Charles Lane (actor, born 1905)

For other people named Charles Lane, see Charles Lane (disambiguation).

Charles Lane
Lane in Lady Luck (1936)
Born
Charles Gerstle Levison

(1905-01-26)January 26, 1905
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 9, 2007(2007-07-09) (aged 102)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1930–2006
Spouse
Ruth Covell Lane
​
​
(m. 1931; died 2002)​
Children2

Charles Lane (born Charles Gerstle Levison; January 26, 1905 – July 9, 2007)[1] was an American character actor and centenarian whose career spanned 76 years.

A prolific actor who played hundreds of roles in both film and TV, Lane often played sour, scowling and disagreeable clerks, doctors, judges, and middle-management authority figures. Recalling in 1981 his many roles, he said "They were all good parts, but they were jerks. If you have a type established, though, and you're any good, it can mean considerable work for you."[2] The New York Times reported that Lane's persona was so familiar to the public, "that people would come up to him in the street and greet him, because they thought they knew him from their hometowns."[3] Lane's first film role, of more than 250, was as a hotel clerk in Smart Money (1931) starring Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney. Lane appeared in many Frank Capra films, including Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), 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).

Lane transitioned smoothly into television, and is probably best remembered to TV viewers for his recurring role as the ever-scheming Homer Bedloe on Petticoat Junction. As well, Lucille Ball frequently cast Lane 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. Lane gave his last performance at the age of 101 as a narrator in 2006.[4]

  1. ^ "Charles Lane". Dead or Alive?. Kentix Computing. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
  2. ^ Luther, Claudia (July 11, 2007). "Charles Lane, 102; perfected role of meanie". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Berkvist, Robert (July 11, 2007). "Charles Lane, Hollywood Character Actor, Dies at 102". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference foxnews was invoked but never defined (see the help page).