Charles Durning
WWII veteran, dance instructor and diversely talented stage & screen actor are all inclusions on the resume of this perpetually busy US actor who didn't get in front of the cameras until around the time of his fortieth birthday. The stockily built Charles Durning is one of Hollywood's most dependable and sought after supporting actors who first got his start in guest appearances in early 1960's TV shows. He scored minor roles over the next decade until he really got noticed by film fans as the sneering, corrupt cop "Lt. Snyder" hassling street grifter 'Robert Redford' in the multi award winning mega-hit The Sting (1973). Durning was equally entertaining in the Billy Wilder production of The Front Page (1974), he supported screen tough guy Charles Bronson in the suspenseful western Breakheart Pass (1975) and featured as "Spermwhale Whalen" in the story of unorthodox police behavior in The Choirboys (1977). The versatile Durning is equally adept at comedic roles and demonstrated his skills as "Doc Hopper" in The Muppet Movie (1979), a feisty football coach in North Dallas Forty (1979), a highly strung police officer berating maverick cop Burt Reynolds in Sharky's Machine (1981), and a light footed, dancing Governor (alongside Burt Reynolds once more) in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982). Durning continued a regular on screen association with Burt Reynolds appearing in several more feature films together and as "Dr. Harlan Elldridge" in the highly popular TV series Evening Shade (1990). On par with his multitude of feature film roles, Durning has always been in high demand on television and has guest starred in Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), Monk (2002) and Rescue Me (2004). Plus, he has appeared in the role of "Santa Claus" in five different television movies.
Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
- Born:
- Feb 28, 1923 In Highland Falls, New York, USA
- Movie/TV Credits:
- 191
- First Appeared:
- In the series Hallmark Hall of Fame 1951-12-24
- Latest Project:
- Movie Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age 2021-08-14
Known For
Filmography
| Movie | Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021-08-14 |
| Movie | LA DA Story | Self (archive footage) | 2018-01-01 |
| Movie | Bleeding Hearts | Santa Claus | 2015-02-03 |
| Movie | Scavenger Killers | Dylan Frier | 2013-06-01 |
| Movie | Rogue Assassin | 2012-01-01 | |
| Movie | Top Priority: The Terror Within | Himself - Academy Award Nominated Actor (archive footage) | 2012-06-15 |
| Movie | Naked Run | Congressman Davenport | 2011-05-05 |
| Movie | The Great Fight | Judge Frier | 2011-06-05 |
| Movie | The Life Zone | James Wise | 2011-06-10 |
| Movie | The Waiter | Frank 'The Handler' Maro | 2010-03-14 |
| Movie | Three Chris's | Kris Kringle | 2010-02-02 |
| Movie | An Affirmative Act | Man in the White Suit | 2010-06-04 |
| Movie | Break | The Wise Man | 2009-05-01 |
| Movie | Deal | Charlie Adler | 2008-01-29 |
| Movie | iMurders | Dr. Seamus St. Martin | 2008-08-09 |
| Movie | Good Dick | Charlie | 2008-10-03 |
| Movie | A Bunch of Amateurs | Charlie Rosenberg | 2008-11-17 |
| Movie | Local Color | Yammi | 2008-11-14 |
| Movie | The Golden Boys | John Bartlett | 2008-12-11 |
| Movie | Kinky Killers | Alexander Hathaway | 2007-06-01 |
| Movie | Jesus, Mary and Joey | Teddy | 2006-01-01 |
| Movie | Unbeatable Harold | Harold's Father | 2006-01-01 |
| Movie | The Making of 'Dog Day Afternoon' | Self | 2006-02-28 |
| Movie | Miracle Dogs Too | Captain Pete Weaver | 2006-04-01 |
| Movie | Forget About It | Eddie O'Brien | 2006-10-14 |
| Movie | Desperation | Tom Billingsley | 2006-05-23 |
| Movie | River's End | Murray Blythe | 2005-01-01 |
| Movie | The L.A. Riot Spectacular | The Lawyer | 2005-04-25 |
| Movie | Dirty Deeds | Victor Rasdale | 2005-08-26 |
| Movie | The Art of 'The Sting' | Self | 2005-09-06 |
| Movie | The Drum Beats Twice | Satan | 2004-01-01 |
| Series | Rescue Me | Unknown | 2004-07-21 |
| Movie | Death and Texas | Marshall Ledger | 2004-03-12 |
| Movie | A Boyfriend for Christmas | Santa Claus | 2004-11-27 |
| Movie | A Very Married Christmas | Ozzy Larson | 2004-12-05 |
| Movie | The Autopsy | Self | 2004-12-31 |
| Movie | Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There | Self | 2003-04-03 |
| Series | NCIS | Corporal Ernie Yost | 2003-09-23 |
| Movie | Turn of Faith | Philly Russo | 2002-06-05 |
| Series | Monk | Unknown | 2002-07-12 |
| Series | First Monday | Justice Henry Hoskins | 2002-01-15 |
| Series | Everwood | Unknown | 2002-09-16 |
| Movie | Mother Ghost | George | 2002-08-08 |
| Movie | Mr. St. Nick | Nicholas XX | 2002-10-17 |
| Series | Citizen Baines | Unknown | 2001-09-29 |
| Movie | The Judge | Judge Harlan Radovich | 2001-05-06 |
| Series | Dinner for Five | Unknown | 2001-07-06 |
| Movie | Bleacher Bums | Scorekeeper | 2001-10-18 |
| Movie | L.A.P.D.: To Protect And To Serve | Stuart Steele | 2001-10-09 |
| Movie | Never Look Back | Reverend Hale | 2000-03-31 |
| Movie | A Constant Forge | Self | 2000-01-01 |
| Movie | Lakeboat | Skippy | 2000-04-13 |
| Movie | The Last Producer | Syd Wolf | 2000-08-22 |
| Movie | State and Main | Mayor George Bailey | 2000-08-26 |
| Movie | Very Mean Men | Paddy Mulroney | 2000-06-10 |
| Movie | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Pappy O'Daniel | 2000-08-30 |
| Series | Family Guy | Unknown | 1999-01-31 |
| Movie | Justice | Moe Ryan | 1999-01-14 |
| Movie | Hard Time: The Premonition | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1999-02-27 |
| Movie | Hard Time: Hostage Hotel | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1999-11-14 |
| Movie | Hi-Life | Fatty | 1998-11-27 |
| Movie | Jerry and Tom | Vic | 1998-12-04 |
| Movie | Shelter | Capt. Robert Landis | 1998-01-16 |
| Movie | A Chance of Snow | Earl Pulmer | 1998-12-07 |
| Movie | Hard Time | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1998-12-12 |
| Series | The Practice | Unknown | 1997-03-04 |
| Series | Orleans | Frank Vitelli | 1997-01-08 |
| Movie | The Secret Life of Algernon | Norbie Hess | 1997-11-15 |
| Series | Early Edition | Unknown | 1996-09-28 |
| Movie | The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists | Archie (voice) | 1996-11-01 |
| Series | Everybody Loves Raymond | Unknown | 1996-09-13 |
| Movie | Spy Hard | The Director | 1996-05-24 |
| Movie | Mrs. Santa Claus | Santa Claus | 1996-12-08 |
| Movie | Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman | Self | 1996-11-25 |
| Movie | Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas | Santa Claus | 1996-12-24 |
| Movie | One Fine Day | Lew, Jack's boss | 1996-12-20 |
| Series | Cybill | Unknown | 1995-01-02 |
| Series | A Woman of Independent Means | Andrew Alcott | 1995-02-19 |
| Movie | The Last Supper | Reverend Gerald Hutchens | 1995-09-08 |
| Movie | Home for the Holidays | Henry Larson | 1995-11-02 |
| Movie | The Grass Harp | Reverend Buster | 1995-09-10 |
| Movie | Charlie Sheen's Stunts Spectacular | Self (archive footage) | 1994-06-30 |
| Movie | The Hudsucker Proxy | Waring Hudsucker | 1994-03-11 |
| Series | Touched by an Angel | Unknown | 1994-09-21 |
| Movie | Roommates | Barney | 1994-05-30 |
| Movie | The World of Jim Henson | Doc Hopper (archive footage) | 1994-11-23 |
| Movie | I.Q. | Louis Bamberger | 1994-12-24 |
| Series | The American Revolution | Benjamin Franklin | 1994-11-27 |
| Movie | In Search of Dr. Seuss | (voice) (uncredited) | 1994-11-06 |
| Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Unknown | 1993-01-31 |
| Movie | When a Stranger Calls Back | John Clifford | 1993-04-04 |
| Movie | The Music of Chance | Bill Flower | 1993-06-23 |
| Movie | The Water Engine | Tour Guide | 1992-08-24 |
| Movie | Tales from Hollywood | Charles F. Money | 1992-10-18 |
| Movie | V.I. Warshawski | Det. Lt. Bobby Mallory | 1991-07-26 |
| Movie | The Return of Eliot Ness | Roger Finn | 1991-11-10 |
| Movie | The Story Lady | Judge (uncredited) | 1991-12-09 |
| Series | The Kennedys of Massachusetts | John F. Fitzgerald | 1990-02-18 |
| Movie | Dick Tracy | Chief Brandon | 1990-04-05 |
| Series | Evening Shade | Harlan Elldridge | 1990-09-21 |
| Movie | Project Alien | Colonel Clancy | 1990-12-21 |
| Movie | Cat Chaser | Jiggs Scully | 1989-09-13 |
| Movie | Brenda Starr | Editor Francis I. Livright | 1989-05-15 |
| Movie | Prime Target | Earl Mulcahaney | 1989-09-29 |
| Movie | Etoile | Uncle Joshua | 1989-03-17 |
| Movie | The Butter Battle Book | Grandfather (voice) | 1989-11-13 |
| Movie | Dinner at Eight | Dan Packard | 1989-12-11 |
| Movie | It Nearly Wasn't Christmas | Santa | 1989-12-01 |
| Movie | Cop | Dutch Peltz | 1988-02-05 |
| Movie | Case Closed | Les Kabowski | 1988-04-19 |
| Movie | A Tiger's Tale | Charlie Drumm | 1988-02-12 |
| Movie | Unholy Matrimony | Reverend Samuel Corey | 1988-10-03 |
| Movie | Far North | Bertrum | 1988-11-09 |
| Movie | The Rosary Murders | Father Ted Nabors | 1987-08-28 |
| Movie | Happy New Year | Charlie | 1987-08-07 |
| Movie | The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains | Warden Hardy | 1987-10-31 |
| Movie | The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues | Senator Henry Colton | 1987-11-22 |
| Movie | Big Trouble | O'Mara | 1986-05-30 |
| Movie | Where the River Runs Black | Father O'Reilly | 1986-09-19 |
| Movie | Tough Guys | Deke Yablonski | 1986-10-03 |
| Movie | Solarbabies | The Warden | 1986-11-26 |
| Movie | Stick | Chucky | 1985-04-26 |
| Series | Eye to Eye | 1985-03-21 | |
| Movie | Night of 100 Stars II | Self | 1985-03-10 |
| Movie | The Man with One Red Shoe | Ross | 1985-07-18 |
| Movie | Death of a Salesman | Charley | 1985-08-16 |
| Series | Amazing Stories | Unknown | 1985-09-29 |
| Series | Tall Tales & Legends | Uncle Doffue | 1985-09-25 |
| Movie | The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Uncle Doffue | 1985-09-25 |
| Movie | Stand Alone | Louis Thibadeau | 1985-09-01 |
| Movie | Mister Roberts | The Captain | 1984-03-18 |
| Movie | Mass Appeal | Monsignor Thomas Burke | 1984-12-14 |
| Movie | To Be or Not to Be | Col. Erhardt | 1983-12-16 |
| Movie | Hadley's Rebellion | Sam Crawford | 1983-09-30 |
