Charles Trowbridge (January 10, 1882 – October 30, 1967) was a distinguished American actor of stage and screen who, after a long and successful Broadway career, became one of Hollywood’s most prolific and recognizable authority figures, appearing in over 200 films.
Born in Mexico to an American diplomat, Trowbridge was a major star on Broadway for two decades, appearing in hits like Daddy Long Legs and Dinner at Eight. In the 1930s, he brought his commanding presence to Hollywood, where he became a staple of the Universal Horror cycle. He is well-remembered by genre fans as the doctor who tries to help the tormented Larry Talbot in the horror classic The Wolf Man (1941).
With his stern and intellectual demeanor, Trowbridge was the go-to actor to play judges, doctors, and military officers. He appeared in numerous A-list dramas, including The Corn Is Green (1945) with Bette Davis, and in popular serials like Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). He worked steadily in film and television until the late 1950s, cementing his legacy as a quintessential cinematic authority figure.
