Sunday, July 15, 2007

What a Character

Sad news this past week for classic film and television fans: prolific character actor Charles Lane has passed away at the age of 102. Yes, you read that right, 102. It is always sad to hear of anyone's passing, but to make it to 102. Bless is heart, as Big Edie would say.

Lane is probably near the top of most people's "know the face, don't know the name" list. In his amazing 70-year career, he appeared in such film classics as 42nd Street, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can't Take It With You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ball of Fire, Arsenic and Old Lace, It's a Wonderful Life and The Music Man.

He was no stranger to television either, with multiple appearances on I Love Lucy and Lucille Ball's other shows, as well as such programs as Dennis the Menace, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillies and Bewitched. Man, can you imagine the stories he could tell?

Head over to TCM's blog Movie Morlocks for Richard Harland Smith's moving tribute to this legendary character actor.

Links via Imdb.com, LATimes.com and MovieMorlocks.com.

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