Birth Day: 1880-06-16
Place of birth: Danville, California, USA
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.
Credits
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As Henry Goodbody -
As Clem Hall -
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As Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited) -
As Deputy 'Pop' Jackson -
As The Parson -
As The Minister (uncredited) -
As Emigrant (uncredited) -
As Judge (uncredited) -
As Fred Bixby -
As Sheriff Evans -
As Lewt Lake -
As Grandpa Smith -
As Clem Johnson -
As Maynard Cole -
As Sam Stanton -
As Judge -
As Pop -
As Andy McKay -
As Adam Perkins -
As Farmer (uncredited) -
As Capt. Fergus MacLennan -
As Bartender (as old Timer) -
As Farmer -
As Abner Huggins -
As Sheriff Jim Wyatt -
As Minister -
As Big Sam Dabney -
As Walt Hardison -
As Old Man with Pipe (uncredited) -
As Wade Clayton -
As Luke Barlow -
As Dan Yeary -
As Colonel Parker -
As John Simpson -
As Old Silas Bagley -
As Elijah Walker -
As Mathew Hodgkins -
As Mr. Thornycroft -
As 'Dad' Knowland -
As The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited) -
As Pop de Longpre -
As J.K. Trimble -
As Adam Parker -
As Farmer MacKenzie -
As Pat Foster (uncredited) -
As Uncle Rufus -
As Sheriff -
As Sime -
As Frenchy McGuire -
As Orestes Krebs -
As Mayor Potter -
As 2nd Captain (uncredited) -
As Flapjack -
As Kirby -
As Ned Nolan -
As Tom Duane -
As Marty McCord -
As (uncredited) -
As Tom Duane -
As Hank Younger -
As Jess Meekins
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As Chief of Police -
As Marshal Len Baker -
As Pa Joad -
As Shubel Morgan -
As U.S. Army Major -
As Minister -
As Gaylord -
As Mr. Bronson -
As Sheriff Big Bill Tanner -
As Frontiersman -
As Orth -
As Woolridge (uncredited) -
As Kenneth Allen (uncredited) -
As Dr. Petry -
As Winchester Thompson -
As Scout -
As MacKenzie -
As McKenzie -
As Dave MacMillan -
As Fred - Outrider in Prologue -
As Dead Child's Father -
As Matthew Turnbull -
As Bayliss Baynum -
As Matt Keeler -
As Bish Plivens -
As Baxter -
As Village Marshal (Uncredited) -
As Sheep Man -
As Sheriff -
As Bascomb Rogers -
As Jeff Parkington -
As Benton -
As Abner Prewett
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As 'Red' Kelly -
As Scroggs -
As Squire Amasa Bartlett -
As Doc Small -
As McAllister -
As Ezra MacDuff -
As A.B. Crockett -
As Roy Neal -
As Notary (1825) -
As Richards -
As Pappy Tolliver -
As Jim Wood -
As Editor Pickett -
As Speaker -
As Professor (uncredited) -
As Pa Nathan Brown -
As Dan Perkins -
As Sheriff -
As Hamlin -
As Old Man in Wagon Train -
As Banker Craig -
As Uncle Joe -
As Grandfather Nichols -
As Jake -
As Jonathan Kenyon -
As Marshal Joseph Slyde -
As Judge R.W. Williams -
As Thomas Hall -
As Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier -
As Doctor -
As Lincoln's Employer -
As Uncle Cal -
As Colonel John Aldridge -
As Angus McSween -
As Gunner Bill -
As The Banker -
As Joshua Barker -
As Emile Leval -
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As Sir Eric
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As Singapore Joe -
As 'Cash' Cynon
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As Caleb Gare -
As Lord Abercrombie McTavish -
As Hank Armstrong -
As Sandy -
As Andrew Jackson -
As Stubbins -
As Ezra Tilden -
As Hank Blatchford -
As Riley -
As Garvey -
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As Angus Garth
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As Jap Taylor -
As Chuckwalla Bill -
As Grandpa Crumb -
As The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited) -
As Silas Martin -
As Capt. Lightfoot -
As Si Pace -
As Fred Lane -
As Mr. Wilkens
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As Black Joe -
As Eben Holt -
As Jack Rance -
As Patrick Ryan -
As Big Jack Skinner -
As Trampas -
As Caleb Deming
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As Paul Logan -
As The Sheriff -
As Enoch Kidder -
As Jim O'Connell -
As Simeon Krillet -
As Hugh Garth -
As Tammas Biggar -
As 'Brick' Willock -
As Jim Willis -
As 'Black' Pawl -
As John Carver -
As Dan McGill -
As Ladd -
As Bill Apperson -
As Hiram McKinstry -
As Jim Yancy -
As Adele's Father -
As Sally's Grandfather -
As Uncle Zeke Sawyer -
As James Lawton
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As Martin Chandler -
As Overland Bradley -
As Captain Scudder -
As John Gaylord / John Tale -
As Jacob Tutwiler -
As Peter Nelson -
As Sheriff
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As Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)