Me Dead
as Brighton
1947
Living in a Big Way
as Hawkins (uncredited)
1947
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
as Landlord (uncredited)
1947
It's a Wonderful Life
as Real Estate Salesman
1946
The Invisible Informer
as Nick Steele
1946
Mysterious Intruder
as Detective Burns
1946
Just Before Dawn
as Dr. Steiner (uncredited)
1946
A Close Call for Boston Blackie
as Hack Hagen (uncredited)
1946
Arsenic and Old Lace
as Reporter at Marriage License Office
1944
Mission to Moscow
as Man in Kitchenin Montage (uncredited)
1943
Flying Tigers
as Repkin (uncredited)
1942
Pardon My Sarong
as Bus Company Superintendent (uncredited)
1942
Friendly Enemies
as Braun
1942
Thru Different Eyes
as Mott
1942
Lady in a Jam
as Government Man
1942
They All Kissed the Bride
as Spotter
1942
The Mad Martindales
as Virgil Hickling
1942
Sunday Punch
as Ringside spectator at Ole's first fight (uncredited)
1942
Broadway
as Hungry Harry
1942
Tarzan's New York Adventure
as Sargent's Lawyer Gould Beaton
1942
Home in Wyomin'
as Newspaper Editor
1942
About Face
as Rental Car Manager
1942
The Great Man's Lady
as Pierce (uncredited)
1942
Obliging Young Lady
as Private Detective Smith
1942
The Adventures of Martin Eden
as Mr. White
1942
What's Cookin'?
as K.D. Reynolds
1942
Born to Sing
as Johnny
1942
Ride 'Em Cowboy
as Martin Manning (uncredited)
1942
The Lady Is Willing
as K.K. Miller
1942
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
as Coroner
1942
A Gentleman at Heart
as Holloway
1942
Sealed Lips
as Attorney Emanuel 'Manny' T. Dixon
1942
Ball of Fire
as Larsen
1941
Birth of the Blues
as Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
1941
Appointment for Love
as Smith (uncredited)
1941
New York Town
as Census Taker (uncredited)
1941
I Wake Up Screaming
as Keating- Florist
1941
Three Girls About Town
as Mortician
1941
Buy Me That Town
as J. Montague Gainsborough
1941
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
as Dr. Prouty (coroner)
1941
The Big Store
as Finance Company Man (uncredited)
1941
Sis Hopkins
as Mayor's aide
1941
Barnacle Bill
as Auctioneer
1941
Repent at Leisure
as Clarence Morgan
1941
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
as Doc Prouty
1941
Back Street
as Reporter for Associated News
1941
The Invisible Woman
as Growley
1940
The Texas Rangers Ride Again
as Train Passenger (uncredited)
1940
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Dr. Prouty
1940
Dancing on a Dime
as Freeman Taylor
1940
Blondie Plays Cupid
as Train Conductor (uncredited)
1940
City for Conquest
as Al - Dance Team Manager (uncredited)
1940
The Leather Pushers
as Henry 'Mitch' Mitchell
1940
The Great Profile
as Director
1940
Rhythm on the River
as Bernard Schwartz
1940
We Who Are Young
as Perkins
1940
Queen of the Mob
as Horace Grimley
1940
Buck Benny Rides Again
as Charlie Graham
1940
You Can't Fool Your Wife
as Salesman
1940
On Their Own
as Johnson
1940
Edison, the Man
as Second Lecturer
1940
The Crooked Road
as Phil Wesner, Defense Attorney
1940
The Doctor Takes a Wife
as Reporter
1940
Johnny Apollo
as Assistant D.A.
