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.
Jake - Roofer
Kevin
Man in lower bunk in jail (uncredited)
Man with Pool Cue (uncredited)
Member of Ship's Crew (uncredited)
Mercury (uncredited)
(uncredited)
Townsman (uncredited)
Newsboy (uncredited)
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Student
Waiter (uncredited)
Bellhop (uncredited)
Man in Pawnshop (uncredited)
Airport Worker (uncredited)
Janitor (uncredited)
Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Dance Hall Official (uncredited)
Postman (uncredited)
Ed (uncredited)
Louie (Uncredited)
Bartender (uncredited)
Bellhop (uncredited)
Shop Worker (uncredited)
Soldier (uncredited)
Caviar Waiter in New York (Uncredited)
Actor (uncredited)
Comedian
Mr. Hall
Coxswain (uncredited)
Boater (uncredited)
Tire thief's partner
Soda Jerk (uncredited)
Native Henchman (uncredited)
Reporter (uncredited)
Mugg (uncredited)
Cabdriver
Asylum Inmate
Window-Washer (uncredited)
Barney
Airport Attendant (uncredited)
Landlord
Train Passenger (uncredited)
Cockney Convict Heckler (uncredited)
Second Tramp
The Landlord
Milkman (uncredited)
Servant
Porter
Man in Diner (uncredited)
Pie Delivery Man (uncredited)
Convict
Convict (uncredited)
Stan's Second
Second S.S. Atlantica Steward (uncredited)
Courtroom Spectator
Jack - Radio Repairman
Neighbor
Mr. Hall
Delivery Boy
Coach Driver
Charlie
Little Moving Man (uncredited)
Bellboy
Cabdriver (uncredited)
Ice Cream Attendant
Tillsbury's Butler
Musician
The Landlord
Stagehand (uncredited)
Moving man (uncredited)
Painter (uncredited)
Klopstokian Athlete (uncredited)
Hotel extra
Annoyed Shopkeeper (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bank Teller (uncredited)
Bob's Assistant (uncredited)
Gossiping Citizen
Second Waiter
Neighbor
Street Cleaner (uncredited)
Shaffner the Valet (uncredited)
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Sidewalk diner attendant
Landlord (uncredited)
Tipsy Ship Passenger
Shopkeeper
Waiter (uncredited)
Bellhop
Kay's Dancing Partner
Waiter (uncredited)
Train Passenger (uncredited)
Leary's pal
Ritz Amsterdam Bellboy
Cab driver (uncredited)
Treetop Lookout (uncredited)
Little Cook
Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Elevator Operator
Waiter (uncredited)
Cigarette Stand Owner
Hotel Handyman
Newspaper Photographer
Subway Passenger (uncredited)
Dancer (uncredited)
Elevator Boy
Doughboy (uncredited)
Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Receptionist / Postman / Delivery Man
Musician
Sailor at Table (as Charles Hall)
Passenger
Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Audience Member (uncredited)
Explorer's Man, Wellington (as Charley Hall)
Waitress
Elevator Operator
T.N.T. Room Busboy
Customer
Townsman at Hearing (uncredited)
Train Passenger (uncredited)
Theatre Usher (uncredited)
Mover (uncredited)
Page
Man on Train
Waiter
A Fireman
Shooting Gallery Attendant (uncredited)
(uncredited)
Pilot (uncredited)
Intern (uncredited)
Nightclub Waiter
Steward
Man in fender bender
Sealnapper's Accomplice (uncredited)
Bellboy / Landlord
Party Guest (uncredited)
Postman
Silver Slipper Waiter
Short Hobo 'Nap', aka Napoleon
Man under car
Irate Movie Patron
Postman (uncredited)
First Soldier Over the Top
Messenger
Worker
The Stage Manager (as Charley Hall)
Budd Doolittle
First Bellhop (uncredited)
English chauffeur
Shoe Shine Man
Cabdriver
Man Pushed into Fountain
Inebriated Party Guest (uncredited)
Truck driver
Hotel Porter (as Charles Hall)
Man on Street (uncredited)
Man on the Street (uncredited)
Tenant (uncredited)
Elevator Operator
Neighbor
Steward Who Drops Plates
Taxi driver
Unimpressed Party Guest (uncredited)
Waiter (uncredited)
Window Washer
Mountain Man (uncredited)
Homeless Thief in Washroom
Waiter (uncredited)
Milkman (uncredited)
Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Streetcar passenger (uncredited)
Porter (uncredited)
Moving Man (uncredited)
Organ Grinder
Spectator (uncredited)
Charlie Zeno
Cameraman (uncredited)
The Waiter (uncredited)
Edgar's Neighbor
Man Getting Shave
Second Butler, Announcing Guests (uncredited)
Man on the Street (uncredited)
Hunter (uncredited)
Sailor
Dan - Edgar's Neighbor
Apartment House Waiter
Pool Hall Patron
The Laundry Man
Villager
Party guest