Halleck was born near De Motte, in Jasper County, Indiana. He served in the Infantry of the United States Army, during World War I. After military service, Halleck attended Indiana University at Bloomington, to begin a law carrer. In 1924 Halleck was admitted to the bar and began practicing in Rensselaer. During the time between 1924 and 1934 he was the Prosecuting Attorney for the thirteenth district court.

Following the death of the congressman-elect Frederick Landis in 1935, Halleck replaced him and remained in that position until 1969. He also served as the House Majority Leader during the 80th and 83rd Congresses. Subsequently, he served as House Minority Leader in the 86th, 87th, and 88th Congresses, when Republicans lost control of the House. While in office, he was a strong opponent of John F. Kennedy's and Lyndon B. Johnson's social programs, but was also one of the strongest advocates for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Along with Senator Everett Dirksen he was the face of the Republican party during most of the 1960s, and made frequent appearances on television news and talk programs.

After the 1964 election, Halleck was defeated in his bid to remain Minority Leader by Gerald Ford, who was the leader of a younger faction determined to take the Republican caucus in a new direction.

Charles Halleck died in Lafayette, Indiana on March 3, 1986 and is buried in Rensselaer.