Charles Lane
ActingAbout 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 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.
Charles Lane Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Charles Lane reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Charles Lane's work falls within the Comedy genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 100% of Charles Lane's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Let's Talk It Over, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Charles Lane Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Charles Lane's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Charles Lane has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Hitched | Round Tree | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | The Great Man's Whiskers | Philbrick | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1970 | The Aristocats | Lawyer (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1963 | It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World | Airport Manager | Hit | Similar → |
| 1962 | The Music Man | Constable | Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | God Is My Partner | Judge Warner | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | The Birds and the Bees | Charlie Jenkins | Hit | Similar → |
| 1951 | Criminal Lawyer | Frederick Waterman | Hit | Similar → |
| 1948 | Apartment for Peggy | Prof. Collins (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1948 | Out of the Storm | Mr. Evans | Hit | Similar → |
| 1948 | The Gentleman from Nowhere | Fenmore | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1947 | Louisiana | McCormack | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1947 | It Happened on Fifth Avenue | Landlord (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1946 | It's a Wonderful Life | Real Estate Salesman | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1946 | The Invisible Informer | Nick Steele | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1944 | Arsenic and Old Lace | Reporter at Marriage License Office | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | Thru Different Eyes | Mott | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | The Mad Martindales | Virgil Hickling | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | Home in Wyomin' | Newspaper Editor | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | The Adventures of Martin Eden | Mr. White | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | A Gentleman at Heart | Holloway | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | Ball of Fire | Larsen | Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | New York Town | Census Taker (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | Barnacle Bill | Auctioneer | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | Back Street | Reporter for Associated News | Hit | Similar → |
| 1940 | The Leather Pushers | Henry 'Mitch' Mitchell | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1940 | On Their Own | Johnson | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Charlie McCarthy, Detective | Charlie's Doctor | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Beware Spooks! | Moore (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Television Spy | Mr. Adler | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Nosey | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Honeymoon in Bali | Photographer (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Inside Story | District Attorney | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | Blondie | Furniture Salesman (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | Always in Trouble | Donald Gower | Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | You Can't Take It with You | Henderson | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | Cocoanut Grove | Weaver | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1937 | Danger – Love at Work | Gilroy, an attorney | Hit | Similar → |
| 1937 | Bad Guy | Attorney | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1937 | Big Business | Webster - Bank Representative | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1936 | Easy to Take | Skip | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1936 | Two-Fisted Gentleman | Joe Gordon | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1936 | Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | Hallor (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1935 | Two for Tonight | Writer | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | The Band Plays On | Shyster Lawyer | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | I'll Fix It | Al Nathan | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | Let's Talk It Over | Reporter | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1933 | Advice to the Lovelorn | - | Hit | Similar → |
| 1933 | Gold Diggers of 1933 | Society Reporter (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1930 | City Girl | Man at Train Station (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
Charles Lane - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Charles Lane?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Charles Lane is "Let's Talk It Over" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Charles Lane acted in?
Charles Lane has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Charles Lane?
Other notable films include "Easy to Take", "Two-Fisted Gentleman", and "Louisiana".