Charles Kemper

Charles Kemper (September 6, 1900 – May 12, 1950) was an American character actor born in Oklahoma. The heavy-set actor was for decades a successful stage actor.

Movie career Like many actors in New York, Charles Kemper worked in short comedies filmed at the Pathé, Vitaphone, and Paramount studios, beginning in 1929. In 1936 he was featured in the Broadway revue New Faces of 1936, and he was signed by Educational Pictures as a leading comic, playing timid characters in the tradition of Educational's silent-era star Lloyd Hamilton. He soon became a foil for Educational's newest find Danny Kaye, who was then a dialect comedian. Kemper and Kaye might have continued in these miniature sketches, but the studio ceased production in 1937; the last of the Kemper comedies was released in mid-1938.

In 1945 Kemper returned to films as a character actor in Hollywood. Kemper had memorable supporting roles in films including The Southerner (1945), Scarlet Street (1945), Gallant Journey (1946), The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (1947), and the film noir On Dangerous Ground (as Pop Daley, his last film role).

Kemper died at the age of 49 when he was involved in a car accident in Burbank, California.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1929 Wednesday at the Ritz Drunk leading role in short comedy1935 The Officer's Mess Sarge Shemp Howard short1937-1938 Two-reel comedies for Educational Pictures various 1941 Waiting for Baby Mr. Theakstis Robert Benchley short1945 The Southerner Tim 1945 An Angel Comes to Brooklyn Phineas Aloysius Higby 1945 Scarlet Street Homer Higgins 1946 Gallant Journey Father 'Dickie' Ball 1946 Sister Kenny Mr. McIntyre 1947 The Shocking Miss Pilgrim Herbert Jothan 1947 King of the Wild Horses Rudy 1947 Gunfighters Sheriff Kiscaden 1947 That Hagen Girl Jim Hagen 1948 Fury at Furnace Creek Peaceful Jones 1948 Fighting Father Dunne Emmett Mulvey 1948 Belle Starr's Daughter Deputy Gaffer 1948 Yellow Sky Walrus 1949 Adventure in Baltimore Mr. Steuben 1949 The Doolins of Oklahoma Thomas 'Arkansas' Jones 1949 Intruder in the Dust Crawford Gowrie 1950 The Nevadan Sheriff Dyke Merrick 1950 Stars in My Crown Prof. Sam Houston Jones 1950 A Ticket to Tomahawk Chuckity 1950 Wagon Master Uncle Shiloh Clegg 1950 Where Danger Lives Police Chief 1950 Mr. Music Mr. Danforth 1950 California Passage Sheriff Willy Clair 1951 On Dangerous Ground Pop Daley (final film role)