Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a fool; esp. in phr. proper charlie, right charlie; note earlier charley-boy n.

1914		Truth (Melbourne) 12 Dec. 6/6: This same German sausage Charley / As was living down the street.
1946		‘Sl. of Maladjustment’ in AS XXI:3 Oct. 238/1: charlie. One who cannot understand orders and so makes foolish mistakes.
1956		J. Osborne Look Back in Anger Act III: But make me some tea first, you madcap little Charlie.
1959		Galton & Simpson ‘The Poetry Society’ Hancock’s Half-Hour [radio script] He thinks Bertrand Russell’s a bit of a charlie.
1960		D. Abse House of Cowards (1967) 44: They made a proper charlie out of us.
1962		H. Livings Nil Carborundum (1963) Act III: Are you trying to make a charlie out of Neville?
1969		R. Rendell Best Man To Die (1981) 25: You and me, we look a pair of right Charlies.
1979		C. Dexter Service of all the Dead (1980) 251: Made me look like a proper Charley, if you ask me.
1989		H. Rawson Dict. of Invective (1991) 14: The insulting connotations usually come through most clearly when the familiar form of a name is used, as in Chico, Charlie, Heinie, Hymie, Jack, Mick, Paddy.
1999		Observer Rev. 24 Oct. 2: I do feel a bit of a Charlie.
2000		Guardian Guide 1–7 Apr. 93: A ‘proper’ Charlie, so to speak.