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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Crime on Their Hands | J.L. Cameron | 1948-12-09 |
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Blazing Across the Pecos | Mayor Ace Brockway | 1948-07-01 |
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Key Witness | Warden (uncredited) | 1947-10-09 |
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Meet Mr. Mischief | Harry's Boss | 1947-01-23 |
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty | Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited) | 1947-09-01 |
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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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Crime of the Century | Police Lieutenant | 1946-02-28 |
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It's a Wonderful Life | Charlie (uncredited) | 1946-12-20 |
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Passkey to Danger | Police Sergeant | 1946-05-11 |
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Gas House Kids | Inspector Shannon | 1946-10-08 |
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Road to Utopia | Official Policeman (uncredited) | 1946-02-27 |
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Scarlet Street | Watchman (uncredited) | 1945-12-25 |
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A Gun in His Hand | Chief of Police (uncredited) | 1945-09-15 |
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Week-End at the Waldorf | Hi Johns | 1945-10-04 |
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Two O'Clock Courage | Brant - City Editor (uncredited) | 1945-04-13 |
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Crime by Night | District Attorney Hyatt | 1944-09-09 |
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Hey, Rookie | Sam Jonas | 1944-04-06 |
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The Missing Juror | Mac Ellis (uncredited) | 1944-11-16 |
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Batman | Captain Arnold | 1943-07-16 |
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Silver Spurs | Mr. Hawkins | 1943-08-12 |
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The Man Who Returned to Life | Inspector Mensil | 1942-02-05 |
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Lady Gangster | Detective | 1942-04-01 |
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Dr. Broadway | District Attorney McNamara | 1942-05-09 |
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Rings on Her Fingers | 1942-03-20 | |
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The Secret Code | Desk Sgt. Cullen | 1942-09-04 |
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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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Blondie Goes to College | Police Sergeant | 1942-01-15 |
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Gentleman Jim | Gurney (uncredited) | 1942-11-14 |
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Dressed to Kill | Newspaper Editor | 1941-08-08 |
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The Officer and the Lady | Police Captain Hart | 1941-10-12 |
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Federal Fugitives | Bruce Lane | 1941-03-29 |
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Meet John Doe | Charlie Dawson | 1941-03-14 |
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Broadway Limited | Detective (as Charles Wilson) | 1941-06-13 |
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Out of the Fog | 1941-06-14 | |
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The Face Behind the Mask | Chief O'Brien | 1941-01-16 |
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Gangs of Chicago | 1940-05-18 | |
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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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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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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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City for Conquest | Bill - Man Behind MacPherson at Fight (uncredited) | 1940-09-21 |
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Charter Pilot | Owen | 1940-12-06 |
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He Married His Wife | Warden | 1940-01-19 |
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Sandy Is a Lady | Sergeant | 1940-05-21 |
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Lady with Red Hair | George Martin (uncredited) | 1940-11-30 |
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Invisible Stripes | Arresting Officer (uncredited) | 1939-12-30 |
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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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Smashing the Money Ring | Capt. Kilrane | 1939-10-21 |
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Rose of Washington Square | Mike Cavanaugh | 1939-05-05 |
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The House of Fear | Police Chief | 1939-06-30 |
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The Cowboy Quarterback | Coach Hap Farrell | 1939-07-29 |
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The Return of Doctor X | Det. Kincaid | 1939-11-23 |
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Here I Am a Stranger | Managing Editor | 1939-09-29 |
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Hold That Co-ed | Coach Burke | 1938-09-16 |
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The Spider's Web | Chase | 1938-10-21 |
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Little Miss Thoroughbred | Becker | 1938-06-04 |
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When Were You Born | Inspector Jim C. Gregg | 1938-06-18 |
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Tenth Avenue Kid | Commissioner | 1938-08-22 |
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Angels with Dirty Faces | 1938-11-26 | |
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State Police | Captain Halstead | 1938-03-18 |
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Sally, Irene and Mary | Covered Wagon Cafe Manager | 1938-03-04 |
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Prison Farm | Reardon | 1938-06-17 |
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Gateway | Inspector | 1938-08-05 |
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The Night Hawk | Lonigan | 1938-10-01 |
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Night Key | Police Capt. Wallace (uncredited) | 1937-04-18 |
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Partners in Crime | Inspector Simpson | 1937-10-08 |
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Roaring Timber | Sam Garvin | 1937-07-03 |
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You Only Live Once | Police Inspector (uncredited) | 1937-01-23 |
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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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The Great O'Malley | Policeman Chiding School Bus Driver (uncredited) | 1937-02-13 |
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Woman in Distress | Editor Herbert Claxton | 1937-01-17 |
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Daughter of Shanghai | Schwartz (uncredited) | 1937-12-17 |
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Life Begins in College | Tom Burke | 1937-10-01 |
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The Adventurous Blonde | Mortimer Gray | 1937-11-13 |
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Find the Witness | Charley Blair (uncredited) | 1937-01-08 |
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The Case of the Stuttering Bishop | Hamilton Burger | 1937-06-08 |
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They Wanted to Marry | Clark | 1937-02-05 |
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Murder Goes to College | Police Inspector Simpson | 1937-02-24 |
