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Charlie Hall
Actor, Writer
Died December 7, 1959 (60 years)
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
| 1986 | Laurel & Hardy (TV Series) · as Train passenger |
| 1968 | The Best of Laurel and Hardy · as Annoyed Shopkeeper |
| 1967 | The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy · as Unknown |
| 1960 | When Comedy Was King · as edited from 'Movie Night' and 'A Pair of Tights' |
| 1955 | Illegal · as Bellhop |
| 1955 | Little Rascals (TV Series) · as Cab Driver (1955) |
| 1955 | Cheyenne (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Man with Pool Cue (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Topper (TV Series) · as Man in lower bunk in jail |
| 1952 | Million Dollar Mermaid · as Minor Role |
| 1952 | Androcles and the Lion · as Town Crier |
| 1952 | The Abbott and Costello Show (TV Series) · as Jake - Roofer |
| 1952 | My Little Margie (TV Series) · as Delivery Man |
| 1952 | Limelight · as Newsboy |
| 1948 | Home Canning · as The Painter |
| 1948 | How to Clean House · as Milkman |
| 1946 | Dressed to Kill · as Cab Driver |
| 1946 | Without Reservations · as Window-Washer (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Wall Street Blues · as Housepainter |
| 1945 | Confidential Agent · as Miner |
| 1944 | The Canterville Ghost · as Bold Sir Guy's Squire |
| 1944 | The Lodger · as Comedian |
| 1944 | Love Your Landlord · as New Tenant |
| 1943 | The Ape Man · as Barney the Photographer |
| 1943 | His Butler's Sister · as Porter |
| 1942 | The Falcon Takes Over · as Louie (Uncredited) |
| 1942 | The Big Street · as Caviar Waiter in New York (Uncredited) |
| 1942 | Seven Days' Leave · as Waiter |
| 1942 | Mail Trouble · as actor |
| 1942 | Framing Father · as Silver Slipper Waiter |
| 1942 | Yokel Boy · as Gaffer |
| 1942 | Rough on Rents · as Mr. Jones |
| 1942 | Two for the Money · as actor |
| 1941 | Hellzapoppin' · as Taxi Driver (uncredited) |
| 1941 | San Antonio Rose · as Waitress |
| 1941 | Niagara Falls · as Bellhop |
| 1941 | Father Steps Out · as Short Hobo 'Nap', aka Napoleon |
| 1941 | A Quiet Fourth · as Edgar's Neighbor |
| 1940 | A Chump at Oxford · as Student |
| 1940 | Saps at Sea · as Desk Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1940 | Primrose Path · as Man in Diner |
| 1940 | Mexican Spitfire · as Elevator Operator |
| 1940 | Drafted in the Depot · as Shopkeeper |
| 1940 | A Trailer Tragedy · as Homeless Thief in Washroom |
| 1940 | Slightly at Sea · as actor |
| 1939 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame · as Mercury (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Bachelor Mother · as Dance Hall Official (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Five Came Back · as Airport Worker (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Murder in the Night · as Nightclub Patron |
| 1938 | Hey! Hey! U.S.A! · as Leary's pal |
| 1937 | Shall We Dance · as Bartender (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Pick a Star · as Assistant Director |
| 1937 | Riding on Air · as Singer |
| 1936 | Swing Time · as Taxi Driver |
| 1936 | Our Relations · as Man in Pawnshop (uncredited) |
| 1936 | The Bohemian Girl · as Gypsy Offering Congratulations |
| 1935 | Annie Oakley · as Drunk in Saloon |
| 1935 | Thicker Than Water · as Bank Teller (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Tit for Tat · as Mr. Hall |
| 1935 | Sing Sister Sing · as Porter (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Bonnie Scotland · as Native Henchman (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Top Hat · as Minor Role |
| 1934 | March of the Wooden Soldiers · as Townsman (uncredited) |
