Russell Simpson
Age: 79 | From: Danville, California, USA
Person Details
Birthday: 1880-06-17 19:12:07
Death: 1959-12-12 19:12:07
Aliases: Russell McCaskill Simpson , Russel Simpson
Gender: Male
Place of birth: Danville, California, USA
Homepage:
Movie Involvements: 133
TV Involvements: 8
Most Famous Work
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Russell McCaskill Simpson (June 17, 1880, Danville, California – December 12, 1959, Woodland Hills, California) was an American character actor who appeared in over 500 movies. He is best known for his "grizzled old man" appearances. 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. At age 18 Simpson prospected for gold in Alaska. He began taking acting classes in Seattle, Washington. In 1910 he married Gertrude Alter from New York City. By 1909, he 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. Throughout his career, Simpson worked for 12 years in road shows, stock companies, and on Broadway. He didn't usually perform lead roles, but he did star in many movies throughout the silent movie era. He performed a lead role as the grandfather in Out of the Dust (1920). 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 (1940). His final film was The Horse Soldiers, his tenth film for Ford. Simpson worked up to 1959, the year of his death. He was the president of the Overseas Phonograph Accessories Corporation.
Most Famous Work
The Texan
(1958) Zeb Waters
The 20th Century Fox Hour
(1955) Old Man
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
(1951) Sam
The Lone Ranger
(1949) Jack Brewster
Wagon Train
(1957) Mr. Carr
Public Defender
(1954) Lundquist
Cavalcade of America
(1952) Judge Grant
My Darling Clementine
(1946) John SimpsonActing
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Henry Goodbody | |
| 1958 | Zeb Waters | |
| 1957 | Clem Hall | |
| Mr. Carr | ||
| 1956 | Deputy 'Pop' Jackson | |
| Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited) | ||
| 1955 | Old Man | |
| N/A | ||
| Emigrant (uncredited) | ||
| The Parson | ||
| 1954 | Judge (uncredited) | |
| Fred Bixby | ||
| Lundquist | ||
| 1953 | Lewt Lake | |
| Sheriff Evans | ||
| 1952 | Sam Stanton | |
| Maynard Cole | ||
| Quatermaster | ||
| N/A | ||
| Judge Grant | ||
| Grandpa Smith | ||
| Clem Johnson | ||
| 1951 | Judge | |
| Sam | ||
| 1950 | Andy McKay | |
| Pop | ||
| Adam Perkins | ||
| Farmer (uncredited) | ||
| 1949 | Farmer | |
| Jack Brewster | ||
| Bartender (as old Timer) | ||
| Capt. Fergus MacLennan | ||
| 1948 | Old Man with Pipe (uncredited) | |
| Sheriff Jim Wyatt | ||
| Minister | ||
| Big Sam Dabney | ||
| Walt Hardison | ||
| Abner Huggins | ||
| 1947 | Luke Barlow | |
| Dan Yeary | ||
| 1946 | Mr. Thornycroft | |
| Mathew Hodgkins | ||
| John Simpson | ||
| Old Silas Bagley | ||
| Elijah Walker | ||
| Colonel Parker | ||
| 1945 | 'Dad' Knowland | |
| Pop de Longpre | ||
| The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited) | ||
| 1944 | Adam Parker | |
| Farmer MacKenzie | ||
| J.K. Trimble | ||
| 1943 | Sime | |
| Uncle Rufus | ||
| Frenchy McGuire | ||
| Sheriff | ||
| Orestes Krebs | ||
| 1942 | Kirby | |
| Flapjack | ||
| Tom Duane | ||
| 2nd Captain (uncredited) | ||
| Mayor Potter | ||
| Ned Nolan | ||
| 1941 | Marty McCord | |
| Tom Duane | ||
| Marshal Len Baker | ||
| Hank Younger | ||
| Jess Meekins | ||
| Chief of Police | ||
| 1940 | Shubel Morgan | |
| U.S. Army Major | ||
| Mr. Bronson | ||
| Minister | ||
| Gaylord | ||
| Pa Joad | ||
| 1939 | Scout | |
| Dr. Petry | ||
| Kenneth Allen (uncredited) | ||
| Sheriff Big Bill Tanner | ||
| Frontiersman | ||
| Winchester Thompson | ||
| Woolridge (uncredited) | ||
| Orth | ||
| 1938 | Dave MacMillan | |
| McKenzie | ||
| Fred - Outrider in Prologue | ||
| MacKenzie | ||
| 1937 | Bish Plivens | |
| Baxter | ||
| Matt Keeler | ||
| Bayliss Baynum | ||
| Matthew Turnbull | ||
| Sheep Man | ||
| Village Marshal (Uncredited) | ||
| 1936 | Scroggs | |
| Sheriff | ||
| 'Red' Kelly | ||
| N/A | ||
| Abner Prewett | ||
| Jeff Parkington | ||
| Benton | ||
| 1935 | Squire Amasa Bartlett | |
| McAllister | ||
| Doc Small | ||
| 1934 | Roy Neal | |
| Notary (1825) | ||
| Jim Wood | ||
| Ezra MacDuff | ||
| Richards | ||
| Editor Pickett | ||
| A.B. Crockett | ||
| 1933 | Professor (uncredited) | |
| Speaker | ||
| Pa Nathan Brown | ||
| 1932 | Hamlin | |
| Old Man in Wagon Train | ||
| Uncle Joe | ||
| Jonathan Kenyon | ||
| Dan Perkins | ||
| Jake | ||
| Sheriff | ||
| Banker Craig | ||
| Grandfather Nichols | ||
| Judge R.W. Williams | ||
| Marshal Joseph Slyde | ||
| 1931 | Doctor | |
| Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier | ||
| Thomas Hall | ||
| 1930 | Uncle Cal | |
| Lincoln's Employer | ||
| Angus McSween | ||
| Colonel John Aldridge | ||
| 1929 | Joshua Barker | |
| The Banker | ||
| N/A | ||
| Gunner Bill | ||
| Emile Leval | ||
| 1928 | Singapore Joe | |
| 1927 | Caleb Gare | |
| Lord Abercrombie McTavish | ||
| Hank Armstrong | ||
| Andrew Jackson | ||
| Sandy | ||
| 1926 | Ezra Tilden | |
| 1925 | Capt. Lightfoot | |
| The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited) | ||
| Silas Martin | ||
| Si Pace | ||
| Riley | ||
| Grandpa Crumb | ||
| N/A | ||
| Garvey | ||
| 1924 | Fred Lane | |
| 1923 | Trampas | |
| Mr. Wilkens | ||
| Big Jack Skinner | ||
| Eben Holt | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1922 | Caleb Deming | |
| Jim O'Connell | ||
| The Sheriff | ||
| Paul Logan | ||
| Enoch Kidder | ||
| 1921 | Simeon Krillet | |
| Hugh Garth | ||
| Tammas Biggar | ||
| 1920 | 'Black' Pawl | |
| John Carver | ||
| Jim Willis | ||
| 1919 | Ladd | |
| Bill Apperson | ||
| Dan McGill | ||
| 1918 | Sally's Grandfather | |
| Overland Bradley | ||
| Captain Scudder | ||
| Martin Chandler | ||
| 1917 | Jacob Tutwiler | |
| 1915 | Sheriff | |
| 1914 | Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited) | |
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
