Great character actor. I have enjoyed his work in so many movies and tv shows over the years. I had no idea that he was a World War II war hero and had experienced so much trauma and horror during the war.

Rest in peace, Charles.

http://www.nytimes.c...9.html?hpw&_r=0

Edited December 25, 201212 yr by Ann_SS

I LOVED him in Tootsie, and he had a great role in the movie Mass Appeal with Jack Lemmon. RIP.

He played Santa Claus a lot, I remember seeing him in a few films playing the role.

I loved him on Rescue Me. RIP

He used to do the Memorial Day Concert every year in Washington, DC (the one that airs on PBS) but he hadn't been the last few years.

I never knew about his WWII experiences. They sound unimaginable.

He was on soaps, briefly - he was the first Gil McGowan on AW, in the early 70s.

He was a wonderful actor, a true character actor but also good in leading, complex roles. I remember him from Evening Shade. I also remember him for his wonderful work in a TV-movie with Maureen Stapleton, called Queen of the Stardust Ballroom. Stapleton played a widow who was living her life for her not overly grateful children, and Durning wooed her, taking her to a dance hall. They fell in love - they even sang. These were very vulnerable performances, and while the movie made me cry, I still have fond memories of it.

Edited December 25, 201212 yr by CarlD2

anyone else remember him as "doc harper" on the original 1979 Muppet Movie? he was selling frog legs and wanted Kermit.

Edited December 26, 201212 yr by BKuzak

anyone else remember him as "doc harper" on the original 1979 Muppet Movie? he was selling frog legs and wanted Kermit.

That's probably why I never warmed to him...

I never knew about his WWII experiences. They sound unimaginable.

He was on soaps, briefly - he was the first Gil McGowan on AW, in the early 70s.

He was a wonderful actor, a true character actor but also good in leading, complex roles. I remember him from Evening Shade. I also remember him for his wonderful work in a TV-movie with Maureen Stapleton, called Queen of the Stardust Ballroom. Stapleton played a widow who was living her life for her not overly grateful children, and Durning wooed her, taking her to a dance hall. They fell in love - they even sang. These were very vulnerable performances, and while the movie made me cry, I still have fond memories of it.

I think that became the Broadway musical, Ballroom.

anyone else remember him as "doc harper" on the original 1979 Muppet Movie? he was selling frog legs and wanted Kermit.

This is the first role I ever saw him in and the one I associate with him the most. Especially when he's singing that ditty about frog leg burgers and in his accent it sounds like "frog leg boogers".

I never knew they made that into a Broadway musical. Apparently it didn't run very long. I saw the TV-movie on Encore a long time ago, back when I watched Encore for something beyond taping Western reruns for some of my family. It's very good. Sad, but good.

RIP

I had forgotten he was in a Shania Twain vid before she hit it big

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcBplbfXgSY