Charlie Hall
Acting · Writing
Born August 18, 1899, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, UK
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charlie Hall (19 August 1899 – 7 December 1959) was an English film actor. He is best known as the "Little Nemesis" of Laurel and Hardy and appeared in nearly 50 films with them, so that Hall was the most frequent supporting actor of their films. Hall was born in Ward End, Birmingham, Warwickshire, and learned carpentry as a trade, but as a teenager, he became a member of the Fred Karno troupe of stage comedians. In his late teens, he visited his sister in New York and stayed there, finding employment as a stagehand. While working behind the scenes, he met the comic actor Bobby Dunn and they became friends; Dunn convinced Hall to take a stab again at acting, which he did. By the mid-1920s, Hall was working for Hal Roach. Stan Laurel, one of Roach's comedy stars, was also a graduate of the Karno troupe. As an actor, Hall worked with such comedians as Buster Keaton and Charley Chase, but is best remembered as a comic foil for Laurel and Hardy. He appeared in nearly 50 of their films, sometimes in bit parts, but often as a mean landlord or opponent in many of their memorable tit-for-tat sequences. Unlike the usual villains in Laurel and Hardy films, who were big and burly, Charlie Hall (billed as "Charley" Hall in the Roach comedies) was of short stature, standing 5 ft 5 in tall. His height and slight English accent allowed him to be convincingly cast as a college student, despite being 40 years old, in Laurel and Hardy's A Chump at Oxford. Hall almost never played starring roles; the exception was in 1941, when he was teamed with character comedian Frank Faylen by Monogram Pictures. Hall continued to play bits and supporting roles in short subjects and features through the 1940s and 1950s, occasionally on TV, appearing very briefly in Charlie Chaplin's final American film, Limelight (1952). In 1956 he played a small but important part in the TV show Cheyenne, season 1, episode 11, "Quicksand", starring Clint Walker, with Dennis Hopper, John Alderson, Wright King and Peggy Webber. His last role was in a Joe McDoakes short film starring George O'Hanlon, So You Want to Play the Piano, in 1956. Hall died in North Hollywood, California, on 7 December 1959. A J D Wetherspoon's public house in Erdington, is named The Charlie Hall as a tribute to him.
Filmography
- 2024Laurel & Hardy: Year Two — (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1982Dance of the Cookoos — Receptionist / Postman / Delivery Man
- 1968The Best of Laurel and Hardy — Annoyed Shopkeeper (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1967The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy
- No Hiding Place
- 1956So You Want to Play the Piano
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents — Man with Pool Cue (uncredited)
- Cheyenne — Kevin
- 1955Illegal — Bellhop (uncredited)
- Topper — Man in lower bunk in jail (uncredited)
- 1952Limelight — Newsboy (uncredited)
- The Abbott and Costello Show — Jake - Roofer
- 1950The Milkman — Ed (uncredited)
- 1946Abie's Irish Rose — Hotel Porter (as Charles Hall)
- 1946Dressed to Kill — Cab Driver (uncredited)
- 1946Sister Kenny — Airport Attendant (uncredited)
- 1946Without Reservations — Window-Washer (uncredited)
- 1945On Stage Everybody — Painter (uncredited)
- 1944Girls! Girls! Girls! — Apartment House Waiter
- 1944Hi, Beautiful — Milkman (uncredited)
- 1944In Society — Mugg (uncredited)
- 1944Radio Rampage — Jack - Radio Repairman
- 1944The Lodger — Comedian
- 1943His Butler's Sister — Porter
- 1943Honeymoon Lodge — Hotel Handyman
- 1943So's Your Uncle — Waiter
- 1943The Ape Man — Barney
- 1942Framing Father — Silver Slipper Waiter
- 1942Man From Headquarters — Newspaper Photographer
- 1942Police Bullets — Rabbit
- 1942The Big Street — Waiter in New York (uncredited)
- 1942The Falcon Takes Over — Louie (Uncredited)
- 1941A Quiet Fourth — Edgar's Neighbor
- 1941An Apple in His Eye — Dan - Edgar's Neighbor
- 1941Father Steps Out — Short Hobo 'Nap', aka Napoleon
- 1941Hellzapoppin' — Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- 1941I'll Fix It — The Laundry Man
- 1941Niagara Falls — Bellhop (uncredited)
- 1941San Antonio Rose — Waitress
- 1941The Mexican Spitfire's Baby — Nightclub Waiter
- 1941They Met in Argentina — Sailor in Cantina Brawl (uncredited)
- 1941Top Sergeant Mulligan — Budd Doolittle
- 1940A Chump at Oxford — Student
- 1940A Trailer Tragedy — Homeless Thief in Washroom
- 1940Curtain Call — Second Waiter
- 1940Mexican Spitfire — Elevator Operator
- 1940Mexican Spitfire Out West — Elevator Boy
- 1940Millionaires in Prison — Cockney Convict Heckler (uncredited)
- 1940One Night in the Tropics — Second S.S. Atlantica Steward (uncredited)
- 1940Primrose Path — Man in Diner (uncredited)
- 1940Saps at Sea — Desk Clerk (uncredited)
- 1940Vigil in the Night — Courtroom Spectator
- 1940You Can't Fool Your Wife — Ritz Amsterdam Bellboy
- 1939Bachelor Mother — Dance Hall Official (uncredited)
- 1939Captain Fury — Gossiping Citizen
- 1939Five Came Back — Airport Worker (uncredited)
- 1939Man About Town — Bob's Assistant (uncredited)
- 1939The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Mercury (uncredited)
- 1938Hey! Hey! USA — Leary's pal
- 1937Shall We Dance — Bartender (uncredited)
- 1936An All American Toothache — (uncredited)
- 1936Our Relations — Man in Pawnshop (uncredited)
- 1935Bonnie Scotland — Native Henchman (uncredited)
- 1935Hot Money — Tenant (uncredited)
- 1935In Love at 40 — Man Getting Shave
- 1935Sing Sister Sing — Porter (uncredited)
- 1935Thicker Than Water — Bank Teller (uncredited)
- 1935Tit for Tat — Mr. Hall
- 1935Top Hat — (uncredited)
- 1935Treasure Blues — Moving Man (uncredited)
- 1935Twin Triplets — Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
- 1934Another Wild Idea — Man Pushed into Fountain
- 1934Babes in Toyland — Townsman (uncredited)
- 1934Babes in the Goods — Spectator (uncredited)
- 1934Bridal Bail — Irate Movie Patron
- 1934Cockeyed Cavaliers — Coach Driver
- 1934Hi'–Neighbor! — Window Washer
- 1934Kentucky Kernels — Cigarette Stand Owner (uncredited)
- 1934Love on a Ladder — Pool Hall Patron
- 1934Maid in Hollywood — Cameraman (uncredited)
- 1934Mike Fright — Elevator Operator
- 1934Next Week-End
- 1934Ocean Swells — Sailor
- 1934One-Horse Farmers — Subway Passenger (uncredited)
- 1934Opened by Mistake — Intern (uncredited)
- 1934Rough Necking — Postman
- 1934Soup and Fish — Second Butler, Announcing Guests (uncredited)
- 1934The Live Ghost — Sailor at Table (as Charles Hall) (uncredited)
- 1934The Undie-World — T.N.T. Room Busboy
- 1934Them Thar Hills — Mr. Hall
- 1933Air Fright — Pilot (uncredited)
- 1933Backs to Nature — Hunter (uncredited)
- 1933Beauty and the Bus — Theatre Usher (uncredited)
- 1933Busy Bodies — Shop Worker (uncredited), Writer
- 1933Diplomaniacs — Shaffner the Valet (uncredited)
- 1933Hold Your Temper
- 1933Keg o' My Heart — Waiter (uncredited)
- 1933King Kong — Member of Ship's Crew (uncredited)
- 1933Maids a la Mode — Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1933Me and My Pal — Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- 1933Morning Glory — Actor (uncredited)
- 1933Nature in the Wrong — Organ Grinder
- 1933One Track Minds — Train Passenger (uncredited)
- 1933Rhapsody in Brew — Waiter (uncredited)
- 1933Sons of the Desert — Waiter (uncredited)
- 1933The Druggist's Dilemma — Charlie Zeno
- 1933The Midnight Patrol — Tire thief's partner
- 1933Twice Two — Delivery Boy (uncredited), Writer
- 1933What Fur
- 1932A Slip at the Switch — Second Tramp
- 1932Any Old Port! — Stan's Second (uncredited)
- 1932Cynara — Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
- 1932Just a Pain in the Parlor — Servant
- 1932Love Pains — Unimpressed Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1932Million Dollar Legs — Klopstokian Athlete (uncredited)
- 1932Mr. Bride — Tipsy Ship Passenger
- 1932Pack Up Your Troubles — Janitor (uncredited)
