1894-07-28 New York City, New York, USA
Charles Cahill Wilson (July 29, 1894 – January 7, 1948) was an American screen and stage actor. He appeared in numerous films during the Golden Age of Hollywood from the late 1920s to late 1940s. Born in New York City in 1894, the white-haired, burly actor was often typecast as an earnest police officer, newspaper editor or principal. He appeared in over 250 films between 1928 and 1948, mostly playing small supporting roles with a few sentences. Charles Wilson began his acting career at the theatre, including roles in six Broadway plays between 1918 and 1931. In 1928, he directed the Hollywood comedy Lucky Boy (1928), where he also made his film debut. According to the Internet Movie Database, Lucky Boy was Wilson's only film as a director. His most notable role was probably Clark Gable's "wonderfully aggravated" newspaper boss in Frank Capra's comedy It Happened One Night, which won five Academy Awards in 1935. He was also cast in small roles in other Capra movies such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Shortly before his death, Wilson appeared as the boss of the Three Stooges in the two-reel comedy Crime on Their Hands (1948).
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Commotion on the Ocean | J.L. Cameron - Managing Editor (archive footage) | 1956-11-08 |
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Big Town Scandal | Editor of the Chronicle (uncredited) | 1948-05-27 |
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Blazing Across the Pecos | Mayor Ace Brockway | 1948-07-01 |
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Crime on Their Hands | J.L. Cameron | 1948-12-09 |
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Key Witness | Warden (uncredited) | 1947-10-09 |
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty | Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited) | 1947-09-01 |
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Meet Mr. Mischief | Harry's Boss | 1947-01-23 |
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It's a Wonderful Life | Charlie (uncredited) | 1946-12-20 |
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Crime of the Century | Police Lieutenant | 1946-02-28 |
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Gas House Kids | Inspector Shannon | 1946-10-08 |
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Blonde for a Day | Chief of Police Will Gentry (as Charles Wilson) | 1946-06-10 |
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Larceny in Her Heart | Chief Gentry (as Charles Wilson) | 1946-05-20 |
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Road to Utopia | Official Policeman (uncredited) | 1946-02-27 |
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Passkey to Danger | Police Sergeant | 1946-05-11 |
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Week-End at the Waldorf | Hi Johns | 1945-10-04 |
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A Gun in His Hand | Chief of Police (uncredited) | 1945-09-15 |
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Scarlet Street | Watchman (uncredited) | 1945-12-25 |
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Two O'Clock Courage | Brant - City Editor (uncredited) | 1945-04-13 |
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The Missing Juror | Mac Ellis (Uncredited) | 1944-11-16 |
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Hey, Rookie | Sam Jonas | 1944-04-06 |
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Crime by Night | District Attorney Hyatt | 1944-09-09 |
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Silver Spurs | Mr. Hawkins | 1943-08-12 |
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Batman | Captain Arnold | 1943-07-16 |
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The Secret Code | Desk Sgt. Cullen | 1942-09-04 |
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Dr. Broadway | District Attorney McNamara | 1942-05-09 |
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Gentleman Jim | Gurney (uncredited) | 1942-11-14 |
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Blondie Goes to College | Police Sergeant | 1942-01-15 |
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Rings on Her Fingers | 1942-03-20 | |
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The Man Who Returned to Life | Inspector Mensil | 1942-02-05 |
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This Gun for Hire | Police Captain | 1942-04-24 |
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Escape from Crime | C.L. Reardon - Managing Editor (as Charles Wilson) | 1942-07-25 |
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Lady Gangster | Detective | 1942-04-01 |
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Broadway Limited | Detective (as Charles Wilson) | 1941-06-13 |
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The Officer and the Lady | Police Captain Hart | 1941-10-12 |
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The Face Behind the Mask | Chief O'Brien | 1941-01-16 |
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Out of the Fog | 1941-06-14 | |
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Meet John Doe | Charlie Dawson | 1941-03-14 |
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Federal Fugitives | Bruce Lane | 1941-03-29 |
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Dressed to Kill | Newspaper Editor | 1941-08-08 |
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City for Conquest | Bill - Man Behind MacPherson at Fight (uncredited) | 1940-09-21 |
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Knute Rockne All American | Gambler (uncredited) | 1940-10-05 |
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Tin Pan Alley | Desk Sergeant (uncredited) | 1940-11-29 |
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Sandy Is a Lady | Sergeant | 1940-05-21 |
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Gangs of Chicago | 1940-05-18 | |
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Charter Pilot | Owen | 1940-12-06 |
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Lady with Red Hair | George Martin (uncredited) | 1940-11-30 |
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They Drive by Night | Mike Williams (uncredited) | 1940-07-26 |
