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Charles C. Wilson

Acting 53 (deceased) years old New York City, New York, USA ★ 0.7
Born: July 28, 1894
Died: January 7, 1948

Biography

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).

Filmography

Acting Credits (172)

Commotion on the Ocean
Commotion on the Ocean J.L. Cameron - Managing Editor (archive footage) 1956
Crime on Their Hands
Crime on Their Hands J.L. Cameron 1948
Blazing Across the Pecos
Blazing Across the Pecos Mayor Ace Brockway 1948
Big Town Scandal
Big Town Scandal Editor of the Chronicle (uncredited) 1948
Key Witness
Key Witness Warden (uncredited) 1947
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited) 1947
Meet Mr. Mischief
Meet Mr. Mischief Harry's Boss 1947
It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life Charlie (uncredited) 1946
Gas House Kids
Gas House Kids Inspector Shannon 1946
Blonde for a Day
Blonde for a Day Chief of Police Will Gentry (as Charles Wilson) 1946
Larceny in Her Heart
Larceny in Her Heart Chief Gentry (as Charles Wilson) 1946
Passkey to Danger
Passkey to Danger Police Sergeant 1946
Crime of the Century
Crime of the Century Police Lieutenant 1946
Road to Utopia
Road to Utopia Official Policeman (uncredited) 1946
Scarlet Street
Scarlet Street Watchman (uncredited) 1945
Week-End at the Waldorf
Week-End at the Waldorf Hi Johns 1945
A Gun in His Hand
A Gun in His Hand Chief of Police (uncredited) 1945
Two O'Clock Courage
Two O'Clock Courage Brant - City Editor (uncredited) 1945
The Missing Juror
The Missing Juror Mac Ellis (uncredited) 1944
Crime by Night
Crime by Night District Attorney Hyatt 1944
Hey, Rookie
Hey, Rookie Sam Jonas 1944
Silver Spurs
Silver Spurs Mr. Hawkins 1943
Batman
Batman Captain Arnold 1943
Gentleman Jim
Gentleman Jim Gurney (uncredited) 1942
The Secret Code
The Secret Code Desk Sgt. Cullen 1942
Escape from Crime
Escape from Crime C.L. Reardon - Managing Editor (as Charles Wilson) 1942
Dr. Broadway
Dr. Broadway District Attorney McNamara 1942
This Gun for Hire
This Gun for Hire Police Captain 1942
Lady Gangster
Lady Gangster Detective 1942
Rings on Her Fingers
Rings on Her Fingers 1942
The Man Who Returned to Life
The Man Who Returned to Life Inspector Mensil 1942
Blondie Goes to College
Blondie Goes to College Police Sergeant 1942
The Officer and the Lady
The Officer and the Lady Police Captain Hart 1941
Dressed to Kill
Dressed to Kill Newspaper Editor 1941
Out of the Fog
Out of the Fog 1941
Broadway Limited
Broadway Limited Detective (as Charles Wilson) 1941
Federal Fugitives
Federal Fugitives Bruce Lane 1941
Meet John Doe
Meet John Doe Charlie Dawson 1941
The Face Behind the Mask
The Face Behind the Mask Chief O'Brien 1941
Charter Pilot
Charter Pilot Owen 1940
Lady with Red Hair
Lady with Red Hair George Martin (uncredited) 1940
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley Desk Sergeant (uncredited) 1940
Knute Rockne All American
Knute Rockne All American Gambler (uncredited) 1940
City for Conquest
City for Conquest Bill - Man Behind MacPherson at Fight (uncredited) 1940
Public Deb No. 1
Public Deb No. 1 Sergeant 1940
They Drive by Night
They Drive by Night Mike Williams (uncredited) 1940
Millionaires in Prison
Millionaires in Prison R.J. Reynolds, Sunday Editor (uncredited) 1940
Girl in 313
Girl in 313 Vincent Brady, Commissioner of Police 1940
Sandy Is a Lady
Sandy Is a Lady Sergeant 1940
Gangs of Chicago
Gangs of Chicago 1940
He Married His Wife
He Married His Wife Warden 1940
Invisible Stripes
Invisible Stripes Arresting Officer (uncredited) 1939
The Return of Doctor X
