Years active 1914–1959 Role Character actor | Name Russell Simpson | |
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Died December 12, 1959, Woodland Hills, California, United States Spouse Gertrude Aller (m. 1910–1959) Children Roberta Hope, Russell Simpson Jr. Movies The Grapes of Wrath, The Horse Soldiers, Wagon Master, Drums Along the Mohawk, The Sun Shines Bright Similar People John Ford, Ray Enright, Ford Beebe, Dudley Nichols, Matt Moore | ||
Russell McCaskill Simpson (June 17, 1880 – December 12, 1959) was an American character actor.
Contents
Biography
Born in San Francisco, California, Simpson is best known for his work in the films of John Ford and, in particular, for his portrayal of Pa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath in 1940.
Simpson reportedly prospected for gold in Alaska in his youth, but by 1909 had gone into the theatre. He appeared in at least two plays on Broadway between 1909 and 1912, and made his motion picture debut in Cecil B. DeMille's 1914 original film version of The Virginian in a bit part. By 1923, when the film was remade, Simpson had progressed to playing the lead villain.
Gaunt, lanky, and rustic-sounding, Simpson was a familiar character actor for almost forty-five years, particularly as a member of the John Ford Stock Company. He worked up to 1959, the year of his death. His final film was The Horse Soldiers, his tenth film for Ford. He died in Woodland Hills, California.
Filmography
Actor
1959
The Horse Soldiers as
Sheriff Goodbody
1959
The Texan (TV Series) as
Zeb Waters
- The Man Behind the Star (1959) - Zeb Waters
1959
Mackenzie's Raiders (TV Series) as
Albert Penn
- Terror in Chuma Valley (1959) - Albert Penn
1958
The Gray Ghost (TV Series) as
Slocum
- Epidemic (1958) - Slocum
1958
Goodyear Theatre (TV Series) as
Mr. Austin
- Taps for Jeffrey (1958) - Mr. Austin
1958
The Court of Last Resort (TV Series) as
Glover
- The Joel Sheldon Case (1958) - Glover
1957
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (TV Series) as
Jonah
- The Old Timer (1957) - Jonah
1956
General Electric Theater (TV Series)
- The Trail to Christmas (1957)
- The Rider on the Pale Horse (1956)
1957
The Tin Star as
Clem Hall
1957
Wagon Train (TV Series) as
Mr. Carr
- The Ruth Owens Story (1957) - Mr. Carr
1957
The Lonely Man as
Red Bluff Poker Player (uncredited)
1956
The Brass Legend as
Deputy 'Pop' Jackson
1956
Friendly Persuasion as
Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited)
1956
The Millionaire (TV Series) as
Frank Mackeever
- The Charles Hartford Simpson Story (1956) - Frank Mackeever
1956
These Wilder Years as
Farmer (uncredited)
1956
Crossroads (TV Series)
- Anatole of the Bayous (1956)
1955
The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV Series) as
Old Man
- The Ox-Bow Incident (1955) - Old Man
1955
Oklahoma! as
The Minister (uncredited)
1955
The Tall Men as
Emigrant (uncredited)
1955
The Last Command as
The Parson
1955
Many Rivers to Cross as
Man at Inn (uncredited)
1955
TV Reader's Digest (TV Series) as
Sheriff Jim Roberts
- The Last of the Old Time Shooting Sheriffs (1955) - Sheriff Jim Roberts
1954
Public Defender (TV Series) as
Lundquist
- Open Season (1954) - Lundquist
1953
Cavalcade of America (TV Series) as
Judge Eleazar Grant / Quatermaster
- The Forge (1954) - Judge Eleazar Grant
- Young Andy Jackson (1954)
- Night Strike (1953) - Quatermaster
1954
Broken Lance as
Judge (uncredited)
1954
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers as
Mr. Bixby
1954
Gypsy Colt as
