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.

Filmography

• 1996The Boy from Mercury — Ming the Merciless (Archive Footage)
• 1984Going Hollywood: The '30s — (archive footage)
• 1982Dance of the Cookoos — Commandant
• 1966Flash Gordon: The Deadly Ray From Mars — Ming the Merciless
• 1966Peril from the Planet Mongo — Ming the Merciless
• 1966Purple Death from Outer Space — Ming the Merciless
• 1966Spaceship to the Unknown — Ming the Merciless (archive footage)
• 1949The Last Bandit — Blindfolded Circuit Rider
• 1948Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' — Townsman (uncredited)
• 1948Here Comes Trouble — Reporter (uncredited)
• 1948Jiggs and Maggie in Court — Mr. Burton, an Attorney
• 1948Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House — Wrecker (uncredited)
• 1948My Girl Tisa
• 1948Station West — Sheriff
• 1948The Decision of Christopher Blake — President in Dream (uncredited)
• 1947Gunfighters — Sheriff #1 (uncredited)
• 1947The Pretender — William the butler
• 1947The Sea of Grass — Charley - Saloon Owner (uncredited)
• 1947Welcome Stranger — Farmer Pinkett (uncredited)
• 1946Spook Busters — Mr. Stiles
• 1946Strangler of the Swamp — Ferryman Douglas
• 1946The Killers — Farmer (uncredited)
• 1945Hollywood and Vine — Attorney
• 1945How DOooo You Do — Sheriff Hayworth
• 1945Northwest Trail — Pierre
• 1945Our Vines Have Tender Grapes — Mr. Jensen
• 1944Black Arrow — Tom Whitney
• 1944The Desert Hawk — Koda Bey
• 1944The Town Went Wild — Sam, Midvale District Attorney
• 1943Batman — Ken Colton
• 1943Boobs in the Night
• 1943Crazy House — Sheriff
• 1943Oklahoma Outlaws — Judge Ringle
• 1943Spook Louder — Graves' Valet
• 1943The Black Raven — Sheriff
• 1943Wagon Wheels West — Phineas Hook
• 1942Men of San Quentin — Saunderson
• 1942Perils of Nyoka — Cassib
• 1942The Mystery of Marie Roget — Curator
• 1942Wild Bill Hickok Rides — Claim Jumping Leader
• 1941Belle Starr — Carpetbagger
• 1941Jungle Man — Rev. James 'Jim' Graham
• 1941Sergeant York — Mountaineer (uncredited)
• 1941Stick to Your Guns — Long Ben, gambler-saloon owner
• 1941The Shepherd of the Hills — Blacksmith (uncredited)
• 1941Western Union — Stagecoach Rider
• 1941Wild Geese Calling — Doctor Jed Sloan
• 1940Abe Lincoln in Illinois — Tom Lincoln
• 1940Brigham Young — Mob Member
• 1940Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise — Jeremiah Walters
• 1940Eyes of the Navy — Farmer (uncredited)
• 1940Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe — Emperor Ming
• 1940Gold Rush Maisie — Camp Owner with a Pig (Uncredited)
• 1940Island of Doomed Men — Captain Cort
• 1940Rangers of Fortune — Water Thug
• 1940Santa Fe Trail — Gentry
• 1940Shooting High — Hod Carson
• 1940The Grapes of Wrath — Leader
• 1940Virginia City — Jefferson Davis
• 1940Women in Hiding — Alice's Father (uncredited)
• 1939$1,000 a Touchdown — Stage Manager (uncredited)
• 1939Allegheny Uprising — Dr. Stoke
• 1939Blackmail — Southern Deputy (uncredited)
• 1939Captain Fury — Mergon
• 1939Cowboys from Texas — Kansas Jones
• 1939Daredevils of the Red Circle — 39013
• 1939Gone with the Wind — Man with Stove Pipe Hat in Charge of Convict Workers (uncredited)
• 1939Jesse James — Doctor
• 1939One Against the World — Mr. Crumley (uncredited)
• 1939The Flying Deuces — Commandant
• 1939The Oklahoma Kid — Alec Martin
• 1939Thou Shalt Not Kill — Lars Olsen
• 1939Way Down South — Cass
• 1939Wyoming Outlaw — Luke Parker
• 1938Dick Tracy Returns — Pa Stark
• 1938Flaming Frontiers — Ace Daggett
• 1938Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars — Emperor Ming
• 1938Jezebel — Officer (uncredited)
• 1938Joaquin Murrieta — Politician (uncredited)
• 1938Kentucky — Southerner
• 1938Mars Attacks the World — Ming the Merciless
• 1938Rocket Ship — Emperor Ming
• 1938The Strange Case of Dr. Meade — Lacey
• 1937Hollywood Cowboy — 'Doc' Kramer
• 1937Slave Ship — Slave Dealer
• 1937Stand-In — Actor Dressed as Abraham Lincoln
