
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).
The roles that explain the career.
56 credits across 2 departments.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Commotion on the Ocean | J.L. Cameron - Managing Editor (archive footage) | Film |
| 1948 | Crime on Their Hands | J.L. Cameron | Film |
| 1947 | Key Witness | Warden (uncredited) | Film |
| 1945 | Two O'Clock Courage | Brant - City Editor (uncredited) | Film |
| 1945 | Week-End at the Waldorf | Hi Johns | Film |
| 1944 | Crime by Night | District Attorney Hyatt | Film |
| 1942 | This Gun for Hire | Police Captain | Film |
| 1942 | Blondie Goes to College | Police Sergeant | Film |
| 1942 | Dr. Broadway | District Attorney McNamara | Film |
| 1942 | Rings on Her Fingers | Film | |
| 1942 | Escape from Crime | C.L. Reardon - Managing Editor (as Charles Wilson) | Film |
| 1941 | Meet John Doe | Charlie Dawson | Film |
| 1941 | Dressed to Kill | Newspaper Editor | Film |
| 1941 | Out of the Fog | Film | |
| 1941 | The Face Behind the Mask | Chief O'Brien | Film |
| 1941 | Broadway Limited | Detective (as Charles Wilson) | Film |
| 1940 | Girl in 313 | Vincent Brady, Commissioner of Police | Film |
| 1940 | He Married His Wife | Warden | Film |
| 1939 | The House of Fear | Police Chief | Film |
| 1939 | The Return of Doctor X | Det. Kincaid | Film |
| 1939 | Smashing the Money Ring | Capt. Kilrane | Film |
| 1939 | Rose of Washington Square | Mike Cavanaugh | Film |
| 1939 | The Cowboy Quarterback | Coach Hap Farrell | Film |
| 1938 | Tenth Avenue Kid | Commissioner | Film |
| 1938 | Angels with Dirty Faces | Film | |
| 1937 | Night Key | Police Capt. Wallace (uncredited) | Film |
| 1937 | The Case of the Stuttering Bishop | Hamilton Burger | Film |
| 1937 | Broadway Melody of 1938 | Horse Auctioneer (uncredited) | Film |
| 1937 | The Adventurous Blonde | Mortimer Gray | Film |
| 1936 | Earthworm Tractors | H.J. Russell | Film |
| 1936 | Strike Me Pink | Hardie | Film |
| 1936 | Down the Stretch | Tex Reardon | Film |
| 1935 | The Case of the Lucky Legs | Police Officer Ricker | Film |
| 1935 | Four Hours to Kill! | Taft | Film |
| 1935 | The Glass Key | District Attorney Edward J. Farr | Film |
| 1935 | The Gilded Lily | Managing Editor | Film |
| 1935 | The Case of the Curious Bride | Ferry Captain (uncredited) | Film |
| 1935 | The Nitwits | Police Captain Jennings | Film |
| 1935 | Hitch Hike Lady | Mike - a Racketeer | Film |
| 1935 | The Public Menace | First Detective | Film |
| 1935 | Air Hawks | Newspaper editor | Film |
| 1934 | The Circus Clown | Sheldon | Film |
| 1934 | The Dragon Murder Case | Det. Hennessey | Film |
| 1934 | Fog Over Frisco | Detective Sergeant O'Hagen | Film |
| 1934 | Cross Country Cruise | Detective (Uncredited) | Film |
| 1934 | Murder in the Clouds | Lackey | Film |
| 1934 | Here Is My Heart | Captain Dodge (uncredited) | Film |
| 1934 | Port of Lost Dreams | Warden | Film |
| 1933 | Female | Private Detective Falihee (Uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | Private Detective 62 | Club Bartender (Uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | The Kennel Murder Case | Detective Hennessy (uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | Gold Diggers of 1933 | Deputy (uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | College Coach | Charles Hauser | Film |
| 1933 | Elmer, the Great | Mr. Wade (as Charles Wilson) | Film |
| 1933 | Mary Stevens, M.D. | Walter Rising | Film |
| 1931 | My Sin | Guest in Pool Party | Film |
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