Charles Lane
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.
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Gallery
Known For
Acting History
2006
Legends as Roy (archive footage) (uncredited)
2005The History of Hooterville as Self
2003TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV
1995The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes as Regent Yarborough
1994A Bewitched Christmas as Jesse Mortimer
1993Acting on Impulse as Bellhop
1990Shannon's Deal
1986When the Bough Breaks as Van der Graaf
1986L.A. Law as Walter Graf
1985Murphy's Romance as Amos Abbott
1985The Comedy Factory as George McCloskey
1985Otherworld as Velcrows Widley
1984Hunter as Motel Owner
1983Sunset Limousine as Reinhammer
1983Strange Invaders as Prof. Hollister
1983The Winds of War as Adm. William Standley
1982St. Elsewhere as Richard Welte
1982The Devlin Connection
1981Strange Behavior as Donovan
1981The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies as Chief
1980The Little Dragons as J.J.
1978Movie Movie as Judge / Mr. Pennington
1978Mork & Mindy
1977Lou Grant
1977Lou Grant as Mort Farber
1977Soap as Judge Petrillo
1977Weekend Special
1976Sybil as Dr. Quinoness
1975One Day at a Time
1975The Family Holvak
1975Long Way Home
1975Karen
1974Chico and the Man
1974Little House on the Prairie
1974Rhoda
1973Adam's Rib as Mayor
1973Hitched as Round Tree
1972The Sandy Duncan Show
1972Maude
1972Temperatures Rising as Fulton Briggs
1972The Rookies
1972Get to Know Your Rabbit as Mr. Beeman
1972The Great Man's Whiskers as Philbrick
1970The Aristocats as Lawyer (voice)
1970The Odd Couple as Sid
1970Nanny and the Professor
1969My Dog, the Thief as Mr. Pfeiffer
1969The Debbie Reynolds Show
1968The Doris Day Show as Judge Carter
1968What's So Bad About Feeling Good? as Dr. Shapiro
1967Judd for the Defense
1967The Flying Nun
1967He & She as Mr. Simpson
1967The Gnome-Mobile as Dr. Scoggins
1966Love on a Rooftop
1966The Pruitts of Southampton as Maxwell
1966The Ugly Dachshund as Judge
1966The Ghost & Mr. Chicken as Whitlow
1965Billie as Coach Jones
1965Get Smart as Uncle Abner
1965The Wild Wild West as Roger Creed
1965Honey West as Ash
1965Green Acres as Mr. Wilson
1965F Troop
1965Please Don't Eat the Daisies as Man
1965John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! as Editor
1964Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964The Munsters
1964The Cara Williams Show
1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as Ralph Harrison
1964Bewitched as Mr. Cushman
1964Bewitched as Jessie Mortimer
1964Bewitched as Mr. Roland
1964Bewitched as Ed Hotchkiss
1964Bewitched as Shotwell
1964Bewitched as George Meiklejohn
1964Bewitched as Mr. Harmon
1964Bewitched as Harold Jameson
1964Wendy and Me
1964The Bing Crosby Show
1964Rendezvous in Space as Interviewee
1964Looking for Love as Director
1964Good Neighbor Sam as Jack Bailey
1964The New Interns as Connors
1964The Carpetbaggers as Eugene Denby
1963The Wheeler Dealers as Judge (uncredited)
1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World as Airport Manager
1963Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre as Charles Eckhardt
1963Petticoat Junction as Homer Bedloe
1963The Bill Dana Show
1963Burke's Law as Dr. Lusk
1963The Farmer's Daughter
1963Papa's Delicate Condition as Mr. Cosgrove
1962The Lucy Show as Mr. Barnsdahl
1962Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1962The Beverly Hillbillies as Foster Phinney
1962The Beverly Hillbillies as Billy Hacker
1962The Beverly Hillbillies as Homer Bedloe
1962The Music Man as Constable
1961The New Bob Cummings Show
1961The Wonderful World of Disney
1961Mister Ed
1960Surfside 6
1960Surfside 6 as Cyrus Radford
1960The Andy Griffith Show as Mr. Frisby
1960Guestward, Ho!
1960Pete and Gladys
1960The Tab Hunter Show
1960The Comedy Spot
1959The Untouchables as Alcatraz Official (uncredited)
1959Dennis the Menace
1959Dennis the Menace as Lawrence Finch
1959The Twilight Zone as Mr. Peckinpaugh
1959The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
1959The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as Chester L. Wayzack, Esq.
