William Lanteau  William Lanteau (born William Lanctot) was an American character actor. Among his best known roles are Charlie the mail carrier in "On Golden Pond" and mayor Chester Wanamaker in "Newhart". Lanteau was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. His first television appearance was in 1954 in an episode of "Goodyear Television Playhouse". He appeared in over 80 television shows, among them "The Donna Reed Show", "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir", "The Andy Griffith Show", "Here's Lucy", "No Soap, Radio", "Centennial" and "Amen". He appeared in the first season of "Barnaby Jones" in an episode titled "To Denise, with Love and Murder" (April 22,1973). He also appeared in the movies "Li'l Abner" (1959), "The Honeymoon Machine" (1961), "Sex and the Single Girl" (1964), "Hotel" (1967), "From Noon till Three" (1976), "On Golden Pond" (1981) and "Cold Steel" (1987). He died of complications from heart surgery on November 3, 1993.