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).
Known For
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Charlie (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Deputy (uncredited)
It Happened One Night
(1934)
Joe Gordon
Batman
(1943)
Captain Arnold
The Roaring Twenties
(1939)
Policeman (uncredited)
Scarlet Street
(1945)
Watchman (uncredited)
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
(1936)
County Hospital Guard (uncredited)
You Only Live Once
(1937)
Police Inspector (uncredited)
Meet John Doe
(1941)
Charlie Dawson
Gentleman Jim
(1942)
Gurney (uncredited)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
(1947)
Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
This Gun for Hire
(1942)
Police Captain
They Drive by Night
(1940)
Mike Williams (uncredited)
Invisible Stripes
(1939)
Arresting Officer (uncredited)
Road to Utopia
(1946)
Official Policeman (uncredited)
Knute Rockne All American
(1940)
Gambler (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
Broadway Scandals
(1929)
Jack
Acquitted
(1929)
Nelson
Getting a Ticket
(1930)
Motorcycle Cop
Insurance
(1930)
Doctor (uncredited)
Stolen Heaven
(1931)
Detective
Hot News Margie
(1931)
Newspaper Editor (uncredited)
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
(1932)
Detective Doyle (uncredited)
Elmer, the Great
(1933)
Mr. Wade (as Charles Wilson)
The Mayor of Hell
(1933)
Wilson (uncredited)
No Marriage Ties
(1933)
Red Moran, City Desk Editor
Disgraced!
(1933)
Thompson, Assistant District Attorney
Private Detective 62
(1933)
Club Bartender (Uncredited)
Havana Widows
(1933)
Mr. Timberg
Mary Stevens, M.D.
(1933)
Walter Rising
The Kennel Murder Case
(1933)
Detective Hennessy (uncredited)
College Coach
(1933)
Charles Hauser
Female
(1933)
Private Detective Falihee (Uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Deputy (uncredited)
Hard to Handle
(1933)
Jailer (uncredited)
Port of Lost Dreams
(1934)
Warden
Name the Woman
(1934)
Joel Walker
Cross Country Cruise
(1934)
Detective (Uncredited)
The St. Louis Kid
(1934)
Mr. Harris
The Hell Cat
(1934)
Graham
The Dragon Murder Case
(1934)
Det. Hennessey
The 9th Guest
(1934)
Burke (Uncredited)
Here Is My Heart
(1934)
Captain Dodge (uncredited)
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
(1934)
Chief of Police
The Human Side
(1934)
Furniture Buyer (uncredited)
It Happened One Night
(1934)
Joe Gordon
Fog Over Frisco
(1934)
Detective Sergeant O'Hagen
Embarrassing Moments
(1934)
Attorney
The Circus Clown
(1934)
Sheldon
Affairs of a Gentleman
(1934)
Inspector Quillan
Men of the Night
(1934)
Benson
Murder in the Clouds
(1934)
Lackey
Air Hawks
(1935)
Newspaper editor
Car 99
(1935)
Trooper Captain Ryan
The Public Menace
(1935)
First Detective
Baby Face Harrington
(1935)
City Editor
The Case of the Lucky Legs
(1935)
Police Officer Ricker
Show Them No Mercy!
(1935)
Clifford
Waterfront Lady
(1935)
Jim McFee aka Mac
Four Hours to Kill!
(1935)
Taft
The Great Hotel Murder
(1935)
Anthony Wilson
The Gilded Lily
(1935)
Managing Editor
The Perfect Clue
(1935)
District Attorney
Hitch Hike Lady
(1935)
Mike - a Racketeer
The Glass Key
(1935)
District Attorney Edward J. Farr
Mary Burns, Fugitive
(1935)
G-Man at dancehall
Murder in the Fleet
(1935)
Commander Brown (Uncredited)
We're Only Human
(1935)
Editor of The Daily Star
Smart Girl
(1935)
Morgan (uncredited)
After the Dance
(1935)
Chief of Police
The Nitwits
(1935)
Police Captain Jennings
Music Is Magic
(1935)
Decker - Theatre Manager (uncredited)
I'd Give My Life
(1936)
Warden
Grand Jury
(1936)
City Editor
Panic on the Air
(1936)
Chief Inspector Fitzgerald
Murder with Pictures
(1936)
Assistant Editor (uncredited)
36 Hours to Kill
(1936)
F.B.I. Chief
Big Brown Eyes
(1936)
Prosecuting Attorney (Uncredited)
The Magnificent Brute
(1936)
Murphy
Strike Me Pink
(1936)
Hardie
The Gentleman from Louisiana
(1936)
Diamond Jim Brady
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
(1936)
County Hospital Guard (uncredited)
Satan Met a Lady
(1936)
Detective Pollock
Earthworm Tractors
(1936)
H.J. Russell
Show Boat
(1936)
Down the Stretch
(1936)
Tex Reardon
Mind Your Own Business
(1936)
Detective
