Spencer Charters

Spencer Charters

Deceased · Born: Mar 25, 1875 · Died: Jan 25, 1943

Personal Details

BornMar 25, 1875 Duncannon, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

Spencer Charters, a robust individual with a distinctive moon-like facial structure, initially embarked on his professional journey in the theater, where he remained a prominent figure until approximately 1930.

Following this period, he swiftly transitioned to a career as a character actor in the film industry, specializing in portraying lower-to-middle-class workers, including judges, doctors, clerks, managers, and jailers, among numerous other types.

Throughout his career, Charters was an incredibly prolific individual, with an astonishing 200+ roles spanning from 1930 to 1943. As the late 1930s drew to a close, Charters began to feel the effects of aging, and his physical limitations gradually restricted him to playing only brief, minor parts.

Ultimately, Spencer Charters' life came to a close in 1943, as a result of a tragic combination of sleeping pills and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Career

1944
Arsenic and Old Lace
Arsenic and Old Lace as Marriage License Clerk
1943
Slightly Dangerous
Slightly Dangerous as Claudius Swade- motel owner (uncredited)
1942
The Postman Didn't Ring
The Postman Didn't Ring as Judge Ben Holt
Silver Queen
Silver Queen as Doc Stonebraker
Dr. Broadway
Dr. Broadway as Oscar Titus
The Remarkable Andrew
The Remarkable Andrew as Dr. Clarence Upjohn
The Pride of the Yankees
The Pride of the Yankees as Mr. Larsen (uncredited)
1941
The Lady from Cheyenne
The Lady from Cheyenne as Dr. McGuinness
Man at Large
Man at Large as Mr. Gallon
Pacific Blackout
Pacific Blackout as Cornelius
The Singing Hill
The Singing Hill as Judge Henry Starrbottle
So Ends Our Night
So Ends Our Night as Swiss Policeman
Look Who's Laughing
Look Who's Laughing as Motel Manager
Moon Over Miami
Moon Over Miami as Joe, the Postman
Hold That Ghost
Hold That Ghost as Storekeeper (uncredited)
Bedtime Story
Bedtime Story as Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road as County Clerk
They Died with Their Boots On
They Died with Their Boots On as Station Master (uncredited)
1940
Friendly Neighbors
Friendly Neighbors as Bumblebee Hibbs
Alias the Deacon
Alias the Deacon as Sheriff Yates
Three Faces West
Three Faces West as Dr. 'Nunk' Atterbury
She Couldn't Say No
She Couldn't Say No as Hank Woodcock
The Doctor Takes a Wife
The Doctor Takes a Wife as Henry Quinn (uncredited)
The Golden Fleecing
The Golden Fleecing as Justice of Peace
Maryland
Maryland as Judge
Lucky Cisco Kid
Lucky Cisco Kid as Hotel Guest
Blondie Plays Cupid
Blondie Plays Cupid as Onkel Abner Henderson
Our Town
Our Town as Constable
Virginia City
Virginia City as Sazerac Saloon Bartender (uncredited)
Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail as Conductor
Remember the Night
Remember the Night as Judge at Rummage Sale
1939
They Made Her a Spy
They Made Her a Spy as Lucius Wilkins
Second Fiddle
Second Fiddle as Joe Clayton
Young Mr. Lincoln
Young Mr. Lincoln as Judge Herbert A. Bell
Exile Express
Exile Express as Justice Henry P. Smith
The Kid from Texas
The Kid from Texas as Deputy Sheriff Serving Attachment Papers
The Lady and the Mob
The Lady and the Mob as Flanagan, Bank Guard
The Under-Pup
The Under-Pup as Druggist
Boy Trouble
Boy Trouble as Bradley
Dust Be My Destiny
Dust Be My Destiny as F.W. Jennson (uncredited)
Hotel Imperial
Hotel Imperial as Visoff (uncredited)
In Name Only
In Name Only as Gardener
Dodge City
Dodge City as Reverend (uncredited)
Jesse James
Jesse James as Minister
1938
One Wild Night
One Wild Night as Lem Halliday
Mr. Chump
Mr. Chump as Mr. Koeper
Three Blind Mice
Three Blind Mice as Hendricks
Mr. Boggs Steps Out
Mr. Boggs Steps Out as Angus Tubbs
Spring Madness
Spring Madness as Police Chief
