Charles Lane (actor)

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Charles Lane
Charles Lane in a 1954 episode of I Love Lucy
Born January 26, 1905 (age 102)
San Francisco, California, USA

Charles Lane (born January 26, 1905 in San Francisco, California as Charles Gerstle Levison) is an American character actor, seen on countless movies and TV shows, and is the oldest living American actor. [1] He appeared in many Frank Capra films, including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace, and It's a Wonderful Life.

Actor/director Irving Pichel first suggested that Lane go into acting in 1929, and in 1933, Lane was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Contents

[edit] Career

Among his many roles as a character actor, Lane is perhaps most widely remembered for his portrayal of J. Homer Bedloe on Petticoat Junction. Bedloe was a mean-spirited railroad executive who visited the Shady Rest Hotel periodically, attempting to find justification for ending the train service of the Hooterville Cannonball (and never succeeding).

He is also widely remembered for his appearances on I Love Lucy; most notably in the episode "Lucy Goes To the Hospital" where he is seated in the waiting room with Rickey while Lucy gives birth to their son. He also appeared twice in the Lucy Desi Comedy Hour.

In 1963, Lane appeared in the mega-comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, playing the airport manager. As of 2007, he is one of sixteen actors from It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World still alive.

In 1932, Lane married his sweetheart Ruth Covell, and they remained together for seventy years, until her death in 2002.

Charles Lane at 100
Charles Lane at 100

Despite his stern, hardhearted demeanor in films and television, friends and acquaintances seem to unanimously describe Lane as warm, funny, and kind. All told, Lane appeared in more than 150 films and hundreds of television shows. On his busiest days, Lane said he sometimes played more than one role; getting into costume and filming his two or three lines, then hurrying off to another set for a different costume and a different role.

His most recent appearance on the movie screen was in 1987's Date With an Angel with Phoebe Cates and Emmanuelle Béart, but he continued to act on TV until the age of 90 when he appeared in the 1995 Disney TV remake of its 1970 teen comedy The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes with Kirk Cameron in the role originated by Kurt Russell.

In 1990, Lane was rushed to the hospital after having difficulty breathing. A doctor asked if he was still smoking, and Lane replied that he had kicked the habit 45 minutes earlier. He has never smoked again.

In 2005, the TV Land Awards paid tribute to Lane by celebrating his 100th birthday. Seated in a wheelchair in the audience which had sung Happy Birthday to him, Lane was presented with his award and then announced "If you're interested, I'm still available [for work]!" The audience gave him a standing ovation.

As for being typecast, Lane described it as "... a pain in the ass. You did something that was pretty good, and the picture was pretty good. But that pedigreed you into that type of part, which I thought was stupid and unfair, too. It didn't give me a chance, but it made the casting easier for the studio".

On January 26, 2007, Lane celebrated his 102nd birthday. A documentary about his life and career, entitled You Know the Face, is currently in production. He still lives in the Brentwood home he bought with Ruth, for $46,000, in 1964. He walks with a cane, but remains considerably healthy.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] 1990s

[edit] 1980s

[edit] 1970s

[edit] 1960s

[edit] 1950s

[edit] 1940s

  • Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949) (uncredited)
  • The House Across the Street (1949) (uncredited)
  • Mighty Joe Young (1949) (uncredited)
  • You're My Everything (1949) (uncredited)
  • Mother is a Freshman (1949) (uncredited)
  • Apartment for Peggy (1948) (uncredited)
  • Moonrise (1948)
  • Out of the Storm (1948)
  • The Gentlemen From Nowhere (1948)
  • Race Street (1948) (uncredited)
  • Smart Woman (1948) (uncredited)
  • State of the Union (1948)
  • Call Northside 777 (1948) (uncredited)
  • Intrigue (1947)
  • Roses Are Red (1947)
  • Louisiana (1947)
  • Bury Me Dead (1947) (uncredited)
  • Living in a Big Way (1947) (uncredited)
  • It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) (uncredited)
  • The Farmer's Daughter (1947)
  • The Show Off (1946) (uncredited)
  • It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
  • Swell Guy (1946)
  • The Invisible Informer (1946)
  • Mysterious Intruder (1946)
  • Just Before Dawn (1946)
  • A Close Call for Boston Blackie (1946)
  • Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
  • Mission to Moscow (1943) (uncredited)
  • Flying Tigers (1942) (uncredited)
  • Pardon My Sarong (1942) (uncredited)
  • Friendly Enemies (1942)
  • Lady in a Jam (1942) (uncredited)
  • Thru Different Eyes (1942)
  • Are Husbands Necessary? (1942)
  • They All Kissed The Bride (1942) (uncredited)
  • Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
  • The Mad Martindales (1942)
  • Broadway (1942) (uncredited)
  • Home in Wyomin' (1942)
  • The Great Man's Lady (1942) (uncredited)
  • About Face (1942)
  • Yokel Boy (1942) (uncredited)
  • The Adventures of Martin Eden (1942)
  • What's Cookin'? (1942)
  • Born to Sing (1942) (uncredited)
  • The Lady Is Willing (1942)
  • Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) (uncredited)
  • Obliging Young Lady (1942)
  • A Close Call for Ellery Queen (1942)
  • A Gentleman at Heart (1942)
  • Ball of Fire (1941)
  • Look Who's Laughing (1941) (uncredited)
  • I Wake Up Screaming (1941)
  • Appointment for Love (1941) (uncredited)
  • Birth of Blues (1941) (uncredited)
  • New York Town (1941) (uncredited)
  • Three Girls About Town (1941) (uncredited)
  • Buy Me That Town (1941)
  • Sing Another Chorus (1941)
  • Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime (1941)
  • Sealed Lips (1941)
  • The Big Store (1941) (uncredited)
  • Blondie in Society (1941) (uncredited)
  • Sis Hopkins (1941)
  • Barnacle Bill (1941) (uncredited)
  • Repent at Leisure (1941)
  • Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery (1941)
  • Footlight Fever (1941)
  • The Big Store (1941)
  • You're the One (1941)
  • Back Street (1941) (uncredited)
  • The Invisible Woman (1940)
  • The Texas Ranger Rides Again (1940)
  • Ellery Queen, Master Detective (1940)
  • Dancing on a Dime (1940)
  • Blondie Plays Cupid (1940) (uncredited)
  • A Little Bit of Heaven (1940) (uncredited)
  • City For Conquest (1940) (uncredited)
  • The Leather Pushers (1940)
  • The Great Profile (1940)
  • Rhythm on the River (1940)
  • We Who Are Young (1940)
  • Queen of the Mob (1940) (uncredited)
  • The Doctor Takes a Wife (1940) (uncredited)
  • I Can't Give Anything But Love, Baby (1940) (uncredited)
  • You Can't Fool Your Wife (1940) (scenes deleted}
  • On Your Own (1940) (uncredited)
  • Edison, the Man (1940) (uncredited)
  • The Crooked Road (1940)
  • Buck Benny Rides Again (1940)
  • Johnny Apollo (1940)
  • Primrose Path (1940) (uncredited)
  • It's a Date (1940) (uncredited)