Legion of Terror
(1936)
Colonel McCollum (as Charles Wilson)
The Mine with the Iron Door
(1936)
Pitkins
The Country Doctor
(1936)
George the Boat Captain (uncredited)
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop
(1937)
Hamilton Burger
They Wanted to Marry
(1937)
Clark
Roaring Timber
(1937)
Sam Garvin
Night Key
(1937)
Police Capt. Wallace (uncredited)
You Only Live Once
(1937)
Police Inspector (uncredited)
The Adventurous Blonde
(1937)
Mortimer Gray
Broadway Melody of 1938
(1937)
Horse Auctioneer (uncredited)
Murder Goes to College
(1937)
Police Inspector Simpson
Woman in Distress
(1937)
Editor Herbert Claxton
Life Begins in College
(1937)
Tom Burke
Partners in Crime
(1937)
Inspector Simpson
The Great O'Malley
(1937)
Policeman Chiding School Bus Driver (uncredited)
Midnight Court
(1937)
Police Chief
One Mile from Heaven
(1937)
Fletcher
Little Miss Thoroughbred
(1938)
Becker
The Spider's Web
(1938)
Chase
Hold That Co-ed
(1938)
Coach Burke
When Were You Born
(1938)
Inspector Jim C. Gregg
Tenth Avenue Kid
(1938)
Commissioner
Sally, Irene and Mary
(1938)
Covered Wagon Cafe Manager
The Night Hawk
(1938)
Lonigan
Gateway
(1938)
Inspector
State Police
(1938)
Captain Halstead
Prison Farm
(1938)
Reardon
Smashing the Money Ring
(1939)
Capt. Kilrane
Rose of Washington Square
(1939)
Mike Cavanaugh
Here I Am a Stranger
(1939)
Managing Editor
The Cowboy Quarterback
(1939)
Coach Hap Farrell
The Return of Doctor X
(1939)
Det. Kincaid
Fighting Thoroughbreds
(1939)
Spencer Bogart
The House of Fear
(1939)
Police Chief
Invisible Stripes
(1939)
Arresting Officer (uncredited)
Hotel for Women
(1939)
Albert
The Roaring Twenties
(1939)
Policeman (uncredited)
Lady with Red Hair
(1940)
George Martin (uncredited)
Knute Rockne All American
(1940)
Gambler (uncredited)
Millionaires in Prison
(1940)
R.J. Reynolds, Sunday Editor (uncredited)
They Drive by Night
(1940)
Mike Williams (uncredited)
City for Conquest
(1940)
Bill - Man Behind MacPherson at Fight (uncredited)
Tin Pan Alley
(1940)
Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Girl in 313
(1940)
Vincent Brady, Commissioner of Police
Sandy Is a Lady
(1940)
Sergeant
Charter Pilot
(1940)
Owen
Gangs of Chicago
(1940)
Public Deb No. 1
(1940)
Sergeant
He Married His Wife
(1940)
Warden
The Officer and the Lady
(1941)
Police Captain Hart
Dressed to Kill
(1941)
Newspaper Editor
Broadway Limited
(1941)
Detective (as Charles Wilson)
Meet John Doe
(1941)
Charlie Dawson
Federal Fugitives
(1941)
Bruce Lane
The Face Behind the Mask
(1941)
Chief O'Brien
Out of the Fog
(1941)
Blondie Goes to College
(1942)
Police Sergeant
Gentleman Jim
(1942)
Gurney (uncredited)
The Secret Code
(1942)
Desk Sgt. Cullen
Dr. Broadway
(1942)
District Attorney McNamara
This Gun for Hire
(1942)
Police Captain
Escape from Crime
(1942)
C.L. Reardon - Managing Editor (as Charles Wilson)
Lady Gangster
(1942)
Detective
The Man Who Returned to Life
(1942)
Rings on Her Fingers
(1942)
Silver Spurs
(1943)
Mr. Hawkins
Batman
(1943)
Captain Arnold
Hey, Rookie
(1944)
Sam Jonas
Crime by Night
(1944)
District Attorney Hyatt
The Missing Juror
(1944)
Mac Ellis (Uncredited)
A Gun in His Hand
(1945)
Chief of Police (uncredited)
Scarlet Street
(1945)
Watchman (uncredited)
Week-End at the Waldorf
(1945)
Hi Johns
Two O'Clock Courage
(1945)
Brant - City Editor (uncredited)
Blonde for a Day
(1946)
Chief of Police Will Gentry (as Charles Wilson)
Passkey to Danger
(1946)
Police Sergeant
Larceny in Her Heart
(1946)
Chief Gentry (as Charles Wilson)
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Charlie (uncredited)
Gas House Kids
(1946)
Inspector Shannon
Road to Utopia
(1946)
Official Policeman (uncredited)
Crime of the Century
(1946)
Police Lieutenant
Meet Mr. Mischief
(1947)
Harry's Boss
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
(1947)
Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Key Witness
(1947)
Warden (uncredited)
Blazing Across the Pecos
(1948)
Mayor Ace Brockway
Crime on Their Hands
(1948)
J.L. Cameron
Big Town Scandal
(1948)
Editor of the Chronicle (uncredited)
Commotion On The Ocean
(1956)
J.L. Cameron - Managing Editor (archive footage)
Directing