The Return of Doctor X Det. Kincaid 1939
The Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties Policeman (uncredited) 1939
Smashing the Money Ring
Smashing the Money Ring Capt. Kilrane 1939
Here I Am a Stranger
Here I Am a Stranger Managing Editor 1939
Hotel for Women
Hotel for Women Albert 1939
The Cowboy Quarterback
The Cowboy Quarterback Coach Hap Farrell 1939
The House of Fear
The House of Fear Police Chief 1939
Rose of Washington Square
Rose of Washington Square Mike Cavanaugh 1939
Fighting Thoroughbreds
Fighting Thoroughbreds Spencer Bogart 1939
Angels with Dirty Faces
Angels with Dirty Faces 1938
The Spider's Web
The Spider's Web Chase 1938
The Night Hawk
The Night Hawk Lonigan 1938
Hold That Co-ed
Hold That Co-ed Coach Burke 1938
Tenth Avenue Kid
Tenth Avenue Kid Commissioner 1938
Gateway
Gateway Inspector 1938
When Were You Born
When Were You Born Inspector Jim C. Gregg 1938
Prison Farm
Prison Farm Reardon 1938
Little Miss Thoroughbred
Little Miss Thoroughbred Becker 1938
State Police
State Police Captain Halstead 1938
Sally, Irene and Mary
Sally, Irene and Mary Covered Wagon Cafe Manager 1938
Daughter of Shanghai
Daughter of Shanghai Schwartz (uncredited) 1937
The Adventurous Blonde
The Adventurous Blonde Mortimer Gray 1937
That’s My Story
That’s My Story Cummings 1937
Partners in Crime
Partners in Crime Inspector Simpson 1937
Life Begins in College
Life Begins in College Tom Burke 1937
Broadway Melody of 1938
Broadway Melody of 1938 Horse Auctioneer (uncredited) 1937
One Mile from Heaven
One Mile from Heaven Fletcher 1937
Roaring Timber
Roaring Timber Sam Garvin 1937
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop Hamilton Burger 1937
Night Key
Night Key Police Capt. Wallace (uncredited) 1937
Midnight Court
Midnight Court Police Chief 1937
Murder Goes to College
Murder Goes to College Police Inspector Simpson 1937
The Great O'Malley
The Great O'Malley Policeman Chiding School Bus Driver (uncredited) 1937
They Wanted to Marry
They Wanted to Marry Clark 1937
You Only Live Once
You Only Live Once Police Inspector (uncredited) 1937
Woman in Distress
Woman in Distress Editor Herbert Claxton 1937
Find the Witness
Find the Witness Charley Blair (uncredited) 1937
Mind Your Own Business
Mind Your Own Business Detective 1936
Legion of Terror
Legion of Terror Colonel McCollum (as Charles Wilson) 1936
The Magnificent Brute
The Magnificent Brute Murphy 1936
Murder with Pictures
Murder with Pictures Assistant Editor (uncredited) 1936
Down the Stretch
Down the Stretch Tex Reardon 1936
The Gentleman from Louisiana
The Gentleman from Louisiana Diamond Jim Brady 1936
I'd Give My Life
I'd Give My Life Warden 1936
Grand Jury
Grand Jury City Editor 1936
Earthworm Tractors
Earthworm Tractors H.J. Russell 1936
36 Hours to Kill
36 Hours to Kill F.B.I. Chief 1936
Satan Met a Lady
Satan Met a Lady Detective Pollock 1936
Show Boat
Show Boat 1936
The Mine with the Iron Door
The Mine with the Iron Door Pitkins 1936
Panic on the Air
Panic on the Air Chief Inspector Fitzgerald 1936
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town County Hospital Guard (uncredited) 1936
Big Brown Eyes
Big Brown Eyes Prosecuting Attorney (Uncredited) 1936
The Country Doctor
The Country Doctor George the Boat Captain (uncredited) 1936
The Return of Jimmy Valentine
The Return of Jimmy Valentine Kelley 1936
Strike Me Pink
Strike Me Pink Hardie 1936
Hitch Hike Lady
Hitch Hike Lady Mike - a Racketeer 1935
We're Only Human
We're Only Human Editor of The Daily Star 1935
White Lies
White Lies Defense Attorney (uncredited) 1935
Show Them No Mercy!
Show Them No Mercy! Clifford 1935