In Old Chicago
In Old Chicago as Commissioner W.J. Beavers
Five of a Kind
Five of a Kind as Rev. Matthew Brand
Joy of Living
Joy of Living as Magistrate
Four's a Crowd
Four's a Crowd as Charlie (uncredited)
Professor Beware
Professor Beware as Sheriff Henry Sweatt
Three Comrades
Three Comrades as Herr Schultz
Vivacious Lady
Vivacious Lady as Henpecked Husband Shaving on Train (uncredited)
1937
Make a Wish
Make a Wish as Station Agent
The Hurricane
The Hurricane as Judge (uncredited)
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo as Jethro - Old Confederate
She Had to Eat
She Had to Eat as Franklin (uncredited)
Girl Loves Boy
Girl Loves Boy as Rufus Boggs
Dangerous Number
Dangerous Number as Jeffers Gass - Justice of the Peace
Lady Behave!
Lady Behave! as Innkeeper
Ever Since Eve
Ever Since Eve as Mike - Monteray Tavern Porter (uncredited)
Back in Circulation
Back in Circulation as The Sheriff
The Emperor's Candlesticks
The Emperor's Candlesticks as Usher (uncredited)
1936
Lady from Nowhere
Lady from Nowhere as Alexander Scorzo
Love on a Bet
Love on a Bet as Plaza Ritz Hotel Owner
Till We Meet Again
Till We Meet Again as Herr Hoffer
The Preview Murder Mystery
The Preview Murder Mystery as Jones - Watchman
Banjo on My Knee
Banjo on My Knee as Judge Tope
Career Woman
Career Woman as Coroner McInery
36 Hours to Kill
36 Hours to Kill as Mr. Hutchins
Colleen
Colleen as Doctor (uncredited)
The Bride Walks Out
The Bride Walks Out as Marriage Bureau Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Fugitive in the Sky
Fugitive in the Sky as Henry Staeger
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford as Dr. Bunting (uncredited)
The Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers as Sheriff (uncredited)
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as Mal (uncredited)
Libeled Lady
Libeled Lady as McCall the Magistrate
Murder on a Bridle Path
Murder on a Bridle Path as Warden Sylvester Mahoney
1935
The Raven
The Raven as Col. Bertram Grant
In Person
In Person as Parson Calverton Lunk
Murder on a Honeymoon
Murder on a Honeymoon as Chief of Police Britt
Eight Bells
Eight Bells as Walker
Star of Midnight
Star of Midnight as Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
Romance in Manhattan
Romance in Manhattan as Clerk (uncredited)
1934
The St. Louis Kid
The St. Louis Kid as Messeldopp
Wake Up and Dream
Wake Up and Dream as Earl Craft
Blind Date
Blind Date as Pa Taylor
Million Dollar Ransom
Million Dollar Ransom as Pop McGarry (Uncredited)
The Secret Bride
The Secret Bride as Diner 2 (uncredited)
Caravan
Caravan as Flunkey (Uncredited)
Fashions of 1934
Fashions of 1934 as Man Removing Telephone
It's a Gift
It's a Gift as Gate Guard
1933
Gambling Ship
Gambling Ship as Detective
Gabriel Over the White House
Gabriel Over the White House as Vice President (uncredited)
Female
Female as Tom
From Headquarters
From Headquarters as Teletype Man (uncredited)
The Kennel Murder Case
The Kennel Murder Case as Sergeant Snitkin (uncredited)
Lady Killer
Lady Killer as Los Angeles Cop (uncredited)
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
20,000 Years in Sing Sing as Officer Daniels (uncredited)
Jewel Robbery
Jewel Robbery as Johann Christian Lenz
Movie Crazy
Movie Crazy as J.L. O'Brien
The Famous Ferguson Case
The Famous Ferguson Case as Fire Chief (uncredited)
Hold 'Em Jail
Hold 'Em Jail as Governor
Central Park
Central Park as Police Sergeant Riley (uncredited)
Three on a Match
Three on a Match as Street Cleaner (uncredited)
Union Depot
Union Depot as Police Officer Bert Brady (uncredited)
1931
Lonely Wives
Lonely Wives as Andrews, the Butler
Palmy Days
Palmy Days as Mr. Clark
The Front Page
The Front Page as Woodenshoes
1930
The Bat Whispers
The Bat Whispers as The Caretaker
Whoopee!
Whoopee! as Jerome Underwood
1924
Janice Meredith
Janice Meredith as Squire Hennion