Mr. Minter (uncredited)
1953
The Lone Ranger (TV Series) as
Jack Brewster
- The Old Cowboy (1953) - Jack Brewster
1953
The Sun Shines Bright as
Dr. Lewt Lake
1953
Meet Me at the Fair as
Sheriff Evans
1952
Feudin' Fools as
Grandpa Smith
1952
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair as
Clem Johnson
1952
Gang Busters (TV Series) as
George Dunkin
- The Old Trapper - George Dunkin
1952
Lone Star as
Maynard Cole
1952
Personal Appearance Theater (TV Series)
- Grandpa Cries Wolf (1952)
1951
Across the Wide Missouri as
Hoback (uncredited)
1951
Comin' Round the Mountain as
Judge
1951
Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (TV Series) as
Sam
- Ghost Town Story (1951) - Sam
1950
Call of the Klondike as
Andy McKay
1950
Saddle Tramp as
Pop
1950
Wagon Master as
Adam Perkins
1950
The Outriders as
Farmer (uncredited)
1949
Free for All as
Farmer
1949
The Gal Who Took the West as
Bartender (as old Timer)
1949
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend as
Grandpa
1949
Tuna Clipper as
Capt. Fergus MacLennan
1948
Joan of Arc as
Old Man with Pipe (uncredited)
1948
Sundown in Santa Fe as
Sheriff Jim Wyatt
1948
The Untamed Breed as
Minister (uncredited)
1948
Tap Roots as
Big Sam Dabney
1948
Coroner Creek as
Walt Hardison
1948
Albuquerque as
Abner Huggins
1947
The Fabulous Texan as
Wade Clayton
1947
Bowery Buckaroos as
Luke Barlow
1947
The Romance of Rosy Ridge as
Dan Yeary
1947
The Millerson Case as
Squire Tuttle (uncredited)
1946
A Boy and His Dog (Short) as
Mr. Thornycroft
1946
My Dog Shep as
Matt Hodgkins
1946
Lady Luck as
Daniel Boone (uncredited)
1946
My Darling Clementine as
John Simpson
1946
Death Valley as
Old Silas Bagley
1946
Bad Bascomb as
Elijah Walker
1946
California Gold Rush as
Colonel Parker
1945
They Were Expendable as
'Dad' Knowland
1945
Incendiary Blonde as
Jenkins (uncredited)
1945
Along Came Jones as
Pop de Longpre
1945
Roughly Speaking as
The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited)
1944
The Big Bonanza as
Adam Parker
1944
Tall in the Saddle as
Pat Foster (uncredited)
1944
Man from Frisco as
Dr. Hershey
1944
Roaring Guns (Short) as
Farmer MacKenzie
1944
Texas Masquerade as
J.K. Trimble
1943
The Woman of the Town as
Sime
1943
Moonlight in Vermont as
Uncle Rufus
1943
Riding High as
Frenchy McQuire (uncredited)
1943
Colt Comrades as
Sheriff (uncredited)
1943
Border Patrol as
Orestes Krebs
1942
Tennessee Johnson as
Kirby
1942
The Spoilers as
Flapjack Sims
1942
Lone Star Ranger as
Tom Duane
1942
Shut My Big Mouth as
Mayor Potter
1942
Wild Bill Hickok Rides as
Edward 'Ned' Nolan
1942
Nazi Agent as
2nd Captain (uncredited)
1941
Swamp Water as
Marty McCord
1941
Last of the Duanes as
Tom Duane
1941
Wild Geese Calling as
Marshal Len Baker
1941
Bad Men of Missouri as
Hank Younger
1941
Citadel of Crime as
Jess Meekins
1941
Meet John Doe (uncredited)
1941
Tobacco Road as
Chief of Police
1940
Santa Fe Trail as
Shubel Morgan
1940
Wyoming as
Mr. Bronson (uncredited)
1940
Brigham Young as
U.S. Army Major
1940
Three Faces West as
Minister
1940
Virginia City as
Gaylord
1940
The Grapes of Wrath as
Pa Joad
1939
Geronimo as
Army Scout (uncredited)
1939
Drums Along the Mohawk as
Dr. Petry
1939
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as
Kenneth Allen (uncredited)
1939
Desperate Trails as
Sheriff Big Bill Tanner
1939
The Bill of Rights (Short) as
Frontiersman (uncredited)
1939
Western Caravans as
Winchester Thompson
1939
Young Mr. Lincoln as
Woolridge (uncredited)
1939
Dodge City as
Jack Orth
1939
The Arizona Wildcat as
Rancher (uncredited)
1938
Heart of the North as
Dave MacMillan
1938
The Sisters as
First Sailor (uncredited)
1938
Valley of the Giants as
McKenzie
1938
Sons of the Plains (Short)
1938
The Girl of the Golden West as
Fred - Outrider in Prologue (uncredited)
1938
Gold Is Where You Find It as
MacKenzie
1937
Paradise Isle as
Baxter
1937
Wild West Days as
Matt Keeler
1937
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge as
Bayliss Baynum
1937
Parnell as
Dead Child's Father (uncredited)
1937
That I May Live as
Bish Plivens
1937
Mountain Justice as
Mr. Matthew Turnbull
1937
Green Light as
Sheep Man
1937
Maid of Salem as
Village Marshal (uncredited)
1936
Wild Brian Kent as
Race Judge (uncredited)
1936
Ramona as
Scroggs
1936
Back to Nature as
Sheriff (uncredited)
1936
The Crime of Dr. Forbes as
Sheriff Neil
1936
San Francisco as
'Red' Kelly
1936
Girl of the Ozarks as
Bascomb Rogers
1936
The Harvester as
Abner Prewett
1936
Man Hunt as
Jeff Parkington
1936
Paddy O'Day as
Benton
1935
Way Down East as
Squire Amasa Bartlett
1935
Motive for Revenge as
McAllister
1935
The Hoosier Schoolmaster as
Doc Small
1935
The County Chairman as
Vance Jimmison
1934
West of the Pecos as
Roy Neal
1934
Radio Scout (Short) as
Pappy Tolliver
1934
The World Moves On as
Notary (1825)
1934
Ever Since Eve as
Jim Wood
1934
Three on a Honeymoon as
Ezra MacDuff
1934
Carolina as
Richards
1934
Frontier Marshal as
Editor Pickett
1934
Sixteen Fathoms Deep as
A.B. Crockett
1933
Thru Thin and Thicket, or Who's Zoo in Africa (Short)
1933
The Power and the Glory as
College Engineering Professor (uncredited)
1933
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles (Short) as
Speaker
1933
The Moonshiner's Daughter (Short) as
Paw Catfield - The Moonshiner (as Russel Simpson)
1933
Secrets as
Doctor (uncredited)
1933
Face in the Sky as
Pa Nathan Brown
1932
Born to Fight as
Jackson
1932
Silver Dollar as
Hamlin
1932
Call Her Savage as
Old Man in Wagon Train
1932
White Eagle as
Gray Wolf (uncredited)
1932
The Cabin in the Cotton as
Uncle Joe
1932
Two Lips and Juleps; or, Southern Love and Northern Exposure (Short)
1932
Hello Trouble as
Jonathan Kenyon
1932
The Honor of the Press as
Dan Perkins - City Editor
1932
The Engineer's Daughter; or, Iron Minnie's Revenge (Short)
1932
Flames as
Jake
1932
The Riding Tornado as
Sheriff
1932
Rule 'Em and Weep (Short) as
King's Aide
1932
The Famous Ferguson Case as
Banker Craig
1932
Lena Rivers as
Grandfather Nichols
1932
Law and Order as
Judge R.W. Williams
1932
Ridin' for Justice as
Marshal Joseph Slyde
1931
Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) as
Doctor
1931
Alexander Hamilton as
Harvey Taylor - Ex-Soldier (uncredited)
1931
The Great Meadow as
Thomas Hall
1930
Man to Man as
Uncle Cal
1930
Billy the Kid as
Angus McSween
1930
Abraham Lincoln as
Lincoln's Employer
1930
After the Fog as
Joshua Barker
1930
The Lone Star Ranger as
Colonel John Aldridge
1929
The Sap as
The Banker
1929
Innocents of Paris as
Emile Leval
1929
The Big Diamond Robbery as
Stagecoach Driver (uncredited)
1929
My Lady's Past as
John Parker
1929
Call of the Rockies as
Gunner Bill
1929
The Kid's Clever as
John Decker
1929
Noisy Neighbors as
Ebenezer
1928
Tropical Nights as
Singapore Joe
1928
The Bushranger as
Sir Eric
1928
Life's Mockery as
Wolf Miller
1928
The Trail of '98 as
Old Swede
1927
Wild Geese as
Caleb Gare
1927
Now We're in the Air as
Lord Abercrombie McTavish
1927
The First Auto as
Hank Armstrong
1927
The Frontiersman as
Andrew Jackson
1927
Annie Laurie as
Sandy
1927
God's Great Wilderness as
