Charles Cahill Wilson (July 29, 1894 – January 7, 1948) was an American screen and stage actor. He appeared in numerous films during the Golden Age of Hollywood from the late 1920s to late 1940s. Born in New York City in 1894, the white-haired, burly actor was often typecast as an earnest police officer, newspaper editor or principal. He appeared in over 250 films between 1928 and 1948, mostly playing small supporting roles with a few sentences. Charles Wilson began his acting career at the theatre, including roles in six Broadway plays between 1918 and 1931. In 1928, he directed the Hollywood comedy Lucky Boy (1928), where he also made his film debut. According to the Internet Movie Database, Lucky Boy was Wilson's only film as a director. His most notable role was probably Clark Gable's "wonderfully aggravated" newspaper boss in Frank Capra's comedy It Happened One Night, which won five Academy Awards in 1935. He was also cast in small roles in other Capra movies such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Shortly before his death, Wilson appeared as the boss of the Three Stooges in the two-reel comedy Crime on Their Hands (1948).
Known For
| Birth Location | New York City, New York, USA |
|---|---|
| Born | 1894-07-28 |
| Died | 1948-01-07 |
Movies
Commotion On The Ocean
as J.L. Cameron - Managing Editor (archive footage)
1956
Crime on Their Hands
as J.L. Cameron
1948
Blazing Across the Pecos
as Mayor Ace Brockway
1948
Big Town Scandal
as Editor of the Chronicle (uncredited)
1948
Key Witness
as Warden (uncredited)
1947
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
as Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
1947
Meet Mr. Mischief
as Harry's Boss
1947
It's a Wonderful Life
as Charlie (uncredited)
1946
Gas House Kids
as Inspector Shannon
1946
Blonde for a Day
as Chief of Police Will Gentry (as Charles Wilson)
1946
Larceny in Her Heart
as Chief Gentry (as Charles Wilson)
1946
Passkey to Danger
as Police Sergeant
1946
Crime of the Century
as Police Lieutenant
1946
Road to Utopia
as Official Policeman (uncredited)
1946
Scarlet Street
as Watchman (uncredited)
1945
Week-End at the Waldorf
as Hi Johns
1945
A Gun in His Hand
as Chief of Police (uncredited)
1945
The Missing Juror
as Mac Ellis (Uncredited)
1944
Crime by Night
as District Attorney Hyatt
1944
Hey, Rookie
as Sam Jonas
1944
Silver Spurs
as Mr. Hawkins
1943
Batman
as Captain Arnold
1943
Gentleman Jim
as Gurney (uncredited)
1942
The Secret Code
as Desk Sgt. Cullen
1942
Escape from Crime
as C.L. Reardon - Managing Editor (as Charles Wilson)
1942
Dr. Broadway
as District Attorney McNamara
1942
This Gun for Hire
as Police Captain
1942
Lady Gangster
as Detective
1942
1942
Blondie Goes to College
as Police Sergeant
1942
The Officer and the Lady
as Police Captain Hart
1941
Dressed to Kill
as Newspaper Editor
1941
1941
Broadway Limited
as Detective (as Charles Wilson)
1941
Federal Fugitives
as Bruce Lane
1941
Meet John Doe
as Charlie Dawson
1941
The Face Behind the Mask
as Chief O'Brien
1941
Charter Pilot
as Owen
1940
Lady with Red Hair
as George Martin (uncredited)
1940
Tin Pan Alley
as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
1940
Knute Rockne All American
as Gambler (uncredited)
1940
City for Conquest
as Bill - Man Behind MacPherson at Fight (uncredited)
1940
Public Deb No. 1
as Sergeant
1940
They Drive by Night
as Mike Williams (uncredited)
1940
Millionaires in Prison
as R.J. Reynolds, Sunday Editor (uncredited)
1940
Girl in 313
as Vincent Brady, Commissioner of Police
1940
Sandy Is a Lady
as Sergeant
1940
1940
He Married His Wife
as Warden
1940
Invisible Stripes
as Arresting Officer (uncredited)
1939
The Return of Doctor X
as Det. Kincaid
1939
The Roaring Twenties
as Policeman (uncredited)
1939
Smashing the Money Ring
as Capt. Kilrane
1939
Here I Am a Stranger
as Managing Editor
1939
Hotel for Women
as Albert
1939
The Cowboy Quarterback
as Coach Hap Farrell
1939
The House of Fear
as Police Chief
1939
Rose of Washington Square
as Mike Cavanaugh
1939
Fighting Thoroughbreds
as Spencer Bogart
1939
The Spider's Web
as Chase
1938
The Night Hawk
as Lonigan
1938
Hold That Co-ed
as Coach Burke
1938
Tenth Avenue Kid
as Commissioner
1938
Gateway
as Inspector
1938
When Were You Born
as Inspector Jim C. Gregg
1938
Prison Farm
as Reardon
1938
Little Miss Thoroughbred
as Becker
1938
State Police
as Captain Halstead
1938
Sally, Irene and Mary
as Covered Wagon Cafe Manager
1938
The Adventurous Blonde
as Mortimer Gray
1937
Partners in Crime
as Inspector Simpson
1937
Life Begins in College
as Tom Burke
1937
Broadway Melody of 1938
as Horse Auctioneer (uncredited)
1937
One Mile from Heaven
as Fletcher
1937
Roaring Timber
as Sam Garvin
1937
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop
as Hamilton Burger
1937
Night Key
as Police Capt. Wallace (uncredited)
1937
Midnight Court
as Police Chief
1937
Murder Goes to College
as Police Inspector Simpson
1937
The Great O'Malley
as Policeman Chiding School Bus Driver (uncredited)
1937
They Wanted to Marry
as Clark
1937
You Only Live Once
as Police Inspector (uncredited)
1937
Woman in Distress
as Editor Herbert Claxton
1937
Mind Your Own Business
as Detective
1936
Legion of Terror
as Colonel McCollum (as Charles Wilson)
1936
The Magnificent Brute
as Murphy
1936
Murder with Pictures
as Assistant Editor (uncredited)
1936
Down the Stretch
as Tex Reardon
1936
The Gentleman from Louisiana
as Diamond Jim Brady
1936
I'd Give My Life
as Warden
1936
Grand Jury
as City Editor
1936
36 Hours to Kill
as F.B.I. Chief
1936
Earthworm Tractors
as H.J. Russell
1936
Satan Met a Lady
as Detective Pollock
1936
1936
The Mine with the Iron Door
as Pitkins
1936
Panic on the Air
as Chief Inspector Fitzgerald
1936
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
as County Hospital Guard (uncredited)
1936
Big Brown Eyes
as Prosecuting Attorney (Uncredited)
1936
The Country Doctor
as George the Boat Captain (uncredited)
1936
Strike Me Pink
as Hardie
1936
Hitch Hike Lady
as Mike - a Racketeer
1935
We're Only Human
as Editor of The Daily Star
1935
Show Them No Mercy!
as Clifford
1935
Mary Burns, Fugitive
as G-Man at dancehall
1935
Music Is Magic
as Decker - Theatre Manager (uncredited)
1935
The Case of the Lucky Legs
as Police Officer Ricker
1935
Waterfront Lady
as Jim McFee aka Mac
1935
The Public Menace
as First Detective
1935
Smart Girl
as Morgan (uncredited)
1935
After the Dance
as Chief of Police
1935
The Glass Key
as District Attorney Edward J. Farr
1935
The Nitwits
as Police Captain Jennings
1935
Murder in the Fleet
as Commander Brown (Uncredited)
1935
Air Hawks
as Newspaper editor
1935
Baby Face Harrington
as City Editor
1935
Four Hours to Kill!
as Taft
1935
The Perfect Clue
as District Attorney
1935
Car 99
as Trooper Captain Ryan
1935
The Great Hotel Murder
as Anthony Wilson
1935
The Gilded Lily
as Managing Editor
1935
Here Is My Heart
as Captain Dodge (uncredited)
1934
Murder in the Clouds
as Lackey
1934
Men of the Night
as Benson
1934
The St. Louis Kid
as Mr. Harris
1934
Port of Lost Dreams
as Warden
1934
Embarrassing Moments
as Attorney
1934
The Human Side
as Furniture Buyer (uncredited)
1934
The Dragon Murder Case
as Det. Hennessey
1934
Name the Woman
as Joel Walker
1934
The Circus Clown
as Sheldon
1934
The Hell Cat
as Graham
1934
Fog Over Frisco
as Detective Sergeant O'Hagen
1934
Affairs of a Gentleman
as Inspector Quillan
1934
It Happened One Night
as Joe Gordon
1934
The 9th Guest
as Burke (Uncredited)
1934
Cross Country Cruise
as Detective (Uncredited)
1934
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
as Chief of Police
1934
Havana Widows
as Mr. Timberg
1933
Female
as Private Detective Falihee (Uncredited)
1933
College Coach
as Charles Hauser
1933
The Kennel Murder Case
as Detective Hennessy (uncredited)
1933
No Marriage Ties
as Red Moran, City Desk Editor
1933
Mary Stevens, M.D.
as Walter Rising
1933
Disgraced!
as Thompson, Assistant District Attorney
1933
The Mayor of Hell
as Wilson (uncredited)
1933
Private Detective 62
as Club Bartender (Uncredited)
1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
as Deputy (uncredited)
1933
Elmer, the Great
as Mr. Wade (as Charles Wilson)
1933
Hard to Handle
as Jailer (uncredited)
1933
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
as Detective Doyle (uncredited)
1932
Hot News Margie
as Newspaper Editor (uncredited)
1931
Stolen Heaven
as Detective
1931
Insurance
as Doctor (uncredited)
1930
Getting a Ticket
as Motorcycle Cop
1930
Acquitted
as Nelson
1929
Broadway Scandals
as Jack
1929
Movies
Lucky Boy
Director
1929