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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

Genres

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  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. Twentieth Century1934 Comedy, Romanceas Max Jacobs aka Max Mandelbaum

    IMDb rating 7.27.9K votes

  2. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939 Comedy, Dramaas Nosey

    IMDb rating 8.1130K votes

  3. The AristoCats1970as Lawyervoice

    IMDb rating 7.1127K votes

  4. The Ugly Dachshund1966as Judge

    IMDb rating 6.55.1K votes

  5. Arsenic and Old Lace1944as Reporter at Marriage License Office

    IMDb rating 7.978K votes

  6. Teacher's Pet1958as Roy

    IMDb rating 7.15.6K votes

  7. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken1966as Lawyer Whitlow

    IMDb rating 7.38.5K votes

  8. State of the Union1948as Blink Moran

    IMDb rating 7.24.7K votes

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.

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Films together

Box office

What Charles Lane's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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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. 1
    The AristoCats1970as Lawyer (voice)
    $191M59.2% of the total
  2. 2
    The Carpetbaggers1964as Eugene Denby
    $40M12.4% of the total
  3. 3
    Murphy's Romance1985as Amos Abbott
    $31M9.6% of the total
  4. 4
    The Music Man1962as Constable
    $15M4.6% of the total
  5. 5
    The Ugly Dachshund1966as Judge
    $14M4.2% of the total
  6. 6
    $9.6M3.0% of the total
  7. 7
    Good Neighbor Sam1964as Jack Bailey
    $9.1M2.8% of the total
  8. 8
    Arsenic and Old Lace1944as Reporter at Marriage License Office
    $4.8M1.5% of the total
Ball of Fire (1941), $2.6 millionDate with an Angel (1987), $2.0 millionI Wake Up Screaming (1941), $1.5 millionStrange Invaders (1983), $1.4 millionThe Invisible Woman (1940), $659,600Union Depot (1932), $637,000

$8.8 millionfrom the other 6 films with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total