Charles Middleton

born: 03 October 1878 Elizabethtown, Kentucky, United States of America

died: 22 April 1949 Los Angeles, California, United States of America (heart attack, age 74)

Serious-looking American actor best remembered for playing 'Ming The Merciless' in the Flash Gordon serials. He twice played the no-nonsense camp commandant to Laurel & Hardy. Later in life he had his right leg amputated in an operation for arteriosclerosis. His year of birth is listed as 1874 on his tombstone, but this is believed to be inaccurate. Most documents (listed at the bottom of the page) give a date of 1878, though some say 1879.

Real name: Charles Brown Middleton Height: 6'0"

Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography; plus 1 film with Laurel & Hardy.

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1931 Beau Hunks Commandant 1932 Pack Up Your Troubles Welfare officer 1935 The Fixer Uppers Pierre Gustave 1939 Captain Fury Mergon 1948 Here Comes Trouble Reporter ▼ NON-HAL ROACH FILMS 1939 The Flying Deuces Commandant MISCELLANEOUS (click any image to enlarge) Acknowledgements: https://archive.org/stream/10thcensus0417unit#page/n509/mode/1up (1880 Census, line 14 - 1 yr old, could possibly hint at 1878 birth date) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11811-61786-14?cc=1325221 (1900 Census, line 37 - born "Oct 1876") https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-20620-36404-31?cc=1589502 (marriage [29th birthday] - birth year: 1879) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-26514-8926-66?cc=1968530 (WWI draft reg. card - birth year: 1878) https://archive.org/stream/14thcensusofpopu1127unit#page/n360/mode/1up (1920 Census, line 57 - birth year: 1879) https://archive.org/stream/californiacensus00reel134rs#page/n884/mode/1up (1930 Census, line 7 - birth year: 1880) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27793-4646-50?cc=2000219 (1940 Census, line 16 - birth year: 1879) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16506-7997-28?cc=1861144 (WWII draft reg. card - birth year: 1879) https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG55-D15 (CA Death Index - birth year: 1879) https://archive.org/stream/variety174-1949-04#page/n256/mode/1up/search/middleton (Variety, 27 Apr 1949 - lists age as 70)* http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8773 (Find a Grave - says 1874 on tombstone) Jesse Brisson (help and research) Craig Calman (identification in Here Comes Trouble) This page was last updated on: 06 August 2026