Acting
Russell Simpson
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.
Filmography
The Horse Soldiers
Film · 1959
The Texan
Series · 1958
The Tin Star
Film · 1957
The Lonely Man
Film · 1957
Wagon Train
Series · 1957
Friendly Persuasion
Film · 1956
The Brass Legend
Film · 1956
The Last Command
Film · 1955
The Tall Men
Film · 1955
Oklahoma!
Film · 1955
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Series · 1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Series · 1955
Broken Lance
Film · 1954
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Film · 1954
Public Defender
Series · 1954
The Sun Shines Bright
Film · 1953
Meet Me at the Fair
Film · 1953
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
Feudin' Fools
Film · 1952
Lone Star
Film · 1952
The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon
Film · 1952
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair
Film · 1952
Cavalcade of America
Series · 1952
Cavalcade of America
Series · 1952
Cavalcade of America
Series · 1952
Comin' Round the Mountain
Film · 1951
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
Series · 1951
Wagon Master
Film · 1950
Saddle Tramp
Film · 1950
Call of the Klondike
Film · 1950
The Outriders
Film · 1950
Tuna Clipper
Film · 1949
Free For All
Film · 1949
The Gal Who Took the West
Film · 1949
The Lone Ranger
Series · 1949
Coroner Creek
Film · 1948
Joan of Arc
Film · 1948
Sundown in Santa Fe
Film · 1948
The Untamed Breed
Film · 1948
Albuquerque
Film · 1948
Tap Roots
Film · 1948
The Fabulous Texan
Film · 1947
Bowery Buckaroos
Film · 1947
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
Film · 1947
My Darling Clementine
Film · 1946
Death Valley
Film · 1946
Bad Bascomb
Film · 1946
California Gold Rush
Film · 1946
My Dog Shep
Film · 1946
A Boy and His Dog
Film · 1946
Along Came Jones
Film · 1945
Roughly Speaking
Film · 1945
They Were Expendable
Film · 1945
The Big Bonanza
Film · 1944
Texas Masquerade
Film · 1944
Roaring Guns
Film · 1944
Tall in the Saddle
Film · 1944
Border Patrol
Film · 1943
The Woman of the Town
Film · 1943
Colt Comrades
Film · 1943
Riding High
Film · 1943
Moonlight in Vermont
Film · 1943
Nazi Agent
Film · 1942
Shut My Big Mouth
Film · 1942
Lone Star Ranger
Film · 1942
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
Film · 1942
The Spoilers
Film · 1942
Tennessee Johnson
Film · 1942
Tobacco Road
Film · 1941
Wild Geese Calling
Film · 1941
Last of the Duanes
Film · 1941
Citadel of Crime
Film · 1941
Swamp Water
Film · 1941
Meet John Doe
Film · 1941
Bad Men of Missouri
Film · 1941
The Grapes of Wrath
Film · 1940
Santa Fe Trail
Film · 1940
Virginia City
Film · 1940
Wyoming
Film · 1940
Brigham Young
Film · 1940
Three Faces West
Film · 1940
Dodge City
Film · 1939
Young Mr. Lincoln
Film · 1939
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Film · 1939
Drums Along the Mohawk
Film · 1939
Western Caravans
Film · 1939
Desperate Trails
Film · 1939
Geronimo
Film · 1939
The Bill of Rights
Film · 1939
The Girl of the Golden West
Film · 1938
Gold Is Where You Find It
Film · 1938
Heart of the North
Film · 1938
Valley of the Giants
Film · 1938
Paradise Isle
Film · 1937
That I May Live
Film · 1937
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Film · 1937
