Russell Simpson

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.

KNOWN FOR
CREDITS
PHOTOS

TV Series

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

4.5
The Texan

The Texan

5.5
Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America

3.5
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

5.7
The 20th Century Fox Hour

The 20th Century Fox Hour

5.429
Wagon Train

Wagon Train

6.3
Public Defender

Public Defender

6
The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

6.7
Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America

3.5
Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America

3.5
General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater

6.25

Movies

The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath

7.821
Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe Trail

5.7
My Darling Clementine

My Darling Clementine

7.448
The Tin Star

The Tin Star

6.996
The Earth Woman

The Earth Woman

0
Bunty Pulls the Strings

Bunty Pulls the Strings

0
Carolina

Carolina

6
Desert Gold

Desert Gold

0
Now We're in the Air

Now We're in the Air

6.2
Wagon Master

Wagon Master

6.669
Coroner Creek

Coroner Creek

6.1
The Girl of the Golden West

The Girl of the Golden West

4.6
The Border Legion

The Border Legion

0
The Hoosier Schoolmaster

The Hoosier Schoolmaster

4.2
Hello Trouble

Hello Trouble

6
Border Patrol

Border Patrol

6
Along Came Jones

Along Came Jones

5.7
Silver Dollar

Silver Dollar

5.7
Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc

6.1
The Power and the Glory

The Power and the Glory

6
Broken Lance

Broken Lance

6.4
Law and Order

Law and Order

4
The Sun Shines Bright

The Sun Shines Bright

6.5
Feudin' Fools

Feudin' Fools

4
The Big Bonanza

The Big Bonanza

5.5
Friendly Persuasion

Friendly Persuasion

6.623
Saddle Tramp

Saddle Tramp

6.3
Ramona

Ramona

5.1
Motive for Revenge

Motive for Revenge

5
Paradise Isle

Paradise Isle

5
Lena Rivers

Lena Rivers

5.5
The Splendid Road

The Splendid Road

0
Blue Jeans

Blue Jeans

5.5
That I May Live

That I May Live

6.5
Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid

4.333
Sundown in Santa Fe

Sundown in Santa Fe

0
Snowblind

Snowblind

0
Way Down East

Way Down East

3
The Harvester

The Harvester

0
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

5.5
Tuna Clipper

Tuna Clipper

6.5
Mountain Justice

Mountain Justice

5.5
The Great Meadow

The Great Meadow

5
Comin' Round the Mountain

Comin' Round the Mountain

6
The First Auto

The First Auto

4.5
The Brand

The Brand

0
The Horse Soldiers

The Horse Soldiers

6.9
Face in the Sky

Face in the Sky

4.5
After the Fog

After the Fog

6
Gold Is Where You Find It

Gold Is Where You Find It

6.9
Thunder Mountain

Thunder Mountain

0
Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

6.4
Man to Man

Man to Man

5.7
The Old Homestead

The Old Homestead

0
Innocents of Paris

Innocents of Paris

0
Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

5.447
The Cabin in the Cotton

The Cabin in the Cotton

6.3
Wild West Days

Wild West Days

0
Tobacco Road

Tobacco Road

6.6
Wild Geese Calling

Wild Geese Calling

5.8
Defying Destiny

Defying Destiny

5.5
Lone Star

Lone Star

5.6
The Branding Iron

The Branding Iron

0
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles

Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles

1
The Sap

The Sap

0
Roughly Speaking

Roughly Speaking

6.8
Last of the Duanes

Last of the Duanes

6
The Honor of the Press

The Honor of the Press

6
The Kingdom Within

The Kingdom Within

0
Breakers Ahead

Breakers Ahead

0
The Lonely Man

The Lonely Man

6.1
Paddy O'Day

Paddy O'Day

7
The Eagle

The Eagle

6.24
Virginia City

Virginia City

6.1
The Famous Ferguson Case

The Famous Ferguson Case

6
Ever Since Eve

Ever Since Eve

0
Dodge City

Dodge City

6.9
Young Mr. Lincoln

Young Mr. Lincoln

7.199
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

7.849
Nazi Agent

Nazi Agent

6.6
Drums Along the Mohawk

Drums Along the Mohawk

6.5
The Fabulous Texan

The Fabulous Texan

4
Heart of the North

Heart of the North

3.7
Western Caravans

Western Caravans

0
Free For All

Free For All

6
The Last Command

The Last Command

6.4
The Untamed Breed

The Untamed Breed

5
Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton

4.5
The Frontiersman

The Frontiersman

0
Call Her Savage

Call Her Savage

5.882
Man Hunt

Man Hunt

0
Valley of the Giants

Valley of the Giants

6
Death Valley

Death Valley

5
Bowery Buckaroos

Bowery Buckaroos

6.5
Shut My Big Mouth

Shut My Big Mouth

8.5
Citadel of Crime

Citadel of Crime

0
Wyoming

Wyoming

5.9
Brigham Young

Brigham Young

4.4
Annie Laurie

Annie Laurie

6.667
Desperate Trails

Desperate Trails

4.5
Frontier Marshal

Frontier Marshal

5.5
Bad Bascomb

Bad Bascomb

6.2
The Virginian

The Virginian

5.6
Human Hearts

Human Hearts

0
Ridin' for Justice

Ridin' for Justice

0
Texas Masquerade

Texas Masquerade

0
Swamp Water

Swamp Water

6.3
Three Faces West

Three Faces West

5.4
The Virginