Charles Pearce Coleman (December 22, 1885 – March 8, 1951) was an Australian-born American character actor of the silent and

sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

eras.

Early years

Coleman was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on December 22, 1885.

Career

Coleman began his film career in the 1915 silent film, ''The Mummy and the Humming Bird'', which was also the screen debut of Charles Cherry, a noted stage actor. In more than half of his 200 performances in films, he appeared as a butler, doorman/concierge, valet, or waiter. In the 1930s, Coleman appeared in such films as ''

Beyond Victory ''Beyond Victory'' is a 1931 American pre-Code war film starring William Boyd (actor), Bill Boyd, James Gleason, Lew Cody, and ZaSu Pitts. While John S. Robertson, John Robertson received directing credit, Edward H. Griffith supposedly took exte ...

'' (1931), starring Bill Boyd and James Gleason, the Wheeler & Woolsey comedy '' Diplomaniacs'' (1933), 1934's '' Born to Be Bad'' which starred

Loretta Young Loretta Young (born Gretchen Michaela Young; January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1989. She received numerous honors including an Academy Awards ...

and

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

, the 1934 version of '' Of Human Bondage'' starring

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

and

Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director, producer and writer.Obituary, '' Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and '' Vanity Fair'' an ...

, the first film to star the pairing of

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "g ...

and

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

, ''

The Gay Divorcee ''The Gay Divorcee'' is a 1934 American Musical film, musical romantic comedy film directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It also features Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes (actor, born 1906), Erik ...

'' (1935), the first feature-length film to be shot entirely in Technicolor, '' Becky Sharp'', 1936's '' Magnificent Obsession'' starring

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during Classical Hollywood cinema, the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she perf ...

and Robert Taylor, the

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...

vehicle, ''

Captains Courageous ''Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks'' is an 1897 novel by Rudyard Kipling that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the spoiled son of a railroad tycoon, after he is saved from drowning by a Portuguese f ...

'' (1937), ''

The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. The plot conce ...

'' (1937), starring

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

and

Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British and American actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. He was the recipient of numerous accolades, including four Academy Award nominations for Academy Award for Best Supp ...

, and the Reginald Owen version of ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...

'' (1938). The Rage of Paris 5

In the 1940s, Coleman's films included: '' Buck Privates'' (1941), the first film starring the comedy duo of Abbott and Costello; 1943's '' Du Barry Was a Lady'', starring

Red Skelton Richard Bernard Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national old-time radio, radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelto ...

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedian, producer, and studio executive. She was recognized by ''Time (magazine), Time'' in 2020 as one of the most influential women of the 20th century for h ...

, and

Gene Kelly Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, director and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style and sought to create a new form of American dance accessibl ...

;

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

and Joan Fontaine in the 1944 version of ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

''; the 1945 film ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is an 1890 philosophical fiction and Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American period ...

'', with

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous charac ...

, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury, and

Peter Lawford Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford (né Aylen; 7 September 1923 – 24 December 1984) was an English-American actor.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', 26 December 1984. He was a member of the "Rat Pack" and the brother-in-law of US president Jo ...

; and the 1949 comedy ''

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court ''A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'' is an 1889 historical novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The book was originally titled ''A Yankee in King Arthur's Court''. Some early editions are titled ''A Yankee at the Court ...

'', starring

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

and Rhonda Fleming. The last film Coleman worked on was the

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...

vehicle, '' The Blazing Sun'', (1950). '' Double Dynamite'' (1951), starring

Jane Russell Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress, model, and singer. She was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s and starred in more than 20 films throughout her career. R ...

Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer who performed in films and vaudeville on television, radio, and the stage. He is considered one of America's greatest comed ...

, and

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

, was the final film released in which he appeared. Coleman had worked on the film in 1948, but it was shelved for several years by

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...

, and not released until after Coleman's death. Coleman's work on stage included being leading man for

Pauline Frederick Pauline Frederick (born Pauline Beatrice Libbey; August 12, 1883 – September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. Early life Frederick was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in 1883 (some sources stat ...

in productions that toured Australia and the United States. On Broadway, he performed in ''Porgy and Bess'' (1943), ''Amourette'' (1933), ''Face the Music'' (1932), ''Nina Rosa'' (1930), ''Colonel Newcome'' (1917), ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' (1916), ''The Adventure of Lady Ursula'' (1915), and ''Secret Strings'' (1914).

Death

Coleman died of a stroke at the Motion Picture Country Home in Los Angeles on March 8, 1951, at age 66and was cremated and interred at Chapel Of The Pines Crematory in Los Angeles.

Filmography

(Per AFI database) * '' The Mummy and the Hummingbird'' (1915) * '' When We Were Twenty-One'' (1915) * '' The Love Cheat'' (1919) * '' The Place of Honeymoons'' (1920) * '' Big Dan'' (1923) * '' Second Hand Love'' (1923) * '' That French Lady'' (1924) * '' The Vagabond Trail'' (1924) * '' Sandy'' (1926) * '' Good Morning, Judge'' (1928) * '' That's My Daddy'' (1928) * '' Lawful Larceny'' (1930) * '' Once a Gentleman'' (1930) * '' What a Man'' (1930) * ''

'' (1931) * '' Bachelor Apartment'' (1931) * '' Young as You Feel'' (1931) * '' Her Majesty Love'' (1931) * '' High Stakes'' (1931) * '' The Heart of New York'' (1932) * '' Union Depot'' (1932) * '' One Hour with You'' (1932) * '' Winner Take All'' (1932) * '' Play Girl'' (1932) * '' A Successful Calamity'' (1932) * '' Jewel Robbery'' (1932) * '' Merrily We Go to Hell'' (1932) * '' Are You Listening?'' (1932) * '' The Washington Masquerade'' (1932) * '' As the Devil Commands'' (1932) * '' Diplomaniacs'' (1933) * '' The Little Giant'' (1933) * '' I Loved a Woman'' (1933) * '' Baby Face'' (1933) * '' Midnight Club'' (1933) * '' Sailor Be Good'' (1933) * '' Walls of Gold'' (1933) * '' Born to Be Bad'' (1934) * '' The Little Minister'' (1934) * '' David Harum'' (1934) * '' Down to Their Last Yacht'' (1934) * '' Gallant Lady'' (1934) * '' Of Human Bondage'' (1934) * ''

Housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which may include Parenting, caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; Sew ...

'' (1934) * '' Lady by Choice'' (1934) * '' Shock'' (1934) * '' The Merry Frinks'' (1934) * '' Million Dollar Ransom'' (1934) * ''

'' (1934) * '' The Girl from Missouri'' (1934) * '' Embarrassing Moments'' (1934) * '' His Family Tree'' (1935) * '' Rendezvous'' (1935) * '' Becky Sharp'' (1935) * '' The Bishop Misbehaves'' (1935) * '' The Goose and the Gander'' (1935) * '' The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo'' (1935) * '' The Perfect Gentleman'' (1935) * '' No More Ladies'' (1935) * '' Whipsaw'' (1935) * '' Murder Man'' (1935) * '' Kind Lady'' (1935) * '' Three Kids and a Queen'' (1935) * ''

The Widow from Monte Carlo ''The Widow from Monte Carlo'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Arthur Greville Collins and starring Warren William, Dolores del Río, Louise Fazenda and Colin Clive. It was based on the play '' A Present from Margate'' by Ian Hay ...

'' (1935) * '' Magnificent Obsession'' (1936) * '' Sins of Man'' (1936) * '' Fury'' (1936) * '' The King Steps Out'' (1936) * '' Colleen'' (1936) * '' The Return of Sophie Lang'' (1936) * '' The White Angel'' (1936) * '' The Border Patrolman'' (1936) * '' Mummy's Boys'' (1936) * '' Her Master's Voice'' (1936) * '' Walking on Air'' (1936) * '' Poor Little Rich Girl'' (1936) * ''

Born to Dance ''Born to Dance'' is a 1936 American musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Eleanor Powell, James Stewart and Virginia Bruce. It was produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The score was composed by Cole Porter. Plot Wh ...

'' (1936) * '' Don't Get Personal'' (1936) * ''

The Devil Is a Sissy ''The Devil Is a Sissy'' is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s. The film pre ...