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Millionaires in Prison | R.J. Reynolds, Sunday Editor (uncredited) | 1940-07-12 |
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He Married His Wife | Warden | 1940-01-19 |
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Public Deb No. 1 | Sergeant | 1940-09-13 |
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Girl in 313 | Vincent Brady, Commissioner of Police | 1940-05-31 |
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The Return of Doctor X | Det. Kincaid | 1939-11-23 |
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Rose of Washington Square | Mike Cavanaugh | 1939-05-05 |
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Smashing the Money Ring | Capt. Kilrane | 1939-10-21 |
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The House of Fear | Police Chief | 1939-06-30 |
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Invisible Stripes | Arresting Officer (uncredited) | 1939-12-30 |
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The Cowboy Quarterback | Coach Hap Farrell | 1939-07-29 |
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Hotel for Women | Albert | 1939-08-03 |
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The Roaring Twenties | Policeman (uncredited) | 1939-10-28 |
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Fighting Thoroughbreds | Spencer Bogart | 1939-01-06 |
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Here I Am a Stranger | Managing Editor | 1939-09-29 |
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Sally, Irene and Mary | Covered Wagon Cafe Manager | 1938-03-04 |
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Gateway | Inspector | 1938-08-05 |
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The Night Hawk | Lonigan | 1938-10-01 |
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Tenth Avenue Kid | Commissioner | 1938-08-22 |
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The Spider's Web | Chase | 1938-10-21 |
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Angels with Dirty Faces | 1938-11-26 | |
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When Were You Born | Inspector Jim C. Gregg | 1938-06-18 |
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State Police | Captain Halstead | 1938-03-18 |
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Hold That Co-ed | Coach Burke | 1938-09-16 |
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Little Miss Thoroughbred | Becker | 1938-06-04 |
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Prison Farm | Reardon | 1938-06-17 |
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One Mile from Heaven | Fletcher | 1937-08-18 |
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They Wanted to Marry | Clark | 1937-02-05 |
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Life Begins in College | Tom Burke | 1937-10-01 |
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The Great O'Malley | Policeman Chiding School Bus Driver (uncredited) | 1937-02-13 |
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Midnight Court | Police Chief | 1937-03-06 |
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Broadway Melody of 1938 | Horse Auctioneer (uncredited) | 1937-08-20 |
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Roaring Timber | Sam Garvin | 1937-07-03 |
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Night Key | Police Capt. Wallace (uncredited) | 1937-04-18 |
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Daughter of Shanghai | Schwartz (uncredited) | 1937-12-17 |
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You Only Live Once | Police Inspector (uncredited) | 1937-01-23 |
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The Adventurous Blonde | Mortimer Gray | 1937-11-13 |
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Woman in Distress | Editor Herbert Claxton | 1937-01-17 |
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Murder Goes to College | Police Inspector Simpson | 1937-02-24 |
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Partners in Crime | Inspector Simpson | 1937-10-08 |
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The Case of the Stuttering Bishop | Hamilton Burger | 1937-06-08 |
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The Mine with the Iron Door | Pitkins | 1936-05-06 |
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Earthworm Tractors | H.J. Russell | 1936-07-24 |
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Down the Stretch | Tex Reardon | 1936-09-18 |
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Mind Your Own Business | Detective | 1936-12-18 |
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36 Hours to Kill | F.B.I. Chief | 1936-07-24 |
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Legion of Terror | Colonel McCollum (as Charles Wilson) | 1936-11-01 |
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Grand Jury | City Editor | 1936-08-07 |
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Big Brown Eyes | Prosecuting Attorney (Uncredited) | 1936-04-03 |
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The Gentleman from Louisiana | Diamond Jim Brady | 1936-08-14 |
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I'd Give My Life | Warden | 1936-08-13 |
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Panic on the Air | Chief Inspector Fitzgerald | 1936-04-10 |
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Murder with Pictures | Assistant Editor (uncredited) | 1936-09-24 |
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Satan Met a Lady | Detective Pollock | 1936-07-22 |
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Strike Me Pink | Hardie | 1936-01-24 |
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Show Boat | 1936-05-17 | |
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The Country Doctor | George the Boat Captain (uncredited) | 1936-03-12 |
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The Magnificent Brute | Murphy | 1936-10-11 |
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Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | County Hospital Guard (uncredited) | 1936-04-09 |
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Car 99 | Trooper Captain Ryan | 1935-03-02 |
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Four Hours to Kill! | Taft | 1935-04-11 |
