- Born
- Died
- A respected stage actor -- he trained at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts -- since the 1920s, birdlike Charles Halton's thinning hair, rimless glasses and officious manner were familiar to generations of moviegoers. Whether playing the neighborhood busybody, a stern government bureaucrat or weaselly attorney, you could count on Halton to try to drive the "immoral influences" out of the neighborhood, foreclose on the orphanage, evict the poor widow and her children from their apartment, or any other number of dastardly deeds, all justified by "I'm sorry but that's my job." His 40-year film career ended with High School Confidential! (1958), after which he retired.- IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- SpouseLelah Mildred Coyle(August 8, 1944 - April 16, 1959) (his death)
- Small, bespectacled American character actor with thinning gray hair and wire rims trained at American Academy of Dramatic Arts and maintained a durable presence on Broadway. He later came to Hollywood and showed off his modest versatility in hundreds of minor roles, playing snively, harried and acrid old fellers all over the place during the late 1930s and '40s.
- Appears in seven Oscar Best Picture nominees: Dead End (1937), Foreign Correspondent (1940), One Foot in Heaven (1941), Wilson (1944), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Friendly Persuasion (1956). The Best Years of Our Lives is the only winner.
- Halton met his wife Lelah, a widow with three partially grown children after he had moved to Hollywood after doing "Dodsworth" on Broadway. She wrote, "Mr. Halton fell in love with all of us.".
- Reputed to use flawless English and have a beautiful speaking voice.
- Played a bank examiner in It's a wonderful life and a bank president in 3 Godfathers.
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