| Movie | Scarface | Immigration Officer (voice) (uncredited) | 1983-12-09 |
| Movie | Two of a Kind | Charlie | 1983-12-13 |
| Movie | Working | Retired Man | 1982-04-13 |
| Movie | Tootsie | Les Nichols | 1982-12-17 |
| Movie | The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | Governor of Texas | 1982-07-23 |
| Movie | The Best Little Girl in the World | Frank Powell | 1981-05-11 |
| Movie | True Confessions | Jack Amsterdam | 1981-09-25 |
| Movie | Crisis at Central High | Jess Matthews | 1981-02-04 |
| Movie | Dark Night of the Scarecrow | Otis P. Hazelrigg | 1981-10-24 |
| Movie | Sharky's Machine | Lt. Friscoe | 1981-12-18 |
| Movie | The Final Countdown | Senator Samuel Chapman | 1980-01-31 |
| Movie | Attica | Commissioner Russell Oswald | 1980-03-02 |
| Movie | A Perfect Match | Bill Larson | 1980-10-05 |
| Movie | Die Laughing | Arnold | 1980-04-01 |
| Movie | The Muppets Go Hollywood | Self | 1979-05-16 |
| Series | Studs Lonigan | Paddy Lonigan | 1979-03-07 |
| Movie | The Muppet Movie | Doc Hopper | 1979-06-22 |
| Movie | Tilt | Harold 'The Whale' Remmens | 1979-04-01 |
| Movie | North Dallas Forty | Coach Johnson | 1979-08-03 |
| Movie | Starting Over | Michael "Mickey" Potter | 1979-10-05 |
| Movie | When a Stranger Calls | John Clifford | 1979-09-28 |
| Movie | The Fury | Dr. Jim McKeever | 1978-03-10 |
| Movie | Special Olympics | Carl Gallitzin | 1978-02-22 |
| Movie | An Enemy of the People | Peter Stockmann | 1978-03-17 |
| Movie | The Greek Tycoon | Michael Russell | 1978-05-12 |
| Movie | Twilight's Last Gleaming | President David T. Stevens | 1977-02-09 |
| Movie | The Choirboys | Spermwhale Whalen | 1977-12-23 |
| Movie | Harry and Walter Go to New York | Rufus T. Crisp | 1976-06-17 |
| Series | Captains and the Kings | Ed Healey | 1976-09-30 |
| Movie | Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | Al Green | 1975-02-13 |
| Movie | The Trial of Chaplain Jensen | Budd Rogers | 1975-02-11 |
| Series | Baretta | Unknown | 1975-01-17 |
| Movie | Dog Day Afternoon | Moretti | 1975-09-21 |
| Series | The Cop and the Kid | 1975-12-04 | |
| Movie | The Hindenburg | Captain Pruss | 1975-12-25 |
| Movie | Breakheart Pass | Frank O'Brien | 1975-12-09 |
| Movie | The Front Page | Murphy | 1974-11-01 |
| Movie | The Connection | Frank Devlin | 1973-02-27 |
| Movie | Sisters | Joseph Larch | 1973-04-18 |
| Movie | The Sting | Lt. Wm. Snyder | 1973-12-25 |
| Movie | Look Homeward, Angel | Will Pentland | 1972-01-01 |
| Movie | Doomsday Voyage | Jason's First Mate | 1972-02-01 |
| Movie | Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues | Murphy | 1972-02-25 |
| Movie | Deadhead Miles | Truck Driver in Cafe | 1972-08-08 |
| Series | All in the Family | Unknown | 1971-01-12 |
| Series | Cannon | Unknown | 1971-09-14 |
| Movie | The Pursuit of Happiness | 2nd Guard | 1971-02-23 |
| Movie | Sticky My Fingers ... Fleet My Feet | Football Player | 1970-01-01 |
| Movie | Hi, Mom! | Superintendent | 1970-04-27 |
| Movie | I Walk the Line | Wylie Hunnicutt | 1970-11-18 |
| Movie | Stiletto | Cop (uncredited) | 1969-07-30 |
| Series | Hawaii Five-O | Unknown | 1968-09-20 |
| Series | The High Chaparral | Unknown | 1967-09-10 |
| Movie | Harvey Middleman, Fireman | Dooley | 1965-07-12 |
| Series | Another World | 1964-05-04 | |
| Movie | The Password Is Courage | American Solider (uncredited) | 1962-06-01 |
| Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Unknown | 1951-12-24 |