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Show Them No Mercy! | Clifford | 1935-12-06 |
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The Gilded Lily | Managing Editor | 1935-01-25 |
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The Public Menace | First Detective | 1935-09-30 |
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The Glass Key | District Attorney Edward J. Farr | 1935-06-15 |
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The Great Hotel Murder | Anthony Wilson | 1935-02-27 |
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Air Hawks | Newspaper editor | 1935-05-07 |
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Murder in the Fleet | Commander Brown (Uncredited) | 1935-05-24 |
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Smart Girl | Morgan (uncredited) | 1935-07-16 |
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The Case of the Lucky Legs | Police Officer Ricker | 1935-10-05 |
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Baby Face Harrington | City Editor (uncredited) | 1935-04-12 |
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The Nitwits | Police Captain Jennings | 1935-06-07 |
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Hitch Hike Lady | Mike - a Racketeer | 1935-12-28 |
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The Case of the Curious Bride | Ferry Captain (uncredited) | 1935-04-13 |
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White Lies | Defense Attorney (uncredited) | 1935-12-27 |
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Music Is Magic | Decker - Theatre Manager (uncredited) | 1935-11-01 |
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Mary Burns, Fugitive | G-Man at dancehall | 1935-11-15 |
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The Perfect Clue | District Attorney | 1935-03-13 |
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Waterfront Lady | Jim McFee aka Mac | 1935-10-04 |
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We're Only Human | Editor of The Daily Star | 1935-12-27 |
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After the Dance | Chief of Police | 1935-06-25 |
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The Human Side | Furniture Buyer (uncredited) | 1934-09-01 |
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Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen | Chief of Police | 1934-01-12 |
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The Dragon Murder Case | Det. Hennessey | 1934-08-25 |
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Embarrassing Moments | Attorney | 1934-09-01 |
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Name the Woman | Joel Walker | 1934-07-25 |
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The Hell Cat | Graham | 1934-06-16 |
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The 9th Guest | Burke (Uncredited) | 1934-01-31 |
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I Believed in You | Magistrate | 1934-04-09 |
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Cross Country Cruise | Detective (Uncredited) | 1934-01-16 |
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The St. Louis Kid | Mr. Harris | 1934-11-10 |
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Men of the Night | Benson | 1934-11-18 |
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Port of Lost Dreams | Warden | 1934-10-14 |
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The Circus Clown | Sheldon | 1934-06-30 |
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Fog Over Frisco | Detective Sergeant O'Hagen | 1934-06-02 |
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Affairs of a Gentleman | Inspector Quillan | 1934-05-01 |
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Here Is My Heart | Captain Dodge (uncredited) | 1934-12-28 |
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It Happened One Night | Joe Gordon | 1934-02-22 |
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Murder in the Clouds | Lackey | 1934-12-15 |
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The Kennel Murder Case | Detective Hennessy (uncredited) | 1933-10-28 |
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No Marriage Ties | Red Moran, City Desk Editor | 1933-08-11 |
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College Coach | Charles Hauser | 1933-11-04 |
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Havana Widows | Mr. Timberg | 1933-11-18 |
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Hard to Handle | Jailer (uncredited) | 1933-01-28 |
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Mary Stevens, M.D. | Walter Rising | 1933-07-22 |
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Elmer, the Great | Mr. Wade (as Charles Wilson) | 1933-04-29 |
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Disgraced! | Thompson, Assistant District Attorney | 1933-07-07 |
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Gold Diggers of 1933 | Deputy (uncredited) | 1933-05-27 |
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Female | Private Detective Falihee (Uncredited) | 1933-11-11 |
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Private Detective 62 | Club Bartender (Uncredited) | 1933-06-10 |
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The Mayor of Hell | Wilson (uncredited) | 1933-06-24 |
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The Trans-Atlantic Mystery | Detective Doyle (uncredited) | 1932-08-31 |
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The Campus Mystery | Detective Reardon | 1932-07-01 |
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Stolen Heaven | Detective | 1931-02-20 |
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My Sin | Guest in Pool Party | 1931-09-26 |
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Hot News Margie | Newspaper Editor (uncredited) | 1931-11-27 |
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Getting a Ticket | Motorcycle Cop | 1930-03-22 |
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Insurance | Doctor (uncredited) | 1930-08-23 |
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Acquitted | Nelson | 1929-11-15 |
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Broadway Scandals | Jack | 1929-11-10 |
