1923-02-28 Highland Falls, New York, USA
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.
 |
Scavenger Killers | Dylan Frier | 2013-06-01 |
 |
Bleeding Hearts | Santa Claus | 2013-06-01 |
|
Rogue Assassin | 2012-01-01 | |
|
Naked Run | Congressman Davenport | 2011-05-05 |
 |
The Life Zone | James Wise | 2011-06-10 |
 |
The Great Fight | Judge Frier | 2011-01-01 |
 |
The Waiter | Frank 'The Handler' Maro | 2010-03-14 |
 |
An Affirmative Act | Man in the White Suit | 2010-06-04 |
 |
Good Dick | Charlie | 2008-10-03 |
|
A Bunch of Amateurs | Charlie Rosenberg | 2008-11-17 |
 |
Deal | Charlie Adler | 2008-01-29 |
 |
The Golden Boys | John Bartlett | 2008-12-11 |
 |
iMurders | Dr. Seamus St. Martin | 2008-08-09 |
 |
Kinky Killers | Alexander Hathaway | 2007-06-01 |
 |
Forget About It | Eddie O'Brien | 2006-10-14 |
|
Unbeatable Harold | Harold's Father | 2006-01-01 |
 |
Descansos | Inkeeper #2 | 2006-01-05 |
 |
Desperation | Tom Billingsley | 2006-05-23 |
 |
The Making of Dog Day Afternoon | 2006-02-28 | |
 |
Miracle Dogs Too | Captain Pete Weaver | 2006-04-01 |
 |
Local Color | Yammi | 2006-09-19 |
 |
Jesus, Mary and Joey | Teddy | 2006-01-01 |
 |
The L.A. Riot Spectacular | The Lawyer | 2005-04-25 |
 |
Dirty Deeds | Victor Rasdale | 2005-08-26 |
|
Death and Texas | Marshall Ledger | 2004-03-12 |
|
Sisters, l'autopsie | 2004-12-31 | |
 |
A Boyfriend for Christmas | Santa Claus | 2004-11-27 |
 |
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There | Himself | 2003-01-01 |
 |
Turn of Faith | Philly Russo | 2002-06-05 |
|
Mother Ghost | George | 2002-08-08 |
 |
Mr. St. Nick | Nicholas XX | 2002-10-17 |
|
The Judge | 2001-05-06 | |
|
L.A.P.D.: To Protect And To Serve | Stuart Steele | 2001-10-09 |
|
The Last Producer | Syd Wolf | 2000-08-22 |
 |
O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Menelaus "Pappy" O'Daniel | 2000-08-30 |
 |
Never Look Back | 2000-03-31 | |
|
Lakeboat | Skippy | 2000-04-13 |
|
Very Mean Men | Paddy Mulroney | 2000-06-10 |
 |
State and Main | Mayor George Bailey | 2000-08-26 |
 |
Justice | Moe Ryan | 1999-01-14 |
|
Hard Time: The Premonition | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1999-02-27 |
 |
Hard Time: Hostage Hotel | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1999-11-14 |
|
Hard Time | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1998-12-12 |
 |
Hi-Life | Fatty | 1998-11-27 |
 |
A Chance of Snow | Earl Pulmer | 1998-12-07 |
|
Shelter | Capt. Robert Landis | 1998-01-16 |
 |
Jerry and Tom | Vic | 1998-12-04 |
 |
The Secret Life of Algernon | Norbie Hess | 1997-11-15 |
 |
Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas | Santa Claus | 1997-09-03 |
 |
Spy Hard | The Director | 1996-05-24 |
 |
Mrs. Santa Claus | Santa Claus | 1996-12-08 |
 |
One Fine Day | Lew | 1996-12-20 |
 |
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman | Himself | 1996-11-25 |
 |
The Grass Harp | Reverend Buster | 1995-09-10 |
 |
Home for the Holidays | Henry Larson | 1995-11-02 |
|
A Woman of Independent Means | Andrew Alcott | 1995-02-19 |
 |
The Last Supper | Reverend Gerald Hutchens | 1995-09-08 |
 |
Roomates | Barney | 1994-05-30 |
 |
Charlie Sheen's Stunts Spectacular | Himself - (archive footage) | 1994-06-30 |
 |
I.Q. | Louis Bamberger | 1994-12-24 |
 |
The Hudsucker Proxy | Waring Hudsucker | 1994-03-11 |
 |
The World of Jim Henson | Doc Hopper (archive footage) | 1994-11-23 |
 |
When a Stranger Calls Back | John Clifford | 1993-04-04 |
 |
The Music of Chance | Bill Flower | 1993-06-23 |
 |
Tales from Hollywood | 1992-10-18 | |
|
The Water Engine | Tour Guide | 1992-08-24 |
 |
V.I. Warshawski | Det. Lt. Bobby Mallory | 1991-07-26 |
 |
Dick Tracy | Chief Brandon | 1990-04-05 |
 |
Brenda Starr | Editor Francis I. Livright | 1989-05-15 |
 |
Étoile | Uncle Joshua | 1989-03-17 |