1959The DuPont Show with June Allyson as Dr. Shelley
1959Fibber McGee & Molly as Salesman
1959But Not for Me as Al Atwood
1959The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock as Standard Bates
1959The Mating Game as Inspector General Bigelow
195877 Sunset Strip
1958Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958The Ann Sothern Show
1958Lawman
1958The Donna Reed Show
1958Teacher's Pet as Roy
1957The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour as Claims Clerk (uncredited)
1957The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour as Customs Officer (uncredited)
1957The Real McCoys
1957The Real McCoys as Mr. Leland
1957The Restless Gun as Mayor Peter Mercer
1957Maverick as Proprietor
1957Perry Mason as Dr. Williams
1957The Thin Man
1957Bachelor Father
1957Richard Diamond, Private Detective as Lt. Kevin Anders (uncredited)
1957God Is My Partner as Judge Warner
1957Whirlybirds
1956The Gale Storm Show as Pierce
1956On Trial
1956The Birds and the Bees as Charlie Jenkins
1955The People's Choice
1955Screen Director's Playhouse
1955Star Stage
1955The Millionaire as Simon Whipple
1954The Wonderful World of Disney as Mr. Pfeiffer
1954Studio 57 as Henry
1954Willy
1954Dear Phoebe as Mr. Fosdick
1953Topper as Mr. Kittler
1953The Affairs of Dobie Gillis as Prof. Obispo
1953Remains to Be Seen as Delapp
1953The Juggler as Rosenberg
1952The Sniper as Loud Drunk at Club
1952Today as Self
1951I Love Lucy as Mr. Stanley
1951I Love Lucy as Passport Office Clerk
1951I Love Lucy as Casting Director
1951I Love Lucy as Mr. Hickox
1951Here Comes the Groom as FBI Agent Ralph Burchard (uncredited)
1951Criminal Lawyer as Frederick Waterman
1951I Can Get It for You Wholesale as Herman Pulvermacher (uncredited)
1950The Second Face as Mr. Westcott
1950Lux Video Theatre as Walter Medford
1950Riding High as Erickson
1950The Yellow Cab Man as L.A. Casualty Co. Executive (uncredited)
1950Backfire as Dr. Nolan (uncredited)
1949Miss Grant Takes Richmond as Mr. Woodruff (uncredited)
1949The House Across the Street as Apartment Manager (uncredited)
1949Mighty Joe Young as Producer (uncredited)
1949You're My Everything as Mr. Eddie Pflum
1948Moonrise as Mr. Chandler
1948Apartment for Peggy as Prof. Collins (uncredited)
1948Out of the Storm as Mr. Evans
1948Race Street as Switchboard Operator Clerk (uncredited)
1948The Gentleman from Nowhere as Fenmore
1948State of the Union as Blink Moran
1948Smart Woman as Reporter
1948Call Northside 777 as Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
1947Intrigue as Hotel Desk Clerk
1947Louisiana as McCormack
1947Roses Are Red as Lipton
1947Bury Me Dead as Brighton
1947Living in a Big Way as Hawkins (uncredited)
1947It Happened on Fifth Avenue as Landlord (uncredited)
1946It's a Wonderful Life as Real Estate Salesman
1946The Invisible Informer as Nick Steele
1946Mysterious Intruder as Detective Burns
1946Just Before Dawn as Dr. Steiner (uncredited)
1946A Close Call for Boston Blackie as Hack Hagen (uncredited)
1944Arsenic and Old Lace as Reporter at Marriage License Office
1943Mission to Moscow as Man in Kitchenin Montage (uncredited)
1942Flying Tigers as Repkin (uncredited)
1942Pardon My Sarong as Bus Company Superintendent (uncredited)
1942Friendly Enemies as Braun
1942Thru Different Eyes as Mott
1942Lady in a Jam as Government Man (uncredited)
1942They All Kissed the Bride as Spotter
1942The Mad Martindales as Virgil Hickling
1942Broadway as Hungry Harry
1942Broadway as Hungry Harry (uncredited)
1942Sunday Punch as Ringside spectator at Ole's first fight (uncredited)
1942Tarzan's New York Adventure as Sargent's Lawyer Gould Beaton
1942Home in Wyomin' as Newspaper Editor
1942About Face as Rental Car Manager
1942Obliging Young Lady as Private Detective Smith
1942The Adventures of Martin Eden as Mr. White
1942What's Cookin'? as K.D. Reynolds
1942Born to Sing as Johnny
1942The Lady Is Willing as K.K. Miller
1942A Close Call for Ellery Queen as Coroner
1942A Gentleman at Heart as Holloway
1942Sealed Lips as Attorney Emanuel 'Manny' T. Dixon
1941Ball of Fire as Larsen
1941Ride 'Em Cowboy as Martin Manning (uncredited)
1941Birth of the Blues as Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
1941I Wake Up Screaming as Keating- Florist
1941The Great Man's Lady as Pierce (uncredited)
1941Appointment for Love as Smith (uncredited)
1941New York Town as Census Taker (uncredited)
1941Three Girls About Town as Mortician
1941Buy Me That Town as J. Montague Gainsborough
1941Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime as Dr. Prouty (coroner)
1941The Big Store as Finance Company Man (uncredited)
1941Sis Hopkins as Mayor's aide
1941Barnacle Bill as Auctioneer
1941Repent at Leisure as Clarence Morgan
1941Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery as Doc Prouty
1941You're the One as Announcer
1941Back Street as Reporter for Associated News
1940The Invisible Woman as Growley
1940The Texas Rangers Ride Again as Train Passenger (uncredited)
1940Ellery Queen, Master Detective as Dr. Prouty
1940Dancing on a Dime as Freeman Taylor
1940Blondie Plays Cupid as Train Conductor (uncredited)
1940City for Conquest as Al - Dance Team Manager (uncredited)
1940The Leather Pushers as Henry 'Mitch' Mitchell
1940The Great Profile as Director
1940Rhythm on the River as Bernard Schwartz
1940We Who Are Young as Perkins
1940Queen of the Mob as Horace Grimley
1940Buck Benny Rides Again as Charlie Graham
1940You Can't Fool Your Wife as Salesman
1940On Their Own as Johnson
1940Edison, the Man as Second Lecturer
1940The Crooked Road as Phil Wesner, Defense Attorney
1940The Doctor Takes a Wife as Reporter (uncredited)
1940Johnny Apollo as Assistant D.A.