1940
Primrose Path
as Mr. Smith (uncredited)
1940
It's a Date
as Mr. Horner (uncredited)
1940
Charlie McCarthy, Detective
as Charlie's Doctor
1939
The Cat and the Canary
as Reporter
1939
Beware Spooks!
as Moore (uncredited)
1939
Television Spy
as Mr. Adler
1939
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Nosey
1939
Honeymoon in Bali
as Photographer (uncredited)
1939
5th Ave Girl
as Union Representative (uncredited)
1939
Golden Boy
as Reporter Drake
1939
Miracles for Sale
as Fleetwood Apartments Desk Clerk
1939
They All Come Out
as Psychiatrist
1939
News Is Made at Night
as District Attorney Rufe Reynolds
1939
Second Fiddle
as Studio Chief
1939
Rose of Washington Square
as Sam Kress
1939
Lucky Night
as Carpenter
1939
Let Us Live
as Auto Show Salesman (uncredited)
1939
Inside Story
as District Attorney
1939
Boy Slaves
as Albee
1939
Kentucky
as Auctioneer
1938
Blondie
as Furniture Salesman (uncredited)
1938
Always in Trouble
as Donald Gower
1938
Three Loves Has Nancy
as Cleaning Store Manager (uncredited)
1938
You Can't Take It with You
as Henderson
1938
Professor Beware
as Joe - Photographer
1938
The Rage of Paris
as Department Head (uncredited)
1938
Cocoanut Grove
as Weaver
1938
Joy of Living
as Fan in Margaret's Dressing Room (Uncredited)
1938
Nothing Sacred
as Rubenstein (uncredited)
1937
Ali Baba Goes to Town
as Doctor
1937
Danger – Love at Work
as Gilroy, an attorney
1937
Hot Water
as Grayson (uncredited)
1937
Trapped by G-Men
as Fingers
1937
Bad Guy
as Attorney
1937
One Mile from Heaven
as Webb
1937
Born Reckless
as Barnes's lawyer
1937
Big Business
as Webster - Bank Representative
1937
Venus Makes Trouble
as District Attorney
1937
Internes Can't Take Money
as Grote
1937
Sea Devils
as Judge (uncredited)
1937
We're on the Jury
as Horace Smith
1937
Criminal Lawyer
as Attorney (uncredited)
1937
Easy to Take
as Skip
1936
Lady Luck
as Feinberg
1936
Two-Fisted Gentleman
as Joe Gordon
1936
36 Hours to Kill
as Lawyer Rickert
1936
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
as Hallor (uncredited)
1936
1936
The Milky Way
as Willard
1936
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
as Man in Front Row (archive footage)
1936
Two for Tonight
as Writer
1935
Here Comes the Band
as Mr. Scurry
1935
Woman Wanted
as Defense Attorney Herman (uncredited)
1935
Ginger
as Judge (uncredited)
1935
The Florentine Dagger
as Man in Front Row (archive footage)
1935
One More Spring
as Representative
1935
The Bands Plays On
as Shyster Lawyer
1934
A Wicked Woman
as Defense Attorney Beardsley (uncredited)
1934
Broadway Bill
as Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
1934
I'll Fix It
as Al Nathan
1934
Let's Talk It Over
as Reporter
1934
Twenty Million Sweethearts
as Reporter (uncredited)
1934
Twentieth Century
as Max Jacobs
1934
Looking for Trouble
as Switchboard Operator
1934
The Show-Off
as Mr. Weitzenkorn
1934
Mr. Skitch
as Hotel Clerk
1933
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
as Columnist #2
1933
The Bowery
as Doctor (uncredited)
1933
My Woman
as Conn
1933
She Had to Say Yes
as Mr. Bernstein (uncredited)
1933
Private Detective 62
as Process Server (Uncredited)
1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
as Society Reporter (uncredited)
1933
Central Airport
as Amarillo Radio Operator (uncredited)
1933
42nd Street
as Playwright (uncredited)
1933
Blondie Johnson
as Cashier (uncredited)
1933
Grand Slam
as Waiter at Nicolai Restaurant
1933
Employees' Entrance
as Shoe Salesman (uncredited)
1933
Blessed Event
as Kane
1932
The Mouthpiece
as Hotel Desk Clerk (Uncredited)
1932
Union Depot
as Luggage Checkroom Clerk (uncredited)
1932
Manhattan Parade
as Desk clerk
1931
Blonde Crazy
as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1931
The Road to Singapore
as Desk Clerk at Club
1931
Smart Money
as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1931
City Girl
as Man at Train Station (uncredited)
1930
Charles Lane hasn't worked on any movies or TV shows