A bit later, Durning moved into television and movies. He made his film debut in 1965, playing in "Harvey Middleman, Fireman". He appeared in John Frankenheimer's "I Walk the Line" (1970) starring Gregory Peck, two Brian De Palma movies, "Hi, Mom!" (1970), credited as Charles Durnham, with Robert De Niro and "Sisters" (1973). He also appeared in "Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues" (1972) with Barbara Hershey and John Lithgow.