He was a classic Hollywood character actor, with ever-present glasses and suits, and his characters often looked like run-of-the-mill office workers.
But there was nothing ordinary about Lane’s characters; they specialized in Making Your Day Worse. You see, Lane played rent collectors, IRS agents, hostile reporters, and the Like. You get the idea.
As IMDb wryly notes, “Mean, miserly and miserable-looking, they didn’t come packaged with a more annoying and irksome bow than Charles Lane.”1
Yet, he was a Very Busy actor. He appeared in over 250 Hollywood films, including 10 films for director Frank Capra. After WWII, he was in demand on television – and all this doesn’t include his stage appearances.
Here are some Charles Lane Fast Facts:
native San Franciscan who survived the 1906 earthquake.
70-year acting career.
trained stage actors for the screen in the late 1920s.
founding member of the Screen Actors Guild.
appeared in 23 films in 1933 alone.2
served in the US Coast Guard during WWII.
married to the same woman for 71 years.
lived to be 102 years old.*
Despite this considerable talent and experience, Hollywood typecast him as the aforementioned misanthrope, precisely because he was so Good. This must have been frustrating, because Lane was equally skilled in comedy and drama.
But the typecasting is key to why Charles Lane matters.
In classic Hollywood, character actors were “types”. They played the same character in so many films, they became their own shorthand.
If Charles Lane walks into a scene, for instance, you know he’s got Bad News shoved in his attaché case, and that other characters will have to take Sudden and Drastic Action.
This is what an established character actor does: He or she saves time and extraneous explanation in movie storytelling. They add texture and subtext, and, in classic Hollywood, many of them had the best lines in the film.
Even with limited screen time and their names buried in the cast credits, these folks were not regarded as second-class actors. Everyone knew they were hired for a Reason: To make the story better.
This was something Frank Capra acknowledged. He once wrote Lane a letter expressing his appreciation for the actor’s gifts.
“I am sure that everyone has someone that he can lean on and use as a crutch whenever stories and scenes threaten to fall apart,” he wrote. “Well, Charlie, you’ve been my No. 1 crutch.”3
Here’s the thing about Charles Lane: Although he was one of many, many talented actors, he had a certain quality that suggested his appearance in a film was just one stop in his character’s Important Day.
It’s almost as though he’s starring in another film, in a parallel movie universe, that happens to cross paths with the movie we’re watching.
When Lane exits a scene, we (yours truly) want to know where he’s going and whose day he’s going to Ruin next.
This makes him more than a Stealer of Scenes; it makes him Powerful. Lane may be on the screen for less than two or three minutes, but he often signals a change in the direction of the story.
This is why he matters. He takes the small amount of material and screen time allotted to him, and turns it into something Big and Magical.
That’s the stuff of legends.
This post is part of the What a Character! 10th Anniversary Blogathon, hosted by Paula’s Cinema Club, Outspoken & Freckled, Once Upon a Screen.
I feel as though this year’s blogathon is going home again, highlighting actors many of us grew up watching and Mr. Lane is tops of the field. I love your description of when he leaves a scene and the power that gave him as an actor. A wonderful, enjoyable read as usual. Thank you for the choice and for joining us. This is TOPS!
How nice to see Mr. Lane covered! I always love seeing him, no matter how brief the part. And how adorable was he in that TV Land tribute! (I miss those shows!)
Haha! “If Charles Lane walks into a scene…you know he’s got Bad News shoved in his attaché case.” Usually, I think of typecasting as a bad thing, a limiting thing, so this is really interesting to me. That is A LOT of movies! (BTW, was he one of the collectors in It’s a Wonderful Life?)
Wonderful tribute to one of the greatest character actors. I once saw him in person at the Burbank Airport in the fall of 1982. He was preparing to get on a flight with his wife and a Redcap came and got his luggage and his wife went off with the Redcap into the terminal and Lane got back in his car, evidently to go park it for the duration of his trip. He was scowling the whole time–just like he does in the movies! So I didn’t dare approach him, but of course I wish I had. What a memorable encounter that would have been!
You hit the nail on the head with this one! Charles Lane is THE man who never brings good news and who looked as though he sucked on a sourball minutes before he arrived. As one who first met a lot of these actors on television, I am always delighted to see Mr. Lane in a movie – and boy, did he appear in a lot of them. From spotting him (he’s easy to spot always) in some early films to my delight in seeing him in later films like “Murphy’s Romance,” his sour puss always made the film better. Super post!!
Awesome article, Ruth! I enjoyed learning about Charles Lane who’s face I recognize but now can put a name to the face, thanks to you. He’s so great as Lucy’s business manager and countless other roles. What a life he led on top of his many accomplishments! Love your phrase “you know he’s got bad news shoved in his attache case.” Great stuff!
That’s the great thing about this blogathon, isn’t it? I recognize a lot of the faces, but the names – not so much. It’s amazing to learn about these actors and the lives they had.
Excellent choice and well-played! As a youth, I would get Will “Curmudgeon” Wright confused with Charles “Bad News” Lane. 1960’s TV eventually clarified this for me.
Forget 6 degrees, with Charles Lane you could connect pretty much all of classic Hollywood in 3 steps or less. Dying at your spot-on descriptions of him as a top notch Day Ruiner.
Charles Lane! We must’ve seen him on just about every TV series that existed way back when. Great pick, and much deserved by Mr. Lane. It seems that he not only ruined the day for many an actor, but he also outlived most of them.