[edit] 1930s

  • Charlie McCarthy, Detective (1939) (uncredited)
  • The Honeymoon's Over (1939) (uncredited)
  • The Cat and the Canary (1939) (uncredited)
  • Beware Spooks (1939) (uncrediterd)
  • Television Spy (1939)
  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
  • Thunder Afloat (1939) (scenes deleted)
  • Honeymoon in Bali (1939) (uncredited)
  • Golden Boy (1939) (uncredited)
  • 5th Avenue Girl (1939) (uncredited)
  • Miracles for Sale (1939) (uncredited)
  • They All Come Out (1939)
  • News Is Made at Night (1939)
  • Second Fiddle (1939) (voice)
  • Unexpected Father (1939) (uncredited)
  • Rose of Washington Square (1939) (uncredited)
  • Lucky Night (1939)
  • Inside Story (1939)
  • Let Us Live! (1939) (uncredited)
  • Boy Slaves (1939)
  • Kentucky (1938)
  • Thanks for Everything (1938)
  • Blondie (1938) (uncredited)
  • Always in Trouble (1938)
  • Three Loves Have Nancy (1938) (uncredited)
  • You Can't Take it With You (1938)
  • Professor Beware (1938) (uncredited)
  • The Rage of Paris (1938) (uncredited)
  • Cocoanut Grove (1938) (uncredited)
  • Joy of Living (1938) (uncredited)
  • City Girl (1938) (uncredited)
  • Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937)
  • Partners in Crime (1937) (uncredited)
  • Danger-Love at Work (1937)
  • Hot Water (1937) (uncredited)
  • Trapped by G-Men (1937)
  • Fit for a King (1937)
  • Bad Guy (1937) (uncredited)
  • One Milefrom Heaven (1937) (uncredited)
  • Born Reckless (1937) (uncredited)
  • Venus Makes Trouble (1937)
  • Internes Can't Take Money (1937)
  • Sea Devils (1937) (uncredited)
  • We're on the Jury (1937)
  • Criminal Lawyer (1937) (uncredited)
  • In Old Chicago (1937)
  • Three Men on a House (1936) (uncredited)
  • Come Closer, Folks (1936) (uncredited)
  • Easy to Take (1936)
  • Lady Luck (1936)
  • Two-Fisted Gentleman (1936)
  • 36 Hours to Kill (1936)
  • The Bride Walks Out (1936) (uncredited)
  • The Crime of Dr. Forbes (1936)
  • Ticket to Paradise (1936) (uncredited)
  • Neighborhood House (1936) (uncredited)
  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) (uncredited)
  • It Had Happened (1936) (uncredited)
  • The Milky Way (1936)
  • Two for Tonight (1935)
  • Here Comes the Band (1935)
  • Woman Wanted (1935) (uncredited)
  • Ginger (1935) (uncredited)
  • Princess O'Hara (1935) (uncredited)
  • One More Spring (1935) (uncredited)
  • The Band Plays On (1934) (uncredited)
  • A Wicked Woman (1934) (uncredited)
  • Broadway Bill (1934) (uncredited)
  • I'll Fix It (1934)
  • Let's Talk It Over (1934)
  • Twentieth Century(1934)
  • Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934) (uncredited)
  • Looking for Trouble (1934)
  • The Show Off (1934) (uncredited)
  • Mr. Skitch (1933) (uncredited)
  • Advice to the Lovelorn (1933)
  • Broadway Through a Keyhole (1933) (uncredited)
  • The Bowery (1933) (uncredited)
  • My Woman (1933)
  • She Had to Say Yes (1933) (uncredited)
  • Private Detective 62 (1933)
  • Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) (uncredited)
  • Central Airport (1933) (uncredited)
  • Blondie Johnson (1933)
  • Grand Slam (1933) (uncredited)
  • 42nd Street (1933) (uncredited)
  • Employees' Entrance (1933) (uncredited)
  • Blessed Event (1932) (uncredited)
  • The Mouthpiece (1932) (uncredited)
  • Manhattan Parade (1932) (uncredited)
  • Union Depot (1932) (uncredited)
  • Blonde Crazy (1931) (uncredited)
  • The Road to Singapore (1931) (uncredited)
  • Smart Money (1931) (uncredited)

[edit] External links

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