Mary Burns, Fugitive
Mary Burns, Fugitive G-Man at dancehall 1935
Music Is Magic
Music Is Magic Decker - Theatre Manager (uncredited) 1935
The Case of the Lucky Legs
The Case of the Lucky Legs Police Officer Ricker 1935
Waterfront Lady
Waterfront Lady Jim McFee aka Mac 1935
The Public Menace
The Public Menace First Detective 1935
Smart Girl
Smart Girl Morgan (uncredited) 1935
After the Dance
After the Dance Chief of Police 1935
The Glass Key
The Glass Key District Attorney Edward J. Farr 1935
The Nitwits
The Nitwits Police Captain Jennings 1935
Murder in the Fleet
Murder in the Fleet Commander Brown (Uncredited) 1935
Air Hawks
Air Hawks Newspaper editor 1935
Men of the Hour
Men of the Hour Harper 1935
The Case of the Curious Bride
The Case of the Curious Bride Ferry Captain (uncredited) 1935
Baby Face Harrington
Baby Face Harrington City Editor (uncredited) 1935
Four Hours to Kill!
Four Hours to Kill! Taft 1935
The Perfect Clue
The Perfect Clue District Attorney 1935
Car 99
Car 99 Trooper Captain Ryan 1935
The Great Hotel Murder
The Great Hotel Murder Anthony Wilson 1935
The Gilded Lily
The Gilded Lily Managing Editor 1935
Here Is My Heart
Here Is My Heart Captain Dodge (uncredited) 1934
Murder in the Clouds
Murder in the Clouds Lackey 1934
Men of the Night
Men of the Night Benson 1934
The St. Louis Kid
The St. Louis Kid Mr. Harris 1934
Port of Lost Dreams
Port of Lost Dreams Warden 1934
The Human Side
The Human Side Furniture Buyer (uncredited) 1934
Embarrassing Moments
Embarrassing Moments Attorney 1934
The Dragon Murder Case
The Dragon Murder Case Det. Hennessey 1934
Name the Woman
Name the Woman Joel Walker 1934
The Circus Clown
The Circus Clown Sheldon 1934
The Hell Cat
The Hell Cat Graham 1934
Fog Over Frisco
Fog Over Frisco Detective Sergeant O'Hagen 1934
Affairs of a Gentleman
Affairs of a Gentleman Inspector Quillan 1934
I Believed in You
I Believed in You Magistrate 1934
It Happened One Night
It Happened One Night Joe Gordon 1934
The 9th Guest
The 9th Guest Burke (Uncredited) 1934
Cross Country Cruise
Cross Country Cruise Detective (Uncredited) 1934
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen Chief of Police 1934
Shadows of Sing Sing
Shadows of Sing Sing 1933
Havana Widows
Havana Widows Mr. Timberg 1933
Female
Female Private Detective Falihee (Uncredited) 1933
College Coach
College Coach Charles Hauser 1933
The Kennel Murder Case
The Kennel Murder Case Detective Hennessy (uncredited) 1933
No Marriage Ties
No Marriage Ties Red Moran, City Desk Editor 1933
Mary Stevens, M.D.
Mary Stevens, M.D. Walter Rising 1933
Disgraced!
Disgraced! Thompson, Assistant District Attorney 1933
The Mayor of Hell
The Mayor of Hell Wilson (uncredited) 1933
Private Detective 62
Private Detective 62 Club Bartender (Uncredited) 1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
Gold Diggers of 1933 Deputy (uncredited) 1933
Elmer, the Great
Elmer, the Great Mr. Wade (as Charles Wilson) 1933
Hard to Handle
Hard to Handle Jailer (uncredited) 1933
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery Detective Doyle (uncredited) 1932
The Campus Mystery
The Campus Mystery Detective Reardon 1932
Hot News Margie
Hot News Margie Newspaper Editor (uncredited) 1931
My Sin
My Sin Guest in Pool Party 1931
Stolen Heaven
Stolen Heaven Detective 1931
Insurance
Insurance Doctor (uncredited) 1930
Getting a Ticket
Getting a Ticket Motorcycle Cop 1930
Acquitted
Acquitted Nelson 1929
Song of Love
Song of Love Traveling Salesman 1929
Broadway Scandals
Broadway Scandals Jack 1929

Directing Credits (1)

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