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