• 1937The Good Earth — Banker (uncredited)
• 1937The Last Train from Madrid — Warden (uncredited)
• 1937The Man Without a Country — President Abraham Lincoln (uncredited)
• 1937Two Gun Law — Wolf Larson
• 1937We're on the Jury — Mr. Martin
• 1937Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge — Gene Autry Sr.
• 1936A Son Comes Home — Prosecutor
• 1936Career Woman — Matt Clay
• 1936Empty Saddles — Cim White
• 1936Flash Gordon — Ming the Merciless
• 1936Jailbreak — Dan Stone
• 1936Ramona — American Settler (uncredited)
• 1936Road Gang — Grayson
• 1936Rose of the Rancho — Horse Doctor (uncredited)
• 1936Show Boat — Sheriff Ike Vallon
• 1936Song of the Saddle — Phineas P. Hook
• 1936Sunset of Power — Neil Brannum
• 1936The Texas Rangers — Lawyer (uncredited)
• 1936The Trail of the Lonesome Pine — Blacksmith
• 1936Wedding Present — Turnbull
• 1935Frisco Kid — Speaker (uncredited)
• 1935Hop-a-long Cassidy — Buck Peters
• 1935In Spite of Danger — Mr. Merritt
• 1935Reckless — District Attorney (uncredited)
• 1935Special Agent — State Police Commander (uncredited)
• 1935Square Shooter — Miller
• 1935Steamboat Round the Bend — Fleety Belle's Father
• 1935The Fixer Uppers — Pierre Gustave
• 1935The Miracle Rider — Zaroff
• 1935The Virginia Judge — Cyrus Higgins
• 1934Behold My Wife! — Juan Storm Cloud
• 1934Broadway Bill — Veterinarian (uncredited)
• 1934David Harum — Deacon
• 1934Massacre — Sheriff Scatters
• 1934Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch — Mr. Bagby
• 1934Murder at the Vanities — Homer Boothby
• 1934Red Morning — Stanchon
• 1934The Last Round-up — Sheriff
• 1934The St. Louis Kid — Sheriff (uncredited)
• 1934When Strangers Meet — John Tarman
• 1934Whom the Gods Destroy — Constable Malcolm (uncredited)
• 1933At Twelve Midnight — Roger Thurston
• 1933Big Executive — Sheriff
• 1933Destination Unknown — Turk
• 1933Disgraced! — District Attorney
• 1933Doctor Bull — Mr. Upjohn
• 1933Duck Soup — Prosecutor
• 1933Lone Cowboy — U.S. Marshal
• 1933Mr. Skitch — Joe
• 1933Pick-up — Mr. Brewster
• 1933Sunset Pass — Williams
• 1933The Bowery — Detective (uncredited)
• 1933The Road Is Open Again — Abraham Lincoln
• 1933The Three Musketeers — El Shaitan (voice)
• 1933The World Changes — Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok (uncredited)
• 1933This Day and Age — District Attorney
• 1933Tomorrow at Seven — Jerry Simons
• 1933White Woman — Fenton
• 1932Breach of Promise — Joe Pugmire
• 1932Hell's Highway — Matthew the Hermit
• 1932High Pressure — Mr. Banks
• 1932I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang — Train Conductor (uncredited)
• 1932Mystery Ranch — Henry Steele
• 1932Pack Up Your Troubles — Welfare Association Officer
• 1932Rockabye — District Attorney (uncredited)
• 1932Silver Dollar — Jenkins
• 1932The Hatchet Man — Lip Hop Fat
• 1932The Phantom President — Abe Lincoln (uncredited)
• 1932The Sign of the Cross — Tyros
• 1932The Strange Love of Molly Louvain — Police Capt. Slade
• 1932Too Busy to Work — Chief of Police
• 1931A Dangerous Affair — Tupper
• 1931A House Divided — Minister
• 1931An American Tragedy — Attorney Reuben Jephson
• 1931Beau Hunks — Commandant
• 1931Caught Plastered — Sheriff Flint
• 1931Manhattan Parade — Sheriff Casey
• 1931Palmy Days — Yolando
• 1931Safe in Hell — Lawyer Jones
• 1931Ships of Hate — Captain Lash
• 1931Sob Sister — City Editor Baker
• 1931The Miracle Woman — Simpson
• 1931The Ruling Voice — Board Member (uncredited)
• 1931X Marks the Spot — Kirby
• 1930Beau Bandit — Lucius J. Perkins
• 1930East Is West — Dr. Fredericks
• 1930The Devil's Cabaret — Mr. Satan (uncredited)
• 1930Way Out West — Buck Rankin
• 1929The Bellamy Trial — District Attorney
• 1929The Far Call — Kris Larsen
• 1929Welcome Danger — John Thorne / The Dragon
• 1928The Farmer's Daughter — Hiram Flint

Appearances as themselves (1)

• 1973A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green' — Self (archive footage)