'' (1936) * '' Everybody's Old Man'' (1936) * ''

The Great Ziegfeld ''The Great Ziegfeld'' is a 1936 American musical film, musical drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced by Hunt Stromberg. It stars William Powell as the theatrical impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., Florenz "Flo" Ziegfeld Jr., Lui ...

'' (1936) * ''

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is a insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gover ...

'' (1936) * ''

'' (1937) as Burns, the Butler (uncredited) * '' Fight for Your Lady'' (1937) * '' There Goes My Girl'' (1937) * ''

Big Town Girl ''Big Town Girl'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Alfred L. Werker and written by Lou Breslow, Robert Ellis (actor, born 1892), Robert Ellis, Helen Logan and John Patrick. The film stars Claire Trevor, Donald Woods (actor), Donald Woods ...

'' (1937) * ''

'' (1937) * '' The Last Gangster'' (1937) * ''

Shall We Dance Shall We Dance may refer to: Films * ''Shall We Dance'' (1937 film), a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical * ''Shall We Dance?'' (1996 film), a Japanese film about ballroom dancing * ''Shall We Dance?'' (2004 film), an American remake of the ...

'' (1937) * '' Too Many Wives'' (1937) * '' Merry-Go-Round of 1938'' (1937) * '' Love Is News'' (1937) * '' Danger – Love at Work'' (1937) * '' Double Wedding'' (1937) * '' Gateway'' (1938) * '' The Rage of Paris'' (1938) * '' The Shining Hour'' (1938) * ''

'' (1938) * '' Little Miss Broadway'' (1938) * '' The Affairs of Annabel'' (1938) * ''

Alexander's Ragtime Band "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is a Tin Pan Alley song by American composer Irving Berlin released in 1911; it is often inaccurately cited as his first global hit. Despite its title, the song is a march as opposed to a rag and contains little sync ...

'' (1938) * '' Always Goodbye'' (1938) * '' Radio City Revels'' (1938) * '' Carefree'' (1938) * '' That Certain Age'' (1938) * '' Lord Jeff'' (1938) * '' You Can't Cheat an Honest Man'' (1939) * '' Beauty for the Asking'' (1939) * '' In Name Only'' (1939) * '' Bridal Suite'' (1939) * '' First Love'' (1939) * '' Pardon Our Nerve'' (1939) * '' Man About Town'' (1939) * '' Maisie'' (1939) * '' The Under-Pup'' (1939) * '' Mexican Spitfire Out West'' (1940) * '' Mexican Spitfire'' (1940) * '' The Earl of Chicago'' (1940) * '' Cross-Country Romance'' (1940) * '' Brother Orchid'' (1940) as English diamond salesman (uncredited) * '' The Westerner'' (1940) * '' Phantom Raiders'' (1940) * '' Andy Hardy Meets Debutante'' (1940) * '' Buck Privates'' (1941) * '' Design for Scandal'' (1941) * '' Free and Easy'' (1941) * '' It Started with Eve'' (1941) * '' Maisie Was a Lady'' (1941) * '' Meet the Chump'' (1941) * '' Melody Lane'' (1941) * '' Moonlight in Hawaii'' (1941) * ''

Repent at Leisure ''Repent at Leisure'' is a 1941 American domestic comedy film directed by Frank Woodruff from a screenplay by Jerry Cady based on a story by James Gow and Arnaud D'Usseau Arnaud d'Usseau (April 18, 1916 – January 29, 1990) was a playwright ...

'' (1941) * '' Sis Hopkins'' (1941) * '' West Point Widow'' (1941) * '' Michael Shayne, Private Detective'' (1941) * '' Almost Married'' (1942) * ''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...

'' (1942) * '' Between Us Girls'' (1942) * '' The Great Impersonation'' (1942) * ''

Highways by Night ''Highways by Night'' is a 1942 American crime drama film directed by Peter Godfrey from a screenplay by Lynn Root and Frank Fenton, based on the story ''Silver Spoon'', by Clarence Budington Kelland. The film stars Richard Carlson and Jane ...

'' (1942) * '' Jail House Blues'' (1942) * ''

Lady in a Jam ''Lady in a Jam'' is a 1942 film comedy directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Irene Dunne, Patric Knowles, Ralph Bellamy, and Eugene Pallette. It was made and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film's sets were designed by the art direc ...

