Charles Middleton

Acting / Production / Writing / Creator

Biography

Charles Brown Middleton (October 3, 1874 – April 22, 1949) was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, he appeared in nearly 200 films as well as numerous plays. Sometimes credited as Charles B. Middleton, he is perhaps best remembered for his role as the villainous emperor Ming the Merciless in the three Flash Gordon serials made between 1936 and 1940.

Personal Information

Place of Birth

Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA

About

Acting, Male

Birthday

02 October 1874, 151 years old

Known For

Gone with the Wind

The Grapes of Wrath

Duck Soup

The Killers

Sergeant York

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

Jezebel

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

The Flying Deuces

Filmography

Production

Writing

Creator

The Boy from Mercury

Ming the Merciless (Archive Footage)

1996

Going Hollywood: The '30s

(archive footage)

1984

Dance of the Cookoos

Commandant

1982

A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'

Self (archive footage)

1973

Peril from the Planet Mongo

Ming the Merciless

1966

Purple Death from Outer Space

Ming the Merciless

1966

Spaceship to the Unknown

Ming the Merciless (archive footage)

1966

The Last Bandit

Blindfolded Circuit Rider

1949

The Decision of Christopher Blake

President in Dream (uncredited)

1948

Jiggs and Maggie in Court

Mr. Burton, an Attorney

1948

Station West

Sheriff

1948

Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'

Townsman (uncredited)

1948

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

Wrecker (uncredited)

1948

Here Comes Trouble

Reporter (uncredited)

1948

My Girl Tisa

1948

The Pretender

William the butler

1947

Gunfighters

Sheriff #1 (uncredited)

1947

Welcome Stranger

Farmer Pinkett (uncredited)

1947

The Sea of Grass

Charley - Saloon Owner (uncredited)

1947

The Killers

Farmer (uncredited)

1946

Spook Busters

Mr. Stiles

1946

Strangler of the Swamp

Ferryman Douglas

1946

How DOooo You Do

Sheriff Hayworth

1945

Northwest Trail

Pierre

1945

Our Vines Have Tender Grapes

Mr. Jensen

1945

Hollywood and Vine

Attorney

1945

The Town Went Wild

Sam, Midvale District Attorney

1944

The Desert Hawk

Koda Bey

1944

Black Arrow

Tom Whitney

1944

Wagon Wheels West

Phineas Hook

1943

Crazy House

Sheriff

1943

Oklahoma Outlaws

Judge Ringle

1943

Batman

Ken Colton

1943

Boobs in the Night

1943

The Black Raven

Sheriff

1943

Spook Louder

Graves' Valet

1943

Perils of Nyoka

Cassib

1942

Men of San Quentin

Saunderson

1942

The Mystery of Marie Roget

Curator

1942

Wild Bill Hickok Rides

Claim Jumping Leader

1942

Sergeant York

Mountaineer (uncredited)

1941

Jungle Man

Rev. James 'Jim' Graham

1941

Stick to Your Guns

Long Ben, gambler-saloon owner

1941

Belle Starr

Carpetbagger

1941

Wild Geese Calling

Doctor Jed Sloan

1941

The Shepherd of the Hills

Blacksmith (uncredited)

1941

Western Union

Stagecoach Rider

1941

Santa Fe Trail

Gentry

1940

Eyes of the Navy

Farmer (uncredited)

1940

Rangers of Fortune

Water Thug

1940

Brigham Young

Mob Member

1940

Gold Rush Maisie

Camp Owner with a Pig (Uncredited)

1940

Women in Hiding

Alice's Father (uncredited)

1940

Island of Doomed Men

Captain Cort

1940

Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise

Jeremiah Walters

1940

Shooting High

Hod Carson

1940

Virginia City

Jefferson Davis

1940

The Grapes of Wrath

Leader

1940

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

Emperor Ming

1940

Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Tom Lincoln

1940

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Lars Olsen

1939

Gone with the Wind

Man with Stove Pipe Hat in Charge of Convict Workers (uncredited)

1939

Cowboys from Texas

Kansas Jones

1939

Allegheny Uprising

Dr. Stoke

1939

The Flying Deuces

Commandant

1939

$1,000 a Touchdown

Stage Manager (uncredited)

1939

Blackmail

Southern Deputy (uncredited)

1939

One Against the World

Mr. Crumley (uncredited)

1939

Way Down South

Cass

1939

Wyoming Outlaw

Luke Parker

1939

Daredevils of the Red Circle

39013

1939

Captain Fury

Mergon

1939

The Oklahoma Kid

Alec Martin

1939

Jesse James

Doctor

1939

Kentucky

Southerner

1938

The Strange Case of Dr. Meade

Lacey

1938

Mars Attacks the World

Ming the Merciless

1938

Dick Tracy Returns

Pa Stark

1938

Flaming Frontiers

Ace Daggett

1938

Joaquin Murrieta

Politician (uncredited)

1938

Jezebel

Officer (uncredited)

1938

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars

Emperor Ming

1938

Flash Gordon: The Deadly Ray From Mars

Ming the Merciless

1938

Rocket Ship

Emperor Ming

1938

The Man Without a Country

President Abraham Lincoln (uncredited)

1937

Stand-In

Actor Dressed as Abraham Lincoln

1937

The Last Train from Madrid

Warden (uncredited)

1937

Slave Ship

Slave Dealer

1937

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

Gene Autry Sr.

