Charles Lane, 1905 - 2007

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

Charles Lane, one of the most prolific character actors of all time, left this mortal coil Monday night. He was 102 years old.

A bespectacled, hatchet-faced man with a perpetual scowl, Mr. Lane "typically portrayed short-tempered and often loudmouthed bureaucrats, yes-men and other minor minions, principally in lighter fare," according to imdb.com.

His entry there reads like a trip through American popular culture of the 20th century. He played an author in 42nd Street, a society reporter in Gold Diggers of 1933, an IRS agent in You Can't Take It With You, and a newsman in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. He was in Arsenic and Old Lace, The Music Man, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and hundreds of lesser-known films. Possibly his best-known appearance was in It's a Wonderful Life, in which he played Potter's rent collector.

But it was in the TV programs of the 50s through the 80s where Mr. Lane left his most enduring mark, playing a curmudgeonly crank in so many series that I will list just a few: I Love Lucy, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, Mr. Ed, Dennis the Menace, The Lucy Show, 77 Sunset Strip, The Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, Rhoda, Maude, Soap, Lou Grant, Mork & Mindy, Little House on the Prairie, St. Elsewhere, and LA Law.

As a child I became intrigued by this amusingly belligerent performer and the frequency of his appearances. As I grew older and discovered his movies, I became a "Lane spotter" and am always delighted to see him in some great or even not-so-great old film.

Born January 26, 1905 in San Francisco, Charles Lane was a survivor of the great San Francisco earthquake. He is survived by his son and daughter and was preceded in death by his wife Ruth in 2002. He remained alert and active almost until the end; his most recent credit on IMBD is dated 2006.

Rest in peace, Mr. Lane. I hope you had a wonderful life.

[devilgrrl]

1. I recognize that face...

RIP Mr. Lane.

[lost-in-nj]

2. I remember him

its amazing
I had no idea who you were talking about until I saw the pictures....
and he has probably done more acting
than alot of the so called "stars".......



lost

[Critters2]

4. I had the same reaction.

"Who?...Oh, HIM!"

Talk about prolific!! Quite a loss.

[Oeditpus Rex]

3. I heard this last night and I was sad

:(

He had a couple of great roles in "I Love Lucy" — as the clerk at the passport office when Lucy was stoned on Dramamine and as the Ricardos' financial manager, Mr. Hickox (which was the name of the Arnazes' actual business manager).

Can't remember his name in "Petticoat Junction." Wasn't he the banker or something? Crotchety old bastard.

I'm trying to place him in "Dennis the Menace," too. He wasn't either of the Mr. Wilsons or the grocer, Mr. Quigley or the mailman, Mr. Dorfman...

:shrug:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

8. On Petticoat Junction he played a recurring character named Homer Bedlow,

an investigator for the C. & F.W. Railroad. On Menace he appeared a couple of times as "Mr. Finch," who ran the drugstore.

All these details and more are here... :)

http://imdb.com/name/nm0485272/filmoseries#tt0052461

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. Oh, yeah!

He was always tryin' to shut down the Hooterville Cannonball.

Thanks. :hi:

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. "Homer Bedlow" on Petticoat Junction (won't swear to the spelling)

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

12. "Scrootch 'em if they can't take a joke"

Love the sig line. :thumbsup:

[terrya]

5. Man...

I was shocked that he was still working as of "Murphy's Romance" with James Garner and Sally Field a few years ago.

One of the most recognizable of character actors. A huge body of work.

RIP, Charles Lane.

[WolverineDG]

6. He looks like my paternal grandfather did

especially in the shot in the next to last row.

I thought that was him when I saw a recent pic of him that ran in the local paper's story.

dg

[catmandu57]

7. Mr. Bigalow

damn I thought he died years ago.

[AngryOldDem]

11. One of the best...

...right up there with Bert Mustin.

RIP.

[CBHagman]

13. Watch for him in...

...The Music Man and Ball of Fire.

[wildhorses]

14. great character actor. may he rest in peace.

was he one of spk's minions?

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

15. YouTube clips of some of his performances

TV Land's salute on his 100th birthday with snips from I Love Lucy and other shows...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua1weS_Aepw

And a funny scene from Soap, a show I loved...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2gl_SuxnHM

And a long clip from Primrose Path (1940), in which Ginger Rogers turns to a life of prostitution and encounters a good-hearted john played by...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iR0nRWGTRg

[BuelahWitch]

16. R.I.P Homer C. Bedloe

We loved to hate you! :cry: