Charles Brown Middleton (October 3, 1874 – April 22, 1949) was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, he appeared in nearly 200 films as well as numerous plays. Sometimes credited as Charles B. Middleton, he is perhaps best remembered for his role as the villainous emperor Ming the Merciless in the three Flash Gordon serials made between 1936 and 1940.
Known For
Gone with the Wind
(1939)
Man with Stove Pipe Hat in Charge of Convict Workers (uncredited)
Batman
(1943)
Ken Colton
Gold Rush Maisie
(1940)
Camp Owner with a Pig (Uncredited)
Jezebel
(1938)
Officer (uncredited)
The Grapes of Wrath
(1940)
Leader
Sergeant York
(1941)
Mountaineer (uncredited)
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Gentry
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
(1948)
Wrecker (uncredited)
The Flying Deuces
(1939)
Commandant
The Killers
(1946)
Farmer (uncredited)
Western Union
(1941)
Stagecoach Rider
Duck Soup
(1933)
Prosecutor
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Train Conductor (uncredited)
Jesse James
(1939)
Doctor
The Sign of the Cross
(1932)
Tyros
Virginia City
(1940)
Jefferson Davis
Full Filmography
Acting
The Bellamy Trial
(1929)
District Attorney
Welcome Danger
(1929)
John Thorne / The Dragon
The Far Call
(1929)
Kris Larsen
The Devil's Cabaret
(1930)
Mr. Satan (uncredited)
East Is West
(1930)
Dr. Fredericks
Way Out West
(1930)
Buck Rankin
Beau Bandit
(1930)
Lucius J. Perkins
A Dangerous Affair
(1931)
Tupper
Palmy Days
(1931)
Yolando
The Ruling Voice
(1931)
Board Member (uncredited)
Beau Hunks
(1931)
Commandant
Manhattan Parade
(1931)
Sheriff Casey
The Miracle Woman
(1931)
Simpson
Sob Sister
(1931)
City Editor Baker
Ships of Hate
(1931)
Captain Lash
X Marks the Spot
(1931)
Kirby
A House Divided
(1931)
Minister
Safe in Hell
(1931)
Lawyer Jones
Caught Plastered
(1931)
Sheriff Flint
An American Tragedy
(1931)
Attorney Reuben Jephson
Rockabye
(1932)
District Attorney (uncredited)
The Sign of the Cross
(1932)
Tyros
Too Busy to Work
(1932)
Chief of Police
The Hatchet Man
(1932)
Lip Hop Fat
High Pressure
(1932)
Mr. Banks
The Phantom President
(1932)
Abe Lincoln (uncredited)
Pack Up Your Troubles
(1932)
Welfare Association Officer
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Train Conductor (uncredited)
Breach of Promise
(1932)
Joe Pugmire
Mystery Ranch
(1932)
Henry Steele
Hell's Highway
(1932)
Matthew the Hermit
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
(1932)
Police Capt. Slade
Silver Dollar
(1932)
Jenkins
Big Executive
(1933)
Sheriff
The Bowery
(1933)
Detective (uncredited)
Pick-up
(1933)
Mr. Brewster
Lone Cowboy
(1933)
U.S. Marshal
Doctor Bull
(1933)
Mr. Upjohn
Mr. Skitch
(1933)
Joe
This Day and Age
(1933)
District Attorney
The Three Musketeers
(1933)
El Shaitan (voice)
Duck Soup
(1933)
Prosecutor
Sunset Pass
(1933)
Williams
Tomorrow at Seven
(1933)
Jerry Simons
The Road Is Open Again
(1933)
Abraham Lincoln
Destination Unknown
(1933)
Turk
White Woman
(1933)
Fenton
At Twelve Midnight
(1933)
Roger Thurston
Disgraced!
(1933)
District Attorney
Red Morning
(1934)
Stanchon
Broadway Bill
(1934)
Veterinarian (uncredited)
David Harum
(1934)
Deacon Perkins
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
(1934)
Mr. Bagby
Murder at the Vanities
(1934)
Homer Boothby
Behold My Wife!
(1934)
Juan Storm Cloud
Whom the Gods Destroy
(1934)
Constable Malcolm (uncredited)
The Last Round-up
(1934)
Sheriff
Massacre
(1934)
Sheriff Scatters
In Spite of Danger
(1935)
Mr. Merritt
The Fixer Uppers
(1935)
Pierre Gustave
Steamboat Round the Bend
(1935)
Fleety Belle's Father
Square Shooter
(1935)
Miller
Reckless
(1935)
District Attorney (uncredited)
Frisco Kid
(1935)
Speaker (uncredited)
Special Agent
(1935)
State Police Commander (uncredited)
The Miracle Rider
(1935)
Zaroff
Hop-a-long Cassidy
(1935)
Buck Peters
A Son Comes Home
(1936)
Prosecutor
Empty Saddles
(1936)
Cim White
Road Gang
(1936)
Grayson
Ramona
(1936)
American Settler (uncredited)
Song of the Saddle
(1936)
Phineas P. Hook
The Texas Rangers
(1936)
Lawyer (uncredited)
Jailbreak
(1936)
Dan Stone
Sunset of Power
(1936)
Neil Brannum
Show Boat
(1936)
Sheriff Ike Vallon
Flash Gordon
(1936)
Ming the Merciless
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
(1936)
Blacksmith
Rose of the Rancho
(1936)
Horse Doctor (uncredited)
Wedding Present
(1936)
Turnbull
Career Woman
(1936)
Matt Clay
Hollywood Cowboy
(1937)
'Doc' Kramer
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
(1937)
Gene Autry Sr.
