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:
- 190
- 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 | Amazing Racer | Floyd | 2009-04-23 |
| Movie | Break | The Wise Man | 2009-05-01 |
| Movie | iMurders | Dr. Seamus St. Martin | 2008-08-09 |
| Movie | Deal | Charlie Adler | 2008-01-29 |
| Movie | Good Dick | Charlie | 2008-10-03 |
| Movie | Local Color | Yammi | 2008-11-14 |
| Movie | A Bunch of Amateurs | Charlie Rosenberg | 2008-11-17 |
| 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 | Desperation | Tom Billingsley | 2006-05-23 |
| Movie | Miracle Dogs Too | Captain Pete Weaver | 2006-04-01 |
| Movie | Forget About It | Eddie O'Brien | 2006-10-14 |
| 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 | The Autopsy | Self | 2004-12-31 |
| Movie | A Very Married Christmas | Ozzy Larson | 2004-12-05 |
| 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 | Dinner for Five | Unknown | 2001-07-06 |
| Movie | The Judge | Judge Harlan Radovich | 2001-05-06 |
| Series | Citizen Baines | Unknown | 2001-09-29 |
| 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 Grass Harp | Reverend Buster | 1996-10-11 |
| 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 | The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists | Archie (voice) | 1996-11-01 |
| 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 | Home for the Holidays | Henry Larson | 1995-11-02 |
| Movie | The Last Supper | Reverend Gerald Hutchens | 1995-09-08 |
| 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 | In Search of Dr. Seuss | (voice) (uncredited) | 1994-11-06 |
| Movie | I.Q. | Louis Bamberger | 1994-12-24 |
| Series | The American Revolution | Benjamin Franklin | 1994-11-27 |
| Movie | The World of Jim Henson | Doc Hopper (archive footage) | 1994-11-23 |
| 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 |
| Series | Evening Shade | Harlan Elldridge | 1990-09-21 |
| Movie | Dick Tracy | Chief Brandon | 1990-04-05 |
| Movie | The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson | Self | 1990-11-21 |
| Movie | Project Alien | Colonel Clancy | 1990-12-21 |
| Movie | Cat Chaser | Jiggs Scully | 1989-09-13 |
| Movie | Etoile | Uncle Joshua | 1989-03-17 |
| Movie | Prime Target | Earl Mulcahaney | 1989-09-29 |
| Movie | Brenda Starr | Editor Francis I. Livright | 1989-05-15 |
| Movie | The Butter Battle Book | Grandfather (voice) | 1989-11-13 |
| Movie | It Nearly Wasn't Christmas | Santa | 1989-12-01 |
| Movie | Dinner at Eight | Dan Packard | 1989-12-11 |
| 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: 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 | Solarbabies | The Warden | 1986-11-26 |
| Movie | Tough Guys | Deke Yablonski | 1986-10-03 |
| 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 |
| Movie | The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Uncle Doffue | 1985-09-25 |
| Series | Tall Tales & Legends | 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 | True Confessions | Jack Amsterdam | 1981-09-25 |
| Movie | Crisis at Central High | Jess Matthews | 1981-02-04 |
| Movie | The Best Little Girl in the World | Frank Powell | 1981-05-11 |
| 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 | Die Laughing | Arnold | 1980-04-01 |
| Movie | A Perfect Match | Bill Larson | 1980-10-05 |
| 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 | When a Stranger Calls | John Clifford | 1979-08-24 |
| Movie | Starting Over | Michael "Mickey" Potter | 1979-10-05 |
| 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 |
| Series | The Cop and the Kid | Officer Frank Murphy | 1975-12-04 |
| Movie | Dog Day Afternoon | Moretti | 1975-09-21 |
| 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 | 1973-03-26 |
| 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 | 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 |