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.
Movie | Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021-08-14 |
Movie | Bleeding Hearts | Santa Claus | 2015-02-03 |
Movie | Scavenger Killers | Dylan Frier | 2013-06-01 |
Movie | Top Priority: The Terror Within | Himself - Academy Award Nominated Actor (archive footage) | 2012-06-15 |
Movie | Rogue Assassin | 2012-01-01 | |
Movie | The Great Fight | Judge Frier | 2011-06-05 |
Movie | Naked Run | Congressman Davenport | 2011-05-05 |
Movie | The Life Zone | James Wise | 2011-06-10 |
Movie | Break | The Wise Man | 2009-05-01 |
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 | The Golden Boys | John Bartlett | 2008-12-11 |
Movie | Kinky Killers | Alexander Hathaway | 2007-06-01 |
Movie | Unbeatable Harold | Harold's Father | 2006-01-01 |
Movie | Jesus, Mary and Joey | Teddy | 2006-01-01 |
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 | Death and Texas | Marshall Ledger | 2004-03-12 |
Movie | A Very Married Christmas | Ozzy Larson | 2004-12-05 |
Movie | A Boyfriend for Christmas | Santa Claus | 2004-11-27 |
Movie | Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There | Self | 2003-01-01 |
Series | First Monday | Justice Henry Hoskins | 2002-01-15 |
Movie | Turn of Faith | Philly Russo | 2002-06-05 |
Movie | Mother Ghost | George | 2002-08-08 |
Movie | The Judge | Judge Harlan Radovich | 2001-05-06 |
Movie | L.A.P.D.: To Protect And To Serve | Stuart Steele | 2001-10-09 |
Movie | Bleacher Bums | Scorekeeper | 2001-10-18 |
Movie | Never Look Back | Reverend Hale | 2000-03-31 |
Movie | Lakeboat | Skippy | 2000-04-13 |
Movie | A Constant Forge | Self | 2000-01-01 |
Movie | Very Mean Men | Paddy Mulroney | 2000-06-10 |
Movie | State and Main | Mayor George Bailey | 2000-08-26 |
Movie | The Last Producer | Syd Wolf | 2000-08-22 |
Movie | Justice | Moe Ryan | 1999-01-14 |
Movie | Hard Time: Hostage Hotel | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1999-11-14 |
Movie | Hard Time: The Premonition | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1999-02-27 |
Movie | Shelter | Capt. Robert Landis | 1998-01-16 |
Movie | Hi-Life | Fatty | 1998-11-27 |
Movie | Hard Time | Det. Charlie Duffy | 1998-12-12 |
Movie | Jerry and Tom | Vic | 1998-12-04 |
Movie | Spy Hard | The Director | 1996-05-24 |
Movie | The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists | Archie (voice) | 1996-11-01 |
Movie | One Fine Day | Lew, Jack's boss | 1996-12-20 |
Movie | Mrs. Santa Claus | Santa Claus | 1996-12-08 |
Movie | Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas | Santa Claus | 1996-12-24 |
Movie | The Last Supper | Reverend Gerald Hutchens | 1995-09-08 |
Movie | A Woman of Independent Means | Andrew Alcott | 1995-02-19 |
Movie | Home for the Holidays | Henry Larson | 1995-11-02 |
Movie | The Hudsucker Proxy | Waring Hudsucker | 1994-03-11 |
Movie | Charlie Sheen's Stunts Spectacular | Self (archive footage) | 1994-06-30 |
Movie | Roommates | Barney | 1994-05-30 |
Movie | I.Q. | Louis Bamberger | 1994-12-24 |
Movie | In Search of Dr. Seuss | (voice) (uncredited) | 1994-11-06 |
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 | The Story Lady | Judge (uncredited) | 1991-12-09 |
Movie | V.I. Warshawski | Det. Lt. Bobby Mallory | 1991-07-26 |
Series | The Kennedys of Massachusetts | John F. Fitzgerald | 1990-02-18 |
Series | Evening Shade | Harlan Elldridge | 1990-09-21 |
Movie | Project Alien | 1990-12-21 | |
Movie | Brenda Starr | Editor Francis I. Livright | 1989-05-15 |
Movie | Etoile | Uncle Joshua | 1989-03-17 |
Movie | Cat Chaser | Jiggs Scully | 1989-09-13 |
Movie | Prime Target | Earl Mulcahaney | 1989-09-29 |
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 | Happy New Year | Charlie | 1987-08-07 |
Movie | The Rosary Murders | Father Ted Nabors | 1987-08-28 |
Movie | The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues | Senator Henry Colton | 1987-11-22 |
Movie | The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains | Warden Hardy | 1987-10-31 |
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 | Night of 100 Stars II | Self | 1985-03-10 |
Movie | The Man with One Red Shoe | Ross | 1985-07-18 |
Movie | Stick | Chucky | 1985-04-26 |
Movie | Death of a Salesman | Charley | 1985-08-16 |
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 | Hadley's Rebellion | Sam Crawford | 1983-09-30 |
Movie | Scarface | Immigration Officer (voice) (uncredited) | 1983-12-09 |
Movie | To Be or Not to Be | Col. Erhardt | 1983-12-16 |
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 | Crisis at Central High | Jess Matthews | 1981-02-04 |
Movie | True Confessions | Jack Amsterdam | 1981-09-25 |
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 | Tilt | Harold 'The Whale' Remmens | 1979-04-01 |
Series | Studs Lonigan | Paddy Lonigan | 1979-03-07 |
Movie | The Muppets Go Hollywood | Self | 1979-05-16 |
Movie | The Muppet Movie | Doc Hopper | 1979-06-22 |
Movie | Starting Over | Michael "Mickey" Potter | 1979-10-05 |
Movie | When a Stranger Calls | John Clifford | 1979-09-28 |
Movie | North Dallas Forty | Coach Johnson | 1979-08-03 |
Movie | Special Olympics | Carl Gallitzin | 1978-02-22 |
Movie | The Fury | Dr. Jim McKeever | 1978-03-10 |
Movie | The Greek Tycoon | Michael Russell | 1978-05-12 |
Movie | An Enemy of the People | Peter Stockmann | 1978-03-17 |
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 | 1976-09-30 | |
Movie | The Trial of Chaplain Jensen | Budd Rogers | 1975-02-11 |
Movie | Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | Al Green | 1975-02-13 |
Movie | The Hindenburg | Captain Pruss | 1975-12-25 |
Movie | Dog Day Afternoon | Det. Sgt. Eugene Moretti | 1975-09-21 |
Movie | Breakheart Pass | Frank O'Brien | 1975-12-09 |
Movie | The Connection | Frank Devlin | 1973-02-27 |
Movie | The Sting | Lt. Wm. Snyder | 1973-12-25 |
Movie | Look Homeward, Angel | Will Pentland | 1972-01-01 |
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 |
Movie | Sisters | Joseph Larch | 1972-11-18 |
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 |
Movie | Harvey Middleman, Fireman | Dooley | 1965-07-12 |
Movie | The Password Is Courage | American Solider (uncredited) | 1962-06-01 |
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