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 the late 1940s.

Charles C. Wilson
Wilson in Lady Gangster (1942)
Born
Charles Cahill Wilson

(1894-07-29)July 29, 1894
New York City, U.S.
DiedJanuary 7, 1948(1948-01-07) (aged 53)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesCharles Wilson
OccupationActor
Years active1918–1948

Biography

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Charles Wilson began his acting career at the theatre, including roles in six Broadway plays between 1918 and 1931.[1] 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"[2] 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).

Wilson freelanced at various studios throughout his career, but he is perhaps best known for his work at Columbia Pictures. In addition to his films for Frank Capra, Wilson also appeared prominently in Columbia serials, including The Spider's Web (1938), Batman (1943), and The Secret Code (1943), as well as in Columbia comedy shorts with Harry Von Zell, Hugh Herbert, and The Three Stooges. He played one leading role in what turned out to be his last film, Blazing Across the Pecos (1948), as the villain opposite cowboy hero Charles Starrett.

Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Charles C. Wilson at the Internet Broadway Database
  2. ^ Michał Oleszczyk (November 12, 2013). "Looking Back at "It Happened One Night"". rogerebert.com.
  3. ^ Great Movie Musicals on DVD - A Classic Movie Fan's Guide by John Howard Reid - Google search with book preview
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