Charles Lane
Biography
Skinny, hatchet-faced, bespectacled American character actor, ubiquitous in literally hundreds of films. With his prominent nose, his rimless eyeglasses and his permanent scowl, he typically portrayed short-tempered and often loudmouthed bureaucrats, yes-men and other minor minions, principally in lighter fare.
102years old at death
- Born San Francisco
- Died Brentwood
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Movie Career
- Films
- 44
- Career span
- 57 years1930 to 1987
First and latest
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First role
Irving Pichel, an actor and director, first told Lane to try acting in 1929. Four years afterward, Lane helped found the Screen Actors Guild.
First role
Lane played a hotel clerk in Smart Money (1931), which starred Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney. It was his first film role, one of over 382 he had.
Getting ready for a role
In It's a Wonderful Life, Frank Capra cast Lane against type as a rent collector who surprises his employer, Mr. Potter, by speaking highly of James Stewart's character.
Charles Lane movies on Netflix
Date with an Angelas Father O'Shea
Murphy's Romanceas Amos Abbott
Strange Invadersas Prof. Hollister
Strange Behavioras Donovan
Movie Movieas Judge / Mr. Pennington
Get to Know Your Rabbitas Mr. Beeman
The AristoCatsas Lawyer (voice)
What's So Bad About Feeling Good?as Dr. Shapiro
The Gnome-Mobileas Dr. Scoggins
The Ghost and Mr. Chickenas Lawyer Whitlow
The Ugly Dachshundas Judge
Good Neighbor Samas Jack Bailey
The Carpetbaggersas Eugene Denby
The Music Manas Constable
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rockas Standard Bates
Teacher's Petas Roy
The Birds and the Beesas Charlie Jenkins
The Sniperas Loud Drunk at Club
Backfireas Dr. Nolan
State of the Unionas Blink Moran
It Happened on Fifth Avenueas Landlord
A Close Call for Boston Blackieas Hack Hagen
Arsenic and Old Laceas Reporter at Marriage License Office
Flying Tigersas Repkin
Obliging Young Ladyas Private Detective Smith
Tarzan's New York Adventureas Gould Beaton
Ball of Fireas Larsen
I Wake Up Screamingas Keating- Florist
Johnny Apolloas Assistant D.A.
Primrose Pathas Mr. Smith
Rhythm on the Riveras Bernard Schwartz
The Invisible Womanas Growley
You Can't Fool Your Wifeas Salesman
Mr. Smith Goes to Washingtonas Nosey
The Cat and the Canaryas Reporter
The Rage of Parisas Department Head
Ali Baba Goes to Townas Doctor
Internes Can't Take Moneyas Grote
Twentieth Centuryas Max Jacobs aka Max Mandelbaum
Private Detective 62as Process Server
The Boweryas Doctor
Union Depotas Luggage Checkroom Clerk
Smart Moneyas Hotel Desk Clerk
City Girlas Man at Train Station
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Frank Capra directed three of these films, Howard Hawks two and Edward Dmytryk two. Irving Bacon appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.









Films together
Irving Bacon5 films together, 1932 to 1948
Irving Bacon's page State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2Lane as Blink MoranBacon as Buck Swenson
Internes Can't Take Money1937IMDb rating 6.9Lane as GroteBacon as Jeff
Private Detective 621933IMDb rating 6.7Lane as Process ServerBacon as Cab Driver
The Bowery1933IMDb rating 6.8Lane as DoctorBacon as Hick
Union Depot1932IMDb rating 7.1Lane as Luggage Checkroom ClerkBacon as Depot Hotel Waiter
Russell Hicks3 films together, 1940 to 1946
Russell Hicks's page A Close Call for Boston Blackie1946IMDb rating 6.1Lane as Hack HagenHicks as Harcourt
Tarzan's New York Adventure1942IMDb rating 6.5Lane as Gould BeatonHicks as Judge Abbotson
Johnny Apollo1940IMDb rating 6.9Lane as Assistant D.A.Hicks as District Attorney
Grant Mitchell3 films together, 1939 to 1947
Grant Mitchell's page It Happened on Fifth Avenue1947IMDb rating 7.6Lane as LandlordMitchell as Farrow
Arsenic and Old Lace1944IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Reporter at Marriage License OfficeMitchell as Reverend Harper
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Lane as NoseyMitchell as Senator MacPherson
Pierre Watkin3 films together, 1937 to 1942
Pierre Watkin's page Obliging Young Lady1942IMDb rating 5.7Lane as Private Detective SmithWatkin as John Markham
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Lane as NoseyWatkin as Senator Barnes
Internes Can't Take Money1937IMDb rating 6.9Lane as GroteWatkin as Dr. Fearson
Charles Ruggles3 films together, 1940 to 1966
Charles Ruggles's page The Ugly Dachshund1966IMDb rating 6.5Lane as JudgeRuggles as Dr. J.L. Pruitt
It Happened on Fifth Avenue1947IMDb rating 7.6Lane as LandlordRuggles as Michael J. O'Connor
The Invisible Woman1940IMDb rating 5.9Lane as GrowleyRuggles as George
Bess Flowers2 films together, 1958 to 1964
Bess Flowers's page Good Neighbor Sam1964IMDb rating 6.7Lane as Jack BaileyFlowers as Mrs. Burke
Teacher's Pet1958IMDb rating 7.1Lane as RoyFlowers as Bongo Club Patron
Frank CapraDirector, 3 films, 1939 to 1948
All films by Frank Capra State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2Lane as Blink Moran
Arsenic and Old Lace1944IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Reporter at Marriage License Office
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Lane as Nosey
Howard HawksDirector, 2 films, 1934 to 1941
All films by Howard Hawks Ball of Fire1941IMDb rating 7.7Lane as Larsen
Twentieth Century1934IMDb rating 7.2Lane as Max Jacobs aka Max Mandelbaum
Edward DmytrykDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1964
All films by Edward Dmytryk The Carpetbaggers1964IMDb rating 6.5Lane as Eugene Denby
The Sniper1952IMDb rating 7.1Lane as Loud Drunk at Club
Also two films together48 more actors
- Barbara StanwyckBall of Fire (1941) and Internes Can't Take Money (1937)
- Edward G. RobinsonGood Neighbor Sam (1964) and Smart Money (1931)
- Ellen CorbyThe Gnome-Mobile (1967) and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
- Byron FoulgerThe Gnome-Mobile (1967) and The Sniper (1952)
- Elisha Cook Jr.Ball of Fire (1941) and I Wake Up Screaming (1941)
- George ChandlerThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and Union Depot (1932)
- Edmond O'BrienBackfire (1950) and Obliging Young Lady (1942)
- Joel McCreaPrimrose Path (1940) and Internes Can't Take Money (1937)
- Lloyd NolanJohnny Apollo (1940) and Internes Can't Take Money (1937)
- Edward BrophyIt Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947) and The Invisible Woman (1940)
- Lucille BallYou Can't Fool Your Wife (1940) and The Bowery (1933)
- Louise FletcherStrange Invaders (1983) and Strange Behavior (1981)
- Guy KibbeeMr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Union Depot (1932)
- John RidgelyBackfire (1950) and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
- Edward ArnoldJohnny Apollo (1940) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
- Margaret HamiltonState of the Union (1948) and The Invisible Woman (1940)
- Adolphe MenjouThe Sniper (1952) and State of the Union (1948)
- John BarrymoreThe Invisible Woman (1940) and Twentieth Century (1934)
- Arthur HohlIt Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947) and Private Detective 62 (1933)
- Charley GrapewinJohnny Apollo (1940) and Rhythm on the River (1940)
- Miles ManderTarzan's New York Adventure (1942) and Primrose Path (1940)
- Willie FungFlying Tigers (1942) and Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
- Henry TraversBall of Fire (1941) and Primrose Path (1940)
- Heinie ConklinPrivate Detective 62 (1933) and The Bowery (1933)
- Hobart CavanaughYou Can't Fool Your Wife (1940) and Private Detective 62 (1933)
- Ruth DonnellyMr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Private Detective 62 (1933)
- George PeppardWhat's So Bad About Feeling Good? (1968) and The Carpetbaggers (1964)
- Oskar HomolkaBall of Fire (1941) and The Invisible Woman (1940)
- Paul KellyFlying Tigers (1942) and Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
- William ForrestGood Neighbor Sam (1964) and Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
- Paulette GoddardThe Cat and the Canary (1939) and The Bowery (1933)
- Arthur FranzThe Carpetbaggers (1964) and The Sniper (1952)
- Howard C. HickmanTarzan's New York Adventure (1942) and Twentieth Century (1934)
- Herman BingTwentieth Century (1934) and The Bowery (1933)
- Dey YoungStrange Invaders (1983) and Strange Behavior (1981)
- Dan ShorStrange Invaders (1983) and Strange Behavior (1981)
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr.The Rage of Paris (1938) and Union Depot (1932)
- Jason Robards Sr.The Rage of Paris (1938) and Union Depot (1932)
- Fiona LewisStrange Invaders (1983) and Strange Behavior (1981)
- Matt McHughPrimrose Path (1940) and The Rage of Paris (1938)
- Jesslyn FaxThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and The Music Man (1962)
- Nydia WestmanThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and The Cat and the Canary (1939)
- Dorothy ProvineGood Neighbor Sam (1964) and The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959)
- Sandra GouldThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and Teacher's Pet (1958)
- Harry HickoxThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and The Music Man (1962)
- Joan CarrollObliging Young Lady (1942) and Primrose Path (1940)
- Bill CondonStrange Invaders (1983) and Strange Behavior (1981)
- Pert KeltonThe Music Man (1962) and The Bowery (1933)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Charles Lane's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$323 million
14 of the 44 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 44 films: 14 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 27 figure not found.
- 14Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 27Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$191M59.2% of the total
- 2$40M12.4% of the total
- 3$31M9.6% of the total
- 4$15M4.6% of the total
- 5$14M4.2% of the total
- 6$9.6M3.0% of the total
- 7$9.1M2.8% of the total
- 8$4.8M1.5% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.