|
It Nearly Wasn't Christmas | Santa | 1989-12-01 |
 |
Cat Chaser | Jiggs Scully | 1989-12-08 |
 |
The Butter Battle Book | Grandfather (voice) | 1989-11-13 |
 |
Prime Target | Earl Mulcahaney | 1989-09-29 |
 |
Dinner at Eight | Dan Packard | 1989-12-11 |
 |
Unholy Matrimony | Reverend Samuel Corey | 1988-10-03 |
 |
Far North | Bertrum | 1988-11-09 |
 |
Cop | Dutch Peltz | 1988-01-01 |
 |
Case Closed | 1988-04-19 | |
 |
Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues | Senator Henry Colton | 1987-11-22 |
|
The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains | Warden Hardy | 1987-10-31 |
 |
The Rosary Murders | Father Ted Nabors | 1987-08-28 |
 |
Happy New Year | Charlie | 1987-08-07 |
 |
A Tiger's Tale | Charlie Drumm | 1987-08-22 |
 |
Solarbabies | The Warden | 1986-11-26 |
 |
Big Trouble | O'Mara | 1986-05-30 |
|
Where the River Runs Black | Father O'Reilly | 1986-09-19 |
 |
Tough Guys | Deke Yablonski | 1986-10-03 |
 |
Stand Alone | Louis Thibadeau | 1985-09-01 |
 |
Death of a Salesman | Charley | 1985-08-16 |
 |
Stick | Chucky | 1985-04-26 |
 |
The Man with One Red Shoe | Ross | 1985-07-18 |
 |
Tall Tales and Legends: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Uncle Doffue | 1985-09-25 |
|
Mister Roberts | The Captain | 1984-03-18 |
 |
Mass Appeal | Monsignor Thomas Burke | 1984-12-14 |
 |
To Be or Not to Be | Col. Erhardt | 1983-12-16 |
 |
Scarface | Immigration Officer (voice) (uncredited) | 1983-12-08 |
|
Hadley's Rebellion | Sam Crawford | 1983-09-30 |
 |
Two of a Kind | Charlie | 1983-01-01 |
 |
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | Governor | 1982-07-23 |
 |
Working | Retired Man | 1982-04-13 |
 |
Tootsie | Les Nichols | 1982-06-10 |
 |
Sharky's Machine | Lt. Friscoe | 1981-12-18 |
 |
The Best Little Girl in the World | Frank Powell | 1981-05-11 |
 |
Dark Night of the Scarecrow | Otis P. Hazelrigg | 1981-10-24 |
|
Crisis at Central High | Jess Matthews | 1981-02-04 |
 |
True Confessions | Jack Amsterdam | 1981-09-25 |
 |
Attica | Commisioner Russel Oswald | 1980-03-01 |
 |
Die Laughing | 1980-04-01 | |
|
A Perfect Match | Bill Larson | 1980-10-05 |
 |
The Final Countdown | Senator Samuel Chapman | 1980-01-31 |
 |
Tilt | Harold 'The Whale' Remmens | 1979-04-01 |
 |
North Dallas Forty | Coach Johnson | 1979-08-03 |
 |
Starting Over | Michael "Mickey" Potter | 1979-10-05 |
 |
The Muppet Movie | Doc Hopper | 1979-05-31 |
 |
When a Stranger Calls | John Clifford | 1979-10-26 |
 |
An Enemy of the People | Peter Stockmann | 1978-03-17 |
 |
The Fury | Dr. Jim McKeever | 1978-03-10 |
|
Special Olympics | Carl Gallitzin | 1978-02-22 |
 |
Twilight's Last Gleaming | President David T. Stevens | 1977-02-09 |
 |
The Choirboys | Spermwhale Whalen | 1977-12-23 |
 |
Harry and Walter Go to New York | Rufus T. Crisp | 1976-06-17 |
|
The Trial of Chaplain Jensen | Budd Rogers | 1975-02-11 |
 |
The Hindenburg | Captain Pruss | 1975-12-25 |
 |
Dog Day Afternoon | Det. Sgt. Eugene Moretti | 1975-09-21 |
 |
Breakheart Pass | O'Brien | 1975-12-25 |
 |
Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | Al Green | 1975-02-13 |
 |
The Front Page | Murphy | 1974-12-01 |
|
The Connection | Frank Devlin | 1973-02-27 |
 |
The Sting | Lt. Wm. Snyder | 1973-12-25 |
 |
Sisters | Joseph Larch | 1973-03-26 |
|
Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues | Murphy | 1972-02-25 |
 |
Doomsday Voyage | Jason's First Mate | 1972-02-01 |
|
Deadhead Miles | Truck Driver in Cafe | 1972-08-08 |
 |
The Pursuit of Happiness | 2nd Guard | 1971-02-23 |
|
Sticky My Fingers... Fleet My Feet | Football Player | 1970-01-01 |
 |
I Walk the Line | Hunnicutt | 1970-11-18 |
 |
Hi, Mom! | Superintendent | 1970-04-27 |
 |
The Password Is Courage | 1962-06-01 | |
 |
LA DA Story | Himself (archive footage) |
