Charlie Hall
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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.
Acted in
Dance of the Cookoos
1982
as Receptionist / Postman / Delivery Man
The Best of Laurel and Hardy
1968
as Annoyed Shopkeeper (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy
1967
No Hiding Place
1959
So You Want to Play the Piano
1956
Illegal
1955
as Bellhop (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Man with Pool Cue (uncredited)
Cheyenne
1955
as Kevin
Topper
1953
as Man in lower bunk in jail (uncredited)
The Abbott and Costello Show
1952
as Jake - Roofer
Limelight
1952
as Newsboy (uncredited)
The Milkman
1950
as Ed (uncredited)
Abie's Irish Rose
1946
as Hotel Porter (as Charles Hall)
Sister Kenny
1946
as Airport Attendant (uncredited)
Dressed to Kill
1946
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Without Reservations
1946
as Window-Washer (uncredited)
On Stage Everybody
1945
as Painter (uncredited)
In Society
1944
as Mugg (uncredited)
Girls! Girls! Girls!
1944
as Apartment House Waiter
Radio Rampage
1944
as Jack - Radio Repairman
The Lodger
1944
as Comedian
His Butler's Sister
1943
as Porter
So's Your Uncle
1943
as Waiter
Honeymoon Lodge
1943
as Hotel Handyman
The Ape Man
1943
as Barney
The Big Street
1942
as Caviar Waiter in New York (Uncredited)
The Falcon Takes Over
1942
as Louie (Uncredited)
Framing Father
1942
as Silver Slipper Waiter
Man From Headquarters
1942
as Newspaper Photographer
Hellzapoppin'
1941
as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
A Quiet Fourth
1941
as Edgar's Neighbor
The Mexican Spitfire's Baby
1941
as Nightclub Waiter
Niagara Falls
1941
as Bellhop (uncredited)
Top Sergeant Mulligan
1941
as Budd Doolittle
I'll Fix It
1941
as The Laundry Man
Father Steps Out
1941
as Short Hobo 'Nap', aka Napoleon
San Antonio Rose
1941
as Waitress
An Apple in His Eye
1941
as Dan - Edgar's Neighbor
One Night in the Tropics
1940
as Second S.S. Atlantica Steward (uncredited)
Mexican Spitfire Out West
1940
as Elevator Boy
A Trailer Tragedy
1940
as Homeless Thief in Washroom
Millionaires in Prison
1940
as Cockney Convict Heckler (uncredited)
You Can't Fool Your Wife
1940
as Ritz Amsterdam Bellboy
Saps at Sea
1940
as Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Curtain Call
1940
as Second Waiter
Primrose Path
1940
as Man in Diner (uncredited)
Vigil in the Night
1940
as Courtroom Spectator
A Chump at Oxford
1940
as Student
Mexican Spitfire
1940
as Elevator Operator
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1939
as Mercury (uncredited)
Bachelor Mother
1939
as Dance Hall Official (uncredited)
Man About Town
1939
as Bob's Assistant (uncredited)
Five Came Back
1939
as Airport Worker (uncredited)
Captain Fury
1939
as Gossiping Citizen
Hey! Hey! USA
1938
as Leary's pal
Shall We Dance
1937
as Bartender (uncredited)
Our Relations
1936
as Man in Pawnshop (uncredited)
An All American Toothache
1936
as (uncredited)
Hot Money
1935
as Tenant (uncredited)
Twin Triplets
1935
as Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Top Hat
1935
as (uncredited)
In Love at 40
1935
as Man Getting Shave
Bonnie Scotland
1935
as Native Henchman (uncredited)
Thicker Than Water
1935
as Bank Teller (uncredited)
Sing Sister Sing
1935
as Porter (uncredited)
Treasure Blues
1935
as Moving Man (uncredited)
Tit for Tat
1935
as Mr. Hall
Babes in Toyland
1934
as Townsman
The Live Ghost
1934
as Sailor at Table (as Charles Hall)
Kentucky Kernels
1934
as Cigarette Stand Owner
Opened by Mistake
1934
as Intern (uncredited)
Mike Fright
1934
as Elevator Operator
Ocean Swells
1934
as Sailor
One-Horse Farmers
1934
as Subway Passenger (uncredited)
Them Thar Hills
1934
as Mr. Hall
Cockeyed Cavaliers
1934
as Coach Driver
Another Wild Idea
1934
as Man Pushed into Fountain
Maid in Hollywood
1934
as Cameraman (uncredited)
Rough Necking
1934
as Postman
The Undie-World
1934
as T.N.T. Room Busboy
Soup and Fish
1934
as Second Butler, Announcing Guests (uncredited)
Love on a Ladder
1934
as Pool Hall Patron
Hi'–Neighbor!
1934
as Window Washer
Babes in the Goods
1934
as Spectator (uncredited)
Bridal Bail
1934
as Irate Movie Patron
Sons of the Desert
1933
as Waiter (uncredited)
Air Fright
1933
as Pilot (uncredited)
Hold Your Temper
1933
Backs to Nature
1933
as Hunter (uncredited)
Keg o' My Heart
1933
as Waiter (uncredited)
What Fur
1933
Busy Bodies
1933
as Shop Worker (uncredited)
Rhapsody in Brew
1933
as Waiter (uncredited)
Beauty and the Bus
1933
as Theatre Usher (uncredited)
Morning Glory
1933
as Actor (uncredited)
The Midnight Patrol
1933
as Tire thief's partner
The Druggist's Dilemma
1933
as Charlie Zeno
One Track Minds
1933
as Train Passenger
Diplomaniacs
1933
as Shaffner the Valet (uncredited)
Me and My Pal
1933
as Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Nature in the Wrong
1933
as Organ Grinder
King Kong
1933
as Member of Ship's Crew (uncredited)
Maids a la Mode
1933
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Twice Two
1933
as Delivery Boy
Cynara
1932
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Mr. Bride
1932
as Tipsy Ship Passenger
Sneak Easily
1932
as Page
The Soilers
1932
as Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Pack Up Your Troubles
1932
as Janitor (uncredited)
Show Business
1932
as Train Passenger (uncredited)
A Slip at the Switch
1932
as Second Tramp
Million Dollar Legs
1932
as Klopstokian Athlete (uncredited)
What Price Hollywood?