'' (1942) * '' Miss Annie Rooney'' (1942) * ''

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

'' (1942) * '' Right to the Heart'' (1942) * ''

They All Kissed the Bride ''They All Kissed the Bride'' is a 1942 American screwball comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas. Crawford took over the title role after Carole Lombard died in a plane crash in early 1942. Crawfor ...

'' (1942) * '' Twin Beds'' (1942) * '' What's Cookin'?'' (1942) * '' Yokel Boy'' (1942) * '' Du Barry Was a Lady'' (1943) * '' Fired Wife'' (1943) * '' Gals, Incorporated'' (1943) * ''

Girl Crazy ''Girl Crazy'' is a 1930 musical by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Co-leads Ginger Rogers and Ethel Merman made their stage debuts in the first production and Rogers became an overnight sta ...

'' (1943) * '' He Hired the Boss'' (1943) * '' Hi'ya, Sailor'' (1943) * '' It Ain't Hay'' (1943) * '' It Comes Up Love'' (1943) * '' Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event'' (1943) * '' Petticoat Larceny'' (1943) * ''

She's for Me ''She's for Me'' is a 1943 American musical film directed by Reginald LeBorg and starring Grace McDonald and David Bruce. Plot Two attorneys are attracted to the same client Cast * Grace McDonald as Jan Lawton * David Bruce as Michael ...

'' (1943) * ''

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death ''Sherlock Holmes Faces Death'' is the sixth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films. Made in 1943, it is a loose adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1893 Holmes short story " The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritua ...

'' (1943) * '' Two Tickets to London'' (1943) * ''

Air Raid Wardens ''Air Raid Wardens'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Laurel and Hardy. It was the first of two feature films starring the duo for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot Set during World War II, Stan and Ollie face a series of m ...

'' (1943) * ''

'' (1943) * '' The White Cliffs of Dover'' (1944) * '' In Society'' (1944) * '' Frenchman's Creek'' (1944) * '' Lady in the Dark'' (1944) * '' Marriage Is a Private Affair'' (1944) * '' Mrs. Parkington'' (1944) * ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...

'' (1944) * '' The Whistler'' (1944) * '' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945) * '' Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe'' (1945) * '' Earl Carroll Vanities'' (1945) * '' The Gay Senorita'' (1945) * '' Hangover Square'' (1945) * '' The Missing Corpse'' (1945) * ''

'' (1945) * '' Roughly Speaking'' (1945) * '' Song of the Prairie'' (1945) * '' The Stork Club'' (1945) * '' Kitty'' (1946) * '' Cluny Brown'' (1946) * '' In Fast Company'' (1946) * '' I've Always Loved You'' (1946) * '' The Magnificent Rogue'' (1946) * '' Monsieur Beaucaire'' (1946) * '' Never Say Goodbye'' (1946) * '' The Runaround'' (1946) * '' Two Guys from Milwaukee'' (1946) * ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

'' (1946) * '' Danger Street'' (1947) * '' The Imperfect Lady'' (1947) * '' Ladies' Man'' (1947) * '' The Lone Wolf in London'' (1947) * '' Love from a Stranger'' (1947) * ''

Lured ''Lured'' is a 1947 American film noir directed by Douglas Sirk and starring George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn, Cedric Hardwicke, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Boris Karloff. The film is a remake of 1939 French film ''Pièges'' directed ...

'' (1947) * '' The Pilgrim Lady'' (1947) * '' Variety Girl'' (1947) * '' Grand Canyon Trail'' (1948) * '' Three Daring Daughters'' (1948) * ''

'' (1949) * '' Trouble Makers'' (1949) * '' The Blazing Sun'' (1950) * ''

Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town ''Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Charles Lamont. It is the second installment of Universal-International's '' Ma and Pa Kettle'' series starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride. Plot At the conclusion ...

'' (1950) * '' Valentino (1951)'' (1951) * '' Double Dynamite '' (1951)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Coleman, Charles 1885 births 1951 deaths Australian male silent film actors Male actors from Sydney 20th-century Australian male actors Australian emigrants to the United States