1940Primrose Path as Mr. Smith (uncredited)
1940It's a Date as Mr. Horner (uncredited)
1939Charlie McCarthy, Detective as Charlie's Doctor
1939The Cat and the Canary as Reporter
1939Beware Spooks! as Moore (uncredited)
1939Television Spy as Mr. Adler
1939Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as Nosey
1939Honeymoon in Bali as Photographer (uncredited)
1939Fifth Avenue Girl as Union Representative (uncredited)
1939Golden Boy as Reporter Drake
1939Miracles for Sale as Fleetwood Apartments Desk Clerk
1939They All Come Out as Psychiatrist
1939News Is Made at Night as District Attorney Rufe Reynolds
1939Second Fiddle as Studio Chief
1939Rose of Washington Square as Sam Kress
1939Lucky Night as Carpenter
1939Let Us Live as Auto Show Salesman (uncredited)
1939Inside Story as District Attorney
1939Boy Slaves as Albee
1938Kentucky as Auctioneer
1938Blondie as Furniture Salesman (uncredited)
1938Always in Trouble as Donald Gower
1938Three Loves Has Nancy as Cleaning Store Manager (uncredited)
1938You Can't Take It with You as Henderson
1938Professor Beware as Joe - Photographer
1938The Rage of Paris as Department Head (uncredited)
1938Cocoanut Grove as Weaver
1938Joy of Living as Fan in Margaret's Dressing Room (Uncredited)
1937Nothing Sacred as Rubenstein (uncredited)
1937Ali Baba Goes to Town as Doctor
1937Danger – Love at Work as Gilroy, an attorney
1937Hot Water as Grayson (uncredited)
1937Trapped by G-Men as Fingers
1937Bad Guy as Attorney
1937One Mile from Heaven as Webb
1937Born Reckless as Barnes's lawyer
1937Big Business as Webster - Bank Representative
1937Venus Makes Trouble as District Attorney
1937Internes Can't Take Money as Grote
1937Sea Devils as Judge (uncredited)
1937We're on the Jury as Horace Smith
1937Criminal Lawyer as Attorney (uncredited)
1936Easy to Take as Skip
1936Lady Luck as Feinberg
1936Two-Fisted Gentleman as Joe Gordon
193636 Hours to Kill as Lawyer Rickert
1936Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as Hallor (uncredited)
1936The Milky Way as Willard
1936The Milky Way
1936The Adventures of Frank Merriwell as Man in Front Row (archive footage)
1935Two for Tonight as Writer
1935Here Comes the Band as Mr. Scurry
1935Woman Wanted as Defense Attorney Herman (uncredited)
1935Ginger as Judge (uncredited)
1935The Florentine Dagger as Man in Front Row (archive footage)
1935One More Spring as Representative
1934The Band Plays On as Shyster Lawyer
1934A Wicked Woman as Defense Attorney Beardsley (uncredited)
1934Broadway Bill as Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
1934I'll Fix It as Al Nathan
1934Let's Talk It Over as Reporter
1934Twenty Million Sweethearts as Reporter (uncredited)
1934Twentieth Century as Max Jacobs
1934Looking for Trouble as Switchboard Operator
1934The Show-Off as Mr. Weitzenkorn
1933Mr. Skitch as Hotel Clerk
1933Advice to the Lovelorn
1933Broadway Thru a Keyhole as Columnist #2
1933The Bowery as Doctor (uncredited)
1933My Woman as Conn
1933She Had to Say Yes as Mr. Bernstein (uncredited)
1933Private Detective 62 as Process Server (Uncredited)
1933Gold Diggers of 1933 as Society Reporter (uncredited)
1933Central Airport as Amarillo Radio Operator (uncredited)
193342nd Street as Playwright (uncredited)
1933Blondie Johnson as Cashier (uncredited)
1933Grand Slam as Waiter at Nicolai Restaurant
1933Employees' Entrance as Shoe Salesman (uncredited)
1932Blessed Event as Kane
1932The Mouthpiece as Hotel Desk Clerk (Uncredited)
1932Union Depot as Luggage Checkroom Clerk (uncredited)
1931Manhattan Parade as Desk clerk
1931Blonde Crazy as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1931The Road to Singapore as Desk Clerk at Club (uncredited)
1931Smart Money as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1930City Girl as Man at Train Station (uncredited)
1925I Want My Man as French Doctor