We're on the Jury
(1937)
Mr. Martin
Slave Ship
(1937)
Slave Dealer
Stand-In
(1937)
Actor dressed as Abraham Lincoln
The Man Without a Country
(1937)
President Abraham Lincoln (uncredited)
Two Gun Law
(1937)
Wolf Larson
The Good Earth
(1937)
Banker (uncredited)
Flaming Frontiers
(1938)
Ace Daggett
Dick Tracy Returns
(1938)
Pa Stark
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
(1938)
Lacey
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars
(1938)
Emperor Ming
Jezebel
(1938)
Officer (uncredited)
Joaquin Murrieta
(1938)
Politician (uncredited)
Rocket Ship
(1938)
Emperor Ming
Kentucky
(1938)
Southerner
Mars Attacks the World
(1938)
Ming the Merciless
Cowboys from Texas
(1939)
Kansas Jones
Daredevils of the Red Circle
(1939)
39013
Blackmail
(1939)
Southern Deputy (uncredited)
Gone with the Wind
(1939)
Man with Stove Pipe Hat in Charge of Convict Workers (uncredited)
Wyoming Outlaw
(1939)
Luke Parker
Allegheny Uprising
(1939)
Dr. Stoke
Way Down South
(1939)
Cass
The Oklahoma Kid
(1939)
Alec Martin
Thou Shalt Not Kill
(1939)
Lars Olsen
Jesse James
(1939)
Doctor
$1,000 a Touchdown
(1939)
Stage Manager (uncredited)
The Flying Deuces
(1939)
Commandant
One Against the World
(1939)
Mr. Crumley (uncredited)
Captain Fury
(1939)
Mergon
Brigham Young
(1940)
Mob Member
Eyes of the Navy
(1940)
Farmer (uncredited)
Women in Hiding
(1940)
Alice's Father (uncredited)
Virginia City
(1940)
Jefferson Davis
Rangers of Fortune
(1940)
Water Thug
Shooting High
(1940)
Hod Carson
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe
(1940)
Emperor Ming
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
(1940)
Tom Lincoln
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise
(1940)
Jeremiah Walters
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Gentry
The Grapes of Wrath
(1940)
Leader
Gold Rush Maisie
(1940)
Camp Owner with a Pig (Uncredited)
Island of Doomed Men
(1940)
Captain Cort
Jungle Man
(1941)
Rev. James 'Jim' Graham
Wild Geese Calling
(1941)
Doctor Jed Sloan
Stick to Your Guns
(1941)
Long Ben, gambler-saloon owner
The Shepherd of the Hills
(1941)
Blacksmith (uncredited)
Belle Starr
(1941)
Carpetbagger
Sergeant York
(1941)
Mountaineer (uncredited)
Western Union
(1941)
Stagecoach Rider
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
(1942)
Claim Jumping Leader
Men of San Quentin
(1942)
Saunderson
Perils of Nyoka
(1942)
Cassib
The Mystery of Marie Roget
(1942)
Curator
Wagon Wheels West
(1943)
Phineas Hook
Black Raven
(1943)
Sheriff
Spook Louder
(1943)
Graves' Valet
Boobs in the Night
(1943)
Crazy House
(1943)
Sheriff
Oklahoma Outlaws
(1943)
Judge Ringle
Batman
(1943)
Ken Colton
Black Arrow
(1944)
Tom Whitney
The Town Went Wild
(1944)
Sam, Midvale District Attorney
The Desert Hawk
(1944)
Koda Bey
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
(1945)
Mr. Jensen
Northwest Trail
(1945)
Pierre
Hollywood and Vine
(1945)
Attorney
How DOooo You Do
(1945)
Sheriff Hayworth
The Killers
(1946)
Farmer (uncredited)
Strangler of the Swamp
(1946)
Ferryman Douglas
Spook Busters
(1946)
Mr. Stiles
Welcome Stranger
(1947)
Farmer Pinkett (uncredited)
The Pretender
(1947)
William the butler
Gunfighters
(1947)
Sheriff #1 (uncredited)
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
(1948)
Townsman (uncredited)
The Decision of Christopher Blake
(1948)
President in Dream (uncredited)
Station West
(1948)
Sheriff
Jiggs and Maggie in Court
(1948)
Mr. Burton, an Attorney
My Girl Tisa
(1948)
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
(1948)
Wrecker (uncredited)
Here Comes Trouble
(1948)
Reporter (uncredited)
The Last Bandit
(1949)
Blindfolded Circuit Rider
Purple Death from Outer Space
(1966)
Ming the Merciless
Spaceship to the Unknown
(1966)
Ming the Merciless (archive footage)
A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'
(1973)
Self (archive footage)
Dance of the Cookoos
(1982)
Commandant
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(1984)
(archive footage)