
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.

Leader
The Grapes of Wrath

Prosecutor
Duck Soup

Gentry
Santa Fe Trail

Ming the Merciless
Flash Gordon

My Girl Tisa

William the butler
The Pretender

Sam, Midvale District Attorney
The Town Went Wild

Commandant
The Flying Deuces

Sheriff Ike Vallon
Show Boat

Lacey
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade

Ferryman Douglas
Strangler of the Swamp

Blacksmith
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine

Boobs in the Night

Sheriff
Station West

Tom Lincoln
Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Simpson
The Miracle Woman

Jeremiah Walters
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise

Banker (uncredited)
The Good Earth

Emperor Ming
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

Mr. Banks
High Pressure

Commandant
Beau Hunks

Pierre Gustave
The Fixer Uppers

Tyros
The Sign of the Cross

Homer Boothby
Murder at the Vanities

Lawyer Jones
Safe in Hell

John Thorne / The Dragon
Welcome Danger

Carpetbagger
Belle Starr

Sheriff Flint
Caught Plastered

U.S. Marshal
Lone Cowboy

Mr. Bagby
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

Mr. Stiles
Spook Busters

Veterinarian (uncredited)
Broadway Bill

Matthew the Hermit
Hell's Highway

Sheriff
The Black Raven

Mr. Satan (uncredited)
The Devil's Cabaret

Joe Pugmire
Breach of Promise

Reporter (uncredited)
Here Comes Trouble

Minister
A House Divided

Speaker (uncredited)
Frisco Kid

District Attorney
This Day and Age

Self (archive footage)
A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'

Yolando
Palmy Days

Emperor Ming
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars

Ming the Merciless
Purple Death from Outer Space

Kris Larsen
The Far Call

American Settler (uncredited)
Ramona

Kirby
X Marks the Spot

Dr. Fredericks
East Is West

Lip Hop Fat
The Hatchet Man

Police Capt. Slade
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain

Turk
Destination Unknown

Actor Dressed as Abraham Lincoln
Stand-In

Phineas P. Hook
Song of the Saddle

Jerry Simons
Tomorrow at Seven

Mr. Brewster
Pick-up

Abraham Lincoln
The Road Is Open Again

Zaroff
The Miracle Rider

Fenton
White Woman

Kansas Jones
Cowboys from Texas

Sheriff Scatters
Massacre

Grayson
Road Gang

39013
Daredevils of the Red Circle

El Shaitan (voice)
The Three Musketeers

'Doc' Kramer
Hollywood Cowboy

Mr. Martin
We're on the Jury

Gene Autry Sr.
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

Joe
Mr. Skitch

Henry Steele
Mystery Ranch

Farmer Pinkett (uncredited)
Welcome Stranger

Sheriff
The Last Round-up

District Attorney (uncredited)
Reckless

Deacon
David Harum

Pa Stark
Dick Tracy Returns

Ace Daggett
Flaming Frontiers

Farmer (uncredited)
The Killers

Pierre
Northwest Trail

Hod Carson
Shooting High

Buck Rankin
Way Out West

(archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s

Williams
Sunset Pass

Cassib
Perils of Nyoka

District Attorney
Disgraced!

Graves' Valet
Spook Louder

Slave Dealer
Slave Ship

Stanchon
Red Morning

Southerner
Kentucky

Doctor
Jesse James

Chief of Police
Too Busy to Work

Doctor Jed Sloan
Wild Geese Calling

District Attorney (uncredited)
Rockabye

Wrecker (uncredited)
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

Saunderson
Men of San Quentin

Alec Martin
The Oklahoma Kid

President in Dream (uncredited)
The Decision of Christopher Blake

Sheriff Casey
Manhattan Parade

Buck Peters
Hop-a-long Cassidy

Curator
The Mystery of Marie Roget

Welfare Association Officer
Pack Up Your Troubles

Jefferson Davis
Virginia City

Tupper
A Dangerous Affair

District Attorney
The Bellamy Trial

Dr. Stoke
Allegheny Uprising

Cass
Way Down South

Luke Parker
Wyoming Outlaw

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

Lawyer (uncredited)
The Texas Rangers

Cim White
Empty Saddles

Southern Deputy (uncredited)
Blackmail

Neil Brannum
Sunset of Power

Miller
Square Shooter

Train Conductor (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

Phineas Hook
Wagon Wheels West

Wolf Larson
Two Gun Law

Blacksmith (uncredited)
The Shepherd of the Hills

Alice's Father (uncredited)
Women in Hiding

Water Thug
Rangers of Fortune

Mr. Jensen
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes

Farmer (uncredited)
Eyes of the Navy

Emperor Ming
Rocket Ship

Prosecutor
A Son Comes Home

Abe Lincoln (uncredited)
The Phantom President

Horse Doctor (uncredited)
Rose of the Rancho

Dan Stone
Jailbreak

Townsman (uncredited)
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'

Lars Olsen
Thou Shalt Not Kill

Captain Lash
Ships of Hate

Rev. James 'Jim' Graham
Jungle Man

Charley - Saloon Owner (uncredited)
The Sea of Grass

Mob Member
Brigham Young

Long Ben, gambler-saloon owner
Stick to Your Guns

Tom Whitney
Black Arrow

Sheriff #1 (uncredited)
Gunfighters

Mountaineer (uncredited)
Sergeant York

Officer (uncredited)
Jezebel

Roger Thurston
At Twelve Midnight

Captain Cort
Island of Doomed Men

Attorney Reuben Jephson
An American Tragedy

State Police Commander (uncredited)
Special Agent

Detective (uncredited)
The Bowery

Turnbull
Wedding Present

Ming the Merciless
Mars Attacks the World

Mergon
Captain Fury

Mr. Upjohn
Doctor Bull

Fleety Belle's Father
Steamboat Round the Bend

Stagecoach Rider
Western Union

Claim Jumping Leader
Wild Bill Hickok Rides

Blindfolded Circuit Rider
The Last Bandit

Matt Clay
Career Woman

Camp Owner with a Pig (Uncredited)
Gold Rush Maisie

Board Member (uncredited)
The Ruling Voice

Constable Malcolm (uncredited)
Whom the Gods Destroy

Sheriff Hayworth
How DOooo You Do

Jenkins
Silver Dollar

Lucius J. Perkins
Beau Bandit

Juan Storm Cloud
Behold My Wife!

Stage Manager (uncredited)
$1,000 a Touchdown

Judge Ringle
Oklahoma Outlaws

President Abraham Lincoln (uncredited)
The Man Without a Country

Ken Colton
Batman

Sheriff
Crazy House

Koda Bey
The Desert Hawk

Attorney
Hollywood and Vine

Ming the Merciless (archive footage)
Spaceship to the Unknown

Mr. Merritt
In Spite of Danger

Politician (uncredited)
Joaquin Murrieta

Sheriff
Big Executive

Mr. Crumley (uncredited)
One Against the World

Commandant
Dance of the cookoos

Mr. Burton, an Attorney
Jiggs and Maggie in Court

City Editor Baker
Sob Sister

Ming the Merciless
Flash Gordon: The Deadly Ray From Mars

Warden (uncredited)
The Last Train from Madrid

Ming the Merciless (Archive Footage)
The Boy from Mercury

Ming the Merciless
Peril from the Planet Mongo

Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok (uncredited)
The World Changes

John Tarman
When Strangers Meet
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
176
Gender
Male
Birthday
1874-10-02
Place of Birth
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA
Also Known As
Charles B. Middleton