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One Mile from Heaven | Fletcher | 1937-08-18 |
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Legion of Terror | Colonel McCollum (as Charles Wilson) | 1936-11-01 |
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Show Boat | 1936-05-17 | |
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Murder with Pictures | Assistant Editor (uncredited) | 1936-09-24 |
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Down the Stretch | Tex Reardon | 1936-09-18 |
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Big Brown Eyes | Prosecuting Attorney (Uncredited) | 1936-04-03 |
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I'd Give My Life | Warden | 1936-08-13 |
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The Mine with the Iron Door | Pitkins | 1936-05-06 |
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Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | County Hospital Guard (uncredited) | 1936-04-09 |
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Mind Your Own Business | Detective | 1936-12-18 |
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Grand Jury | City Editor | 1936-08-07 |
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Earthworm Tractors | H.J. Russell | 1936-07-24 |
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Strike Me Pink | Hardie | 1936-01-24 |
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Satan Met a Lady | Detective Pollock | 1936-07-22 |
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The Country Doctor | George the Boat Captain (uncredited) | 1936-03-12 |
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36 Hours to Kill | F.B.I. Chief | 1936-07-24 |
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Panic on the Air | Chief Inspector Fitzgerald | 1936-04-10 |
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The Magnificent Brute | Murphy | 1936-10-11 |
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The Gentleman from Louisiana | Diamond Jim Brady | 1936-08-14 |
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White Lies | Defense Attorney (uncredited) | 1935-12-27 |
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Men of the Hour | Harper | 1935-05-05 |
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Smart Girl | Morgan (uncredited) | 1935-07-16 |
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Four Hours to Kill! | Taft | 1935-04-11 |
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The Public Menace | First Detective | 1935-09-30 |
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The Perfect Clue | District Attorney | 1935-03-13 |
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Music Is Magic | Decker - Theatre Manager (uncredited) | 1935-11-01 |
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The Great Hotel Murder | Anthony Wilson | 1935-02-27 |
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The Glass Key | District Attorney Edward J. Farr | 1935-06-15 |
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The Case of the Curious Bride | Ferry Captain (uncredited) | 1935-04-13 |
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The Case of the Lucky Legs | Police Officer Ricker | 1935-10-05 |
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We're Only Human | Editor of The Daily Star | 1935-12-27 |
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The Nitwits | Police Captain Jennings | 1935-06-07 |
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Mary Burns, Fugitive | G-Man at dancehall | 1935-11-15 |
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Car 99 | Trooper Captain Ryan | 1935-03-02 |
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Murder in the Fleet | Commander Brown (Uncredited) | 1935-05-24 |
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After the Dance | Chief of Police | 1935-06-25 |
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Hitch Hike Lady | Mike - a Racketeer | 1935-12-28 |
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The Gilded Lily | Managing Editor | 1935-01-25 |
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Air Hawks | Newspaper editor | 1935-05-07 |
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Baby Face Harrington | City Editor (uncredited) | 1935-04-12 |
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Waterfront Lady | Jim McFee aka Mac | 1935-10-04 |
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Show Them No Mercy! | Clifford | 1935-12-06 |
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The Human Side | Furniture Buyer (uncredited) | 1934-09-01 |
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The Hell Cat | Graham | 1934-06-16 |
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Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen | Chief of Police | 1934-01-12 |
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It Happened One Night | Joe Gordon | 1934-02-22 |
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The St. Louis Kid | Mr. Harris | 1934-11-10 |
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The 9th Guest | Burke (Uncredited) | 1934-01-31 |
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Embarrassing Moments | Attorney | 1934-09-01 |
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Here Is My Heart | Captain Dodge (uncredited) | 1934-12-28 |
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Name the Woman | Joel Walker | 1934-07-25 |
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I Believed in You | Magistrate | 1934-04-09 |
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The Dragon Murder Case | Det. Hennessey | 1934-08-25 |
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Men of the Night | Benson | 1934-11-18 |
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Affairs of a Gentleman | Inspector Quillan | 1934-05-01 |
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Murder in the Clouds | Lackey | 1934-12-15 |
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Cross Country Cruise | Detective (Uncredited) | 1934-01-16 |
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The Circus Clown | Sheldon | 1934-06-30 |
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Port of Lost Dreams | Warden | 1934-10-14 |
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Fog Over Frisco | Detective Sergeant O'Hagen | 1934-06-02 |
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Gold Diggers of 1933 | Deputy (uncredited) | 1933-05-27 |
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Shadows of Sing Sing | 1933-12-03 | |
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Disgraced! | Thompson, Assistant District Attorney | 1933-07-07 |
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Private Detective 62 | Club Bartender (Uncredited) | 1933-06-10 |
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Female | Private Detective Falihee (Uncredited) | 1933-11-11 |
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The Kennel Murder Case | Detective Hennessy (uncredited) | 1933-10-28 |
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Mary Stevens, M.D. | Walter Rising | 1933-07-22 |
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The Mayor of Hell | Wilson (uncredited) | 1933-06-24 |
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Elmer, the Great | Mr. Wade (as Charles Wilson) | 1933-04-29 |
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College Coach | Charles Hauser | 1933-11-04 |
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Hard to Handle | Jailer (uncredited) | 1933-01-28 |
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No Marriage Ties | Red Moran, City Desk Editor | 1933-08-11 |
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Havana Widows | Mr. Timberg | 1933-11-18 |
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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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Broadway Scandals | Jack | 1929-11-10 |
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Acquitted | Nelson | 1929-11-15 |