| 1934 | The Gay Divorcee · as Messenger at Dock |
| 1934 | The Live Ghost · as Sailor at Table (as Charles Hall) |
| 1934 | Them Thar Hills · as Mr. Hall |
| 1934 | Kentucky Kernels · as Cigarette Stand Owner |
| 1934 | Kid Millions · as Native |
| 1934 | Babes in the Goods · as Spectator (uncredited) |
| 1934 | A Duke for a Day · as Man with Dog at Wedding |
| 1933 | King Kong · as Member of Ship's Crew (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Morning Glory · as Actor |
| 1933 | Busy Bodies · as Shop Worker (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Sons of the Desert · as Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1933 | The Midnight Patrol · as Tire thief's partner |
| 1933 | Me and My Pal · as Delivery Boy (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Twice Two · as Delivery Boy (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Diplomaniacs · as Shaffner the Valet (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Bring 'Em Back a Wife · as Driver |
| 1933 | Backs to Nature · as Hunter (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Beauty and the Bus · as Theatre Usher (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Fits in a Fiddle · as Member of Orchestra |
| 1932 | Pack Up Your Troubles · as Janitor (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Any Old Port! · as Stan's Second |
| 1932 | Cynara · as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) |
| 1932 | The Music Box · as Postman (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Bon Voyage · as Steward |
| 1932 | The Golf Chump · as Golfer |
| 1931 | Beau Hunks · as New Recruit #13 |
| 1931 | Be Big! · as Bellboy |
| 1931 | Come Clean · as Ice Cream Attendant |
| 1931 | On the Loose · as Shooting Gallery Attendant (uncredited) |
| 1931 | Delicious · as Policeman |
| 1931 | Scratch-As-Catch-Can · as actor |
| 1931 | Rough Seas · as Doughboy on Deck |
| 1931 | Politiquerías · as Elevator Operator |
| 1931 | The Pip from Pittsburg · as Kay's Dancing Partner |
| 1931 | The Pajama Party · as Inebriated Party Guest (uncredited) |
| 1931 | Pardon Us · as Dental Assistant |
| 1931 | One of the Smiths · as Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1931 | Skip the Maloo! · as Ship Steward |
| 1931 | Dumbbells in Derbies · as Painter |
| 1930 | Below Zero · as Annoyed Shopkeeper Throwing Snowball |
| 1930 | The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case · as Unknown |
| 1930 | Laughing Gravy · as Landlord (uncredited) |
| 1930 | Blotto · as Cabdriver |
| 1930 | La vida nocturna · as Cabdriver (uncredited) |
| 1930 | Noche de duendes · as Passenger |
| 1930 | Tiembla y Titubea · as Street Cleaner (uncredited) |
| 1930 | Bear Shooters · as Charlie |
| 1929 | Big Business · as Neighbor |
| 1929 | Men O'War · as Boater (uncredited) |
| 1929 | Berth Marks · as Train Passenger (uncredited) |
| 1929 | They Go Boom! · as Landlord |
| 1929 | The Hoose-Gow · as Treetop Lookout (uncredited) |
| 1929 | That's My Wife · as Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1928 | Should Married Men Go Home? · as Soda Jerk (uncredited) |
| 1928 | Leave 'em Laughing · as The Landlord |
| 1928 | You're Darn Tootin' · as Musician |
| 1928 | The Butter and Egg Man · as Pickpocket |
| 1927 | College · as Coxswain |
| 1927 | The Battle of the Century · as Pie delivery man (uncredited) |
| 1927 | Eve's Love Letters · as Cab driver (uncredited) |
| 1926 | Thundering Fleas · as Musician |
| 1926 | Bromo and Juliet · as Stagehand (uncredited) |
| 1926 | Mighty Like a Moose · as Shoe Shine Man |
| 1925 | Bad Boy · as Dance Hall Tough Guy |
| 1924 | Zeb vs. Paprika · as Unknown |