Actor
Charles Lane
January 26, 1905 · San Francisco, California, USA
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.
Notable work
7.3The Aristocats (1970)
as Lawyer (voice)
8.3It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
as Real Estate Salesman
7.8Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
as Nosey
7.6Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
as Reporter at Marriage License Office
8.5The Twilight Zone (1959)
as Mr. Peckinpaugh
8Little House on the Prairie (1974)
cast
7.9Bewitched (1964)
as Mr. Cushman and as Jessie Mortimer and as Mr. Roland and as Mr. Harmon and as Harold Jameson and as Ed Hotchkiss and as George Meiklejohn and as Shotwell
7It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
as Airport Manager and as Charles Eckhardt
7.9The Munsters (1964)
cast
7.5You Can't Take It with You (1938)
as Henderson
8Get Smart (1965)
as Uncle Abner
7.5Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
as Hallor (uncredited)
Often works with
H.B. Warner
4 titles together
It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, You Can't Take It with You
James Stewart
3 titles together
It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, You Can't Take It with You
Jean Arthur
3 titles together
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, You Can't Take It with You, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Nancy Kulp
2 titles together
The Aristocats, The Beverly Hillbillies
George Lindsey
2 titles together
The Aristocats, The Andy Griffith Show
Lionel Barrymore
2 titles together
It's a Wonderful Life, You Can't Take It with You
Full filmography · 150
Legends
as Roy (archive footage) (uncredited)
2006
Dark Shadows
as Antique Dealer
19917.9
Shannon's Deal
cast
1990
L.A. Law
as Walter Graf
19867.1
The Comedy Factory
as George McCloskey
1985
Otherworld
as Velcrows Widley
1985
Hunter
as Motel Owner
19847.1
The Winds of War
as William Standley
19837.3
St. Elsewhere
as Richard Welte
19825.7
The Devlin Connection
cast
1982
Mork & Mindy
cast
19787.1
Lou Grant
cast and as Mort Farber
19777.4