- 1932Sealskins — Sealnapper's Accomplice (uncredited)
- 1932Show Business — Train Passenger (uncredited)
- 1932Sneak Easily — Page
- 1932Strictly Unreliable — The Stage Manager (as Charley Hall)
- 1932The Music Box — Postman (uncredited)
- 1932The Soilers — Elevator Operator (uncredited)
- 1932Too Many Women — Man on Street (uncredited)
- 1932What Price Hollywood? — Reporter (uncredited)
- 1932Wild Babies! — Explorer's Man, Wellington (as Charley Hall)
- 1931Be Big! — Bellboy (uncredited)
- 1931Come Clean — Ice Cream Attendant, Writer
- 1931Haunted at Midnight — Man on Train
- 1931Laughing Gravy — Landlord (uncredited)
- 1931Let's Do Things — Waiter (uncredited)
- 1931Mama Loves Papa — Milkman (uncredited)
- 1931On the Loose — Shooting Gallery Attendant (uncredited)
- 1931One of the Smiths — Dancer (uncredited)
- 1931Playing at Politics — Elevator Operator
- 1931Scratch-As-Catch-Can
- 1931Sweepstakes — Little Cook
- 1931The Chiselers — Bellboy / Landlord
- 1931The Kick-Off! — Man on the Street (uncredited)
- 1931The Pajama Party — Inebriated Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1931The Panic Is On — Man on the Street (uncredited)
- 1931The Pip from Pittsburg — Kay's Dancing Partner (uncredited)
- 1931The Skulls — The Landlord
- 1931War Mamas — Doughboy (uncredited)
- 1930Bear Shooters — Charlie
- 1930Below Zero
- 1930Blotto — Cabdriver
- 1930Dollar Dizzy — Bellhop
- 1930Fifty Million Husbands — Neighbor (uncredited)
- 1930Hog Wild — Story
- 1930Let's Go Native — Mover (uncredited)
- 1930Los cazadores de osos — Bootlegger
- 1930Men of the North — Townsman at Hearing (uncredited)
- 1930Night of Goblins — Passenger
- 1930Only Saps Work — Waiter (uncredited)
- 1930Shivering and Shaking — Street Cleaner (uncredited)
- 1930The Fighting Parson — The Waiter (uncredited)
- 1930The Night Life — Cabdriver (uncredited)
- 1930The Real McCoy — Mountain Man (uncredited)
- 1929A Pair of Tights — Man in Fender-Bender (uncredited)
- 1929Angora Love — Neighbor
- 1929Bacon Grabbers — Truck Driver
- 1929Berth Marks — Train Passenger (uncredited)
- 1929Big Business — Neighbor (uncredited)
- 1929Boxing Gloves — Sidewalk diner attendant
- 1929Double Whoopee — Cabdriver
- 1929Leaping Love — Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
- 1929Little Mother — Taxi driver
- 1929Men O' War — Boater (uncredited)
- 1929Movie Night — Audience Member (uncredited)
- 1929Skirt Shy — Postman (uncredited)
- 1929Snappy Sneezer — Streetcar passenger (uncredited)
- 1929That's My Wife — Waiter (uncredited)
- 1929The Hoose-Gow — Treetop Lookout (uncredited)
- 1929They Go Boom! — Landlord
- 1929Wrong Again — Neighbor
- 1928Came the Dawn — Little Moving Man (uncredited)
- 1928Captain Swagger — Messenger
- 1928Crooks Can't Win — 'Bull' Savage
- 1928Leave 'Em Laughing — The Landlord
- 1928Must We Marry?
- 1928Should Married Men Go Home? — Soda Jerk (uncredited)
- 1928Two Tars — Shopkeeper
- 1928You're Darn Tootin' — Musician
- 1927Are Brunettes Safe? — Villager at Train Station (uncredited)
- 1927Call of the Cuckoo — Asylum Inmate
- 1927College — Coxswain (uncredited)
- 1927Duck Soup — Moving man (uncredited)
- 1927Eve's Love Letters — Cab driver (uncredited)
- 1927Fluttering Hearts — Man under car
- 1927Forgotten Sweeties
- 1927Love 'Em and Weep — Tillsbury's Butler
- 1927Seeing the World — English chauffeur
- 1927Sugar Daddies — Hotel extra
- 1927The Battle of the Century — Pie Delivery Man (uncredited)
- 1927The Second 100 Years — Convict, Convict (uncredited)
- 1927With Love and Hisses — Soldier (uncredited)
- 1926Bromo and Juliet — Stagehand (uncredited)
- 1926Mighty Like a Moose — Shoe Shine Man
- 1926Thundering Fleas — Musician
- 1925Isn't Life Terrible? — Steward Who Drops Plates
- 1925Madame Sans Jane — Steward
- 1925Unfriendly Enemies — First Soldier Over the Top
- 1924A Ten-Minute Egg — First Bellhop (uncredited)
- 1924Near Dublin — Villager
- 1924Postage Due — Customer
- 1924Smithy — Worker
- 1924The Cowboy Sheik — Party guest
- 1924Zeb vs. Paprika
- 1923Mother's Joy
- 1922Do Me a Favor — A Fireman
- 1921The Janitor