My Mum always reminds me of this when he pops up on the screen hahah! a favourite to find on so many varieties of film and on each he outshines his previous performance 🙂
What an excellent choice. Always love seeing his stern face in any scene. A welcome cranky curmudgeon! Thanks so much for joining our special 10th WAC blogathon!
This is amazing! I’ve always liked Charles Lane but I didn’t know he was born in San Francisco, and as someone who was from the East Bay originally, I now feel like he was sorta my neighbor. 🙂
Silver Screenings 
A super tribute and so well deserved. He’s one of the best.
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He truly is one of the best, isn’t he? It’s always a treat to see him on screen.
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I LOVE your tribute Ruth, will be looking out for him now! But what an amazing off screen life.
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You said it. He had a full and rich off-screen life. They say he was a witty and kind man.
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I feel as though this year’s blogathon is going home again, highlighting actors many of us grew up watching and Mr. Lane is tops of the field. I love your description of when he leaves a scene and the power that gave him as an actor. A wonderful, enjoyable read as usual. Thank you for the choice and for joining us. This is TOPS!
Aurora
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Thanks, Aurora. And thanks for co-hosting this blogathon. I agree that reading about these wonderful actors is like visiting with dear friends.
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Yes. A legend. And you did justice to the talented and always welcome Mr. Lane.
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Thanks! He’s one of my favourites.
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How nice to see Mr. Lane covered! I always love seeing him, no matter how brief the part. And how adorable was he in that TV Land tribute! (I miss those shows!)
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Wasn’t he great in the TV Land tribute? He was one of a kind, that’s for sure.
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Haha! “If Charles Lane walks into a scene…you know he’s got Bad News shoved in his attaché case.” Usually, I think of typecasting as a bad thing, a limiting thing, so this is really interesting to me. That is A LOT of movies! (BTW, was he one of the collectors in It’s a Wonderful Life?)
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Yes, he was Mr. Potter’s rent collector in It’s a Wonderful Life. Charles Lane made typecasting look almost appealing.
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🙂
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Wonderful tribute to one of the greatest character actors. I once saw him in person at the Burbank Airport in the fall of 1982. He was preparing to get on a flight with his wife and a Redcap came and got his luggage and his wife went off with the Redcap into the terminal and Lane got back in his car, evidently to go park it for the duration of his trip. He was scowling the whole time–just like he does in the movies! So I didn’t dare approach him, but of course I wish I had. What a memorable encounter that would have been!
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That’s a great story, and it does sound like he was “in character” (haha). I’m glad you saw him in real life.
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A name I didn’t recognize but that face and demeanor…excellent performer.
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You said it! He was a top-notch actor.
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You hit the nail on the head with this one! Charles Lane is THE man who never brings good news and who looked as though he sucked on a sourball minutes before he arrived. As one who first met a lot of these actors on television, I am always delighted to see Mr. Lane in a movie – and boy, did he appear in a lot of them. From spotting him (he’s easy to spot always) in some early films to my delight in seeing him in later films like “Murphy’s Romance,” his sour puss always made the film better. Super post!!
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I think Charles Lane was forever underutilized when he’s on screen, i.e. I always want him to have more scenes.
I’d forgotten about Murphy’s Romance. Time to see it again!
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Awesome article, Ruth! I enjoyed learning about Charles Lane who’s face I recognize but now can put a name to the face, thanks to you. He’s so great as Lucy’s business manager and countless other roles. What a life he led on top of his many accomplishments! Love your phrase “you know he’s got bad news shoved in his attache case.” Great stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the great thing about this blogathon, isn’t it? I recognize a lot of the faces, but the names – not so much. It’s amazing to learn about these actors and the lives they had.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent choice and well-played! As a youth, I would get Will “Curmudgeon” Wright confused with Charles “Bad News” Lane. 1960’s TV eventually clarified this for me.
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Oh, yeah – Will Wright! He’s another gem, isn’t he?
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Forget 6 degrees, with Charles Lane you could connect pretty much all of classic Hollywood in 3 steps or less. Dying at your spot-on descriptions of him as a top notch Day Ruiner.
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Haha! You’re right – 3 Degrees of Separation when it comes to Charles Lane for sure. Brilliant!
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I didn’t recognize the name when I saw your post, but that face is instantly recognizable! And yes, he usually played similar roles.
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He’s got one of those faces, doesn’t he?
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Charles Lane! We must’ve seen him on just about every TV series that existed way back when. Great pick, and much deserved by Mr. Lane. It seems that he not only ruined the day for many an actor, but he also outlived most of them.
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Good point. 102 is a remarkable age, and at his 100th Birthday Tribute he was joking he was still available for work! What a guy.
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My Mum always reminds me of this when he pops up on the screen hahah! a favourite to find on so many varieties of film and on each he outshines his previous performance 🙂
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That’s true! I think you and your Mum have marvelous taste.
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What an excellent choice. Always love seeing his stern face in any scene. A welcome cranky curmudgeon! Thanks so much for joining our special 10th WAC blogathon!
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Thanks for stopping by, Kellee. This blogathon is one of my faves. 🙂
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I just had a look at his films. A lot of films!
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He was a busy guy, wasn’t he?
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He sure was!
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This is amazing! I’ve always liked Charles Lane but I didn’t know he was born in San Francisco, and as someone who was from the East Bay originally, I now feel like he was sorta my neighbor. 🙂
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Absolutely! Seems to be a great bunch of people from that area.
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I think so (I say so modesly, lol). 🙂
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I didn’t recognize his name but his face really looks familiar to me. He really had a vast filming career.
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He sure did! He really does have one of those recognizable faces, doesn’t he?
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