Mountain Justice
Film · 1937
Wild West Days
Film · 1937
Green Light
Film · 1937
Maid of Salem
Film · 1937
Parnell
Film · 1937
Ramona
Film · 1936
The Harvester
Film · 1936
Paddy O'Day
Film · 1936
Man Hunt
Film · 1936
San Francisco
Film · 1936
Back to Nature
Film · 1936
Girl of the Ozarks
Film · 1936
The Hoosier Schoolmaster
Film · 1935
Motive for Revenge
Film · 1935
Way Down East
Film · 1935
Carolina
Film · 1934
Ever Since Eve
Film · 1934
Frontier Marshal
Film · 1934
West of the Pecos
Film · 1934
Three on a Honeymoon
Film · 1934
The World Moves On
Film · 1934
Sixteen Fathoms Deep
Film · 1934
Radio Scout
Film · 1934
The Power and the Glory
Film · 1933
Face in the Sky
Film · 1933
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles
Film · 1933
Secrets
Film · 1933
Hello Trouble
Film · 1932
Silver Dollar
Film · 1932
Law and Order
Film · 1932
Lena Rivers
Film · 1932
The Cabin in the Cotton
Film · 1932
The Honor of the Press
Film · 1932
The Famous Ferguson Case
Film · 1932
Call Her Savage
Film · 1932
Ridin' for Justice
Film · 1932
The Riding Tornado
Film · 1932
Flames
Film · 1932
The Great Meadow
Film · 1931
Susan Lenox
Film · 1931
Alexander Hamilton
Film · 1931
Billy the Kid
Film · 1930
Man to Man
Film · 1930
Abraham Lincoln
Film · 1930
The Lone Star Ranger
Film · 1930
After the Fog
Film · 1929
Innocents of Paris
Film · 1929
The Sap
Film · 1929
My Lady's Past
Film · 1929
All Faces West
Film · 1929
Noisy Neighbors
Film · 1929
Tropical Nights
Film · 1928
The Bushranger
Film · 1928
Life's Mockery
Film · 1928
Now We're in the Air
Film · 1927
The First Auto
Film · 1927
The Frontiersman
Film · 1927
Annie Laurie
Film · 1927
Wild Geese
Film · 1927
The Heart of the Yukon
Film · 1927
The Earth Woman
Film · 1926
Rustlin' for Cupid
Film · 1926
Lovey Mary
Film · 1926
The Social Highwayman
Film · 1926
The Splendid Road
Film · 1925
Thunder Mountain
Film · 1925
The Eagle
Film · 1925
Faint Perfume
Film · 1925
Why Women Love
Film · 1925
Old Shoes
Film · 1925
The Narrow Street
Film · 1925
Paint and Powder
Film · 1925
Ship of Souls
Film · 1925
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
Film · 1925
Beauty and the Bad Man
Film · 1925
Painted People
Film · 1924
Defying Destiny
Film · 1923
The Virginian
Film · 1923
The Huntress
Film · 1923
Circus Days
Film · 1923
The Girl of the Golden West
Film · 1923
Hearts Aflame
Film · 1923
Desire
Film · 1923
The Kingdom Within
Film · 1922
Human Hearts
Film · 1922
Rags to Riches
Film · 1922
Peg o' My Heart
Film · 1922
Across the Dead-Line
Film · 1922
Bunty Pulls the Strings
Film · 1921
Snowblind
Film · 1921
Under the Lash
Film · 1921
The Branding Iron
Film · 1920
Lahoma
Film · 1920
Godless Men
Film · 1920
The Deadlier Sex
Film · 1920
Desert Gold
Film · 1919
The Brand
Film · 1919
Bill Apperson's Boy
Film · 1919
The Blue Bandanna
Film · 1919
Fighting Cressy
Film · 1919
The Border Legion
Film · 1918
Breakers Ahead
Film · 1918
Riders of the Night
Film · 1918
A Weaver of Dreams
Film · 1918
The Uphill Path
Film · 1918
The Challenge Accepted
Film · 1918
Oh, Johnny!
Film · 1918
Blue Jeans
Film · 1917
The Barrier
Film · 1917
The Food Gamblers
Film · 1917
Lovely Mary
Film · 1916
The Old Homestead
Film · 1915
The Virginian
Film · 1914