Richard Stoner
1927
The Heart of the Yukon as
'Cash' Cynon
1926
Lovey Mary as
Stubbins
1926
The Social Highwayman as
The Mayor's Partner
1926
Rustling for Cupid as
Hank Blatchford
1926
The Earth Woman as
Ezra Tilden
1925
Ship of Souls as
Angus Garth
1925
The Splendid Road as
Capt. Lightfoot
1925
The Eagle as
The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited)
1925
Why Women Love as
Silas Martin
1925
Thunder Mountain as
Si Pace
1925
Paint and Powder as
Riley
1925
Faint Perfume as
Grandpa Crumb
1925
Beauty and the Bad Man as
Chuckwalla Bill
1925
Old Shoes
1925
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent as
Jap Taylor
1925
The Narrow Street as
Garvey
1924
Painted People as
Fred Lane
1923
Desire as
Patrick Ryan
1923
The Virginian as
Trampas
1923
Defying Destiny as
Mr. Wilkens
1923
The Huntress as
Big Jack Skinner
1923
Circus Days as
Eben Holt
1923
The Rip-Tide as
The Maharajah
1923
The Girl of the Golden West as
Jack Rance
1922
When Love Is Young
1922
The Kingdom Within as
Caleb Deming
1922
Peg o' My Heart as
Jim O'Connell
1922
Hearts Aflame as
Black Joe
1922
Fools of Fortune as
Magpie Simpkins
1922
Rags to Riches as
The Sheriff
1922
Human Hearts as
Paul Logan
1922
Across the Deadline as
Enoch Kidder
1921
Shadows of Conscience as
Jim Logan
1921
Under the Lash as
Simeon Krillet
1921
Snowblind as
Hugh Garth
1921
Bunty Pulls the Strings as
Tammas Biggar
1920
Godless Men as
'Black' Pawl
1920
The Branding Iron as
John Carver
1920
Lahoma as
'Brick' Willock
1920
The Deadlier Sex as
Jim Willis
1920
Out of the Dust as
Captain John Evans, U.S.A.
1919
The Blue Bandanna as
Jim Yancy
1919
Desert Gold as
Ladd
1919
Fighting Cressy as
Hiram McKinstry
1919
Bill Apperson's Boy as
Bill Apperson
1919
The Brand as
Dan McGill
1918
The Challenge Accepted as
Uncle Zeke Sawyer
1918
Oh, Johnny! as
Adele's Father
1918
The Uphill Path as
James Lawton
1918
The Border Legion as
Overland Bradley
1918
Riders of the Night as
Sally's Grandfather
1918
Breakers Ahead as
Captain Scudder
1918
A Weaver of Dreams as
Martin Chandler
1917
Salt of the Earth as
Sinful John
1917
Blue Jeans as
Jacob Tutwiler
1917
The Girl Without a Soul as
Judge (uncredited)
1917
The Food Gamblers as
Samuel Sloane
1917
The Barrier as
John Gaylord / John Tale
1916
The Feud Girl as
Zeb Bassett
1916
Lovely Mary as
Peter Nelson
1915
The Old Homestead as
Sheriff
1914
Sherman Was Right (Short)
1914
The Virginian as
Rancher (uncredited)
Soundtrack
1950
Wagon Master ("CHUCKAWALLA SWING")
1941
Bad Men of Missouri (performer: "Darling Nellie Gray" (1856) - uncredited)
Archive Footage
1997
Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 Years (TV Movie documentary) as
Actor 'The Grapes of Wrath' (uncredited)
1995
Biography (TV Series documentary) as
Pa Joad
- Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker (1995) - Pa Joad (uncredited)
1991
The Republic Pictures Story (TV Movie documentary) as
Dr. Lewt Lake (clip from The Sun Shines Bright (1953)) (uncredited)
1988
Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular (TV Special) as
Pa Joad
1955
Gadgets Galore (Documentary short) as
Man in Theatre Audience (uncredited)
1952
The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon as
Sam Stanton
1944
Trial by Trigger (Short) as
Homesteader (uncredited)
1939
The Monroe Doctrine (Short) as
Frontiersman (uncredited)
1939
Land of Liberty
1937
Lest We Forget (Short) as
Clip from: County Chairman (uncredited)
References
Russell Simpson (actor) Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA