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