1937

The Good Earth

Banker (uncredited)

1937

Hollywood Cowboy

'Doc' Kramer

1937

Two Gun Law

Wolf Larson

1937

We're on the Jury

Mr. Martin

1937

Empty Saddles

Cim White

1936

Career Woman

Matt Clay

1936

Wedding Present

Turnbull

1936

Ramona

American Settler (uncredited)

1936

The Texas Rangers

Lawyer (uncredited)

1936

Jailbreak

Dan Stone

1936

A Son Comes Home

Prosecutor

1936

Show Boat

Sheriff Ike Vallon

1936

Flash Gordon

Ming the Merciless

1936

Road Gang

Grayson

1936

The Trail of the Lonesome Pine

Blacksmith

1936

Song of the Saddle

Phineas P. Hook

1936

Sunset of Power

Neil Brannum

1936

Rose of the Rancho

Horse Doctor (uncredited)

1936

Frisco Kid

Speaker (uncredited)

1935

Special Agent

State Police Commander (uncredited)

1935

Steamboat Round the Bend

Fleety Belle's Father

1935

Hop-a-long Cassidy

Buck Peters

1935

Reckless

District Attorney (uncredited)

1935

The Miracle Rider

Zaroff

1935

In Spite of Danger

Mr. Merritt

1935

The Fixer Uppers

Pierre Gustave

1935

Square Shooter

Miller

1935

Red Morning

Stanchon

1934

Behold My Wife!

Juan Storm Cloud

1934

Broadway Bill

Veterinarian (uncredited)

1934

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

Mr. Bagby

1934

When Strangers Meet

John Tarman

1934

Whom the Gods Destroy

Constable Malcolm (uncredited)

1934

Murder at the Vanities

Homer Boothby

1934

The Last Round-up

Sheriff

1934

David Harum

Deacon

1934

Massacre

Sheriff Scatters

1934

Mr. Skitch

Joe

1933

Lone Cowboy

U.S. Marshal

1933

The World Changes

Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok (uncredited)

1933

Duck Soup

Prosecutor

1933

White Woman

Fenton

1933

Big Executive

Sheriff

1933

The Bowery

Detective (uncredited)

1933

Doctor Bull

Mr. Upjohn

1933

This Day and Age

District Attorney

1933

Disgraced!

District Attorney

1933

Tomorrow at Seven

Jerry Simons

1933

At Twelve Midnight

Roger Thurston

1933

Sunset Pass

Williams

1933

The Three Musketeers

El Shaitan (voice)

1933

Destination Unknown

Turk

1933

Pick-up

Mr. Brewster

1933

The Road Is Open Again

Abraham Lincoln

1933

The Sign of the Cross

Tyros

1932

Silver Dollar

Jenkins

1932

Too Busy to Work

Chief of Police

1932

Rockabye

District Attorney (uncredited)

1932

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

Train Conductor (uncredited)

1932

Breach of Promise

Joe Pugmire

1932

Hell's Highway

Matthew the Hermit

1932

The Phantom President

Abe Lincoln (uncredited)

1932

Pack Up Your Troubles

Welfare Association Officer

1932

Mystery Ranch

Henry Steele

1932

The Strange Love of Molly Louvain

Police Capt. Slade

1932

The Hatchet Man

Lip Hop Fat

1932

High Pressure

Mr. Banks

1932

Manhattan Parade

Sheriff Casey

1931

X Marks the Spot

Kirby

1931

Safe in Hell

Lawyer Jones

1931

A House Divided

Minister

1931

Beau Hunks

Commandant

1931

Sob Sister

City Editor Baker

1931

A Dangerous Affair

Tupper

1931

Palmy Days

Yolando

1931

The Ruling Voice

Board Member (uncredited)

1931

An American Tragedy

Attorney Reuben Jephson

1931

Caught Plastered

Sheriff Flint

1931

The Miracle Woman

Simpson

1931

Ships of Hate

Captain Lash

1931

The Devil's Cabaret

Mr. Satan (uncredited)

1930

East Is West

Dr. Fredericks

1930

Way Out West

Buck Rankin

1930

Beau Bandit

Lucius J. Perkins

1930

Welcome Danger

John Thorne / The Dragon

1929

The Far Call

Kris Larsen

1929

The Bellamy Trial

District Attorney

1929