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