1932
as Reporter (uncredited)
Wild Babies!
1932
as Explorer's Man, Wellington (as Charley Hall)
Too Many Women
1932
as Man on Street (uncredited)
Strictly Unreliable
1932
as The Stage Manager (as Charley Hall)
Just a Pain in the Parlor
1932
as Servant
The Music Box
1932
as Postman (uncredited)
Any Old Port!
1932
as Stan's Second
Love Pains
1932
as Unimpressed Party Guest (uncredited)
Sealskins
1932
as Sealnapper's Accomplice (uncredited)
On the Loose
1931
as Shooting Gallery Attendant (uncredited)
The Kick-Off!
1931
as Man on the Street (uncredited)
War Mamas
1931
as Doughboy (uncredited)
Scratch-As-Catch-Can
1931
Mama Loves Papa
1931
as Milkman (uncredited)
The Pajama Party
1931
as Inebriated Party Guest (uncredited)
Come Clean
1931
as Ice Cream Attendant
The Panic Is On
1931
as Man on the Street (uncredited)
Sweepstakes
1931
as Little Cook
Let's Do Things
1931
as Waiter (uncredited)
One of the Smiths
1931
as Dancer (uncredited)
Haunted at Midnight
1931
as Man on Train
Playing at Politics
1931
as Elevator Operator
The Skulls
1931
as The Landlord
Laughing Gravy
1931
as Landlord (uncredited)
The Pip from Pittsburg
1931
as Kay's Dancing Partner
Be Big!
1931
as Bellboy
The Chiselers
1931
as Bellboy / Landlord
Only Saps Work
1930
as Waiter (uncredited)
Night of Goblins
1930
as Passenger
Dollar Dizzy
1930
as Bellhop
Men of the North
1930
as Townsman at Hearing (uncredited)
Let's Go Native
1930
as Mover (uncredited)
Fifty Million Husbands
1930
as Neighbor
Bear Shooters
1930
as Charlie
Shivering and Shaking
1930
as Street Cleaner (uncredited)
Below Zero
1930
The Night Life
1930
as Cabdriver (uncredited)
Blotto
1930
as Cabdriver
The Fighting Parson
1930
as The Waiter (uncredited)
The Real McCoy
1930
as Mountain Man (uncredited)
Angora Love
1929
as Neighbor
Skirt Shy
1929
as Postman (uncredited)
The Hoose-Gow
1929
as Treetop Lookout (uncredited)
Bacon Grabbers
1929
as Truck driver
They Go Boom!
1929
as Landlord
Boxing Gloves
1929
as Sidewalk diner attendant
Snappy Sneezer
1929
as Streetcar passenger (uncredited)
Men O' War
1929
as Boater (uncredited)
Leaping Love
1929
as Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Little Mother
1929
as Taxi driver
Berth Marks
1929
as Train Passenger (uncredited)
Double Whoopee
1929
as Cabdriver
Movie Night
1929
as Audience Member (uncredited)
That's My Wife
1929
as Waiter (uncredited)
Wrong Again
1929
as Neighbor
A Pair of Tights
1929
as Man in fender bender
Two Tars
1928
as Shopkeeper
Captain Swagger
1928
as Messenger
Should Married Men Go Home?
1928
as Soda Jerk (uncredited)
You're Darn Tootin'
1928
as Musician
Came the Dawn
1928
as Little Moving Man (uncredited)
Leave 'Em Laughing
1928
as The Landlord
The Battle of the Century
1927
as Pie Delivery Man (uncredited)
Call of the Cuckoo
1927
as Asylum Inmate
The Second Hundred Years
1927
as Convict
The Second Hundred Years
1927
as Convict (uncredited)
Sugar Daddies
1927
as Hotel extra
College
1927
as Coxswain (uncredited)
With Love and Hisses
1927
as Soldier (uncredited)
Fluttering Hearts
1927
as Man under car
Love 'Em and Weep
1927
as Tillsbury's Butler
Eve's Love Letters
1927
as Cab driver (uncredited)
Forgotten Sweeties
1927
Duck Soup
1927
as Moving man (uncredited)
Seeing the World
1927
as English chauffeur
Bromo and Juliet
1926
as Stagehand (uncredited)
Thundering Fleas
1926
as Musician
Mighty Like a Moose
1926
as Shoe Shine Man
Unfriendly Enemies
1925
as First Soldier Over the Top
Madame Sans Jane
1925
Isn't Life Terrible?
1925
as Steward Who Drops Plates
A Ten-Minute Egg
1924
as First Bellhop (uncredited)
Near Dublin
1924
as Villager
Zeb vs. Paprika
1924
Postage Due
1924
as Customer
The Cowboy Sheik
1924
as Party guest
Smithy
1924
as Worker
Mother's Joy
1923
Do Me a Favor
1922
as A Fireman
The Janitor
1921