- Began his career with Fred Karno's music hall troupe in England as a scenic designer. Later worked with fellow British music hall veterans Charles Chaplin as production designer from 1918 to 1936, and with Stan Laurel on two films in 1940.
- Suffered severe sleep deprivation while working on Dracula (1931). He would stay and lock himself in his studio overnight on the Universal lot.
- Arrived in the USA from Canada circa. 1910.
- Spent his early film career at Universal Pictures, but left in 1937. Carl Laemmle, Universal's founder, had recently been ousted from power, and Universal's new bosses had butchered James Whale's film The Road Back (1937), on which Hall had served as production designer. The bosses had caved in to pressure from the Nazis, who had threatened to have this anti-Nazi film, based on a German novel, boycotted overseas if its content was not toned down.
- Painted landscapes /seascapes in his spare time.
- His great-grandnephew, Matthew Charles Hall, is the director of several horror films that were inspired by Charles. The short film In the Land of Phantoms (2008) is dedicated to his memory.
- Purchased his home in Hollywood from then-rising star John Wayne.
- Noted exponent of low key set design, under contract at Universal 1923-37. Also worked for Chaplin (1925-31) and Hal Roach. With United Artists, 1938-49. Roach also occasionally worked at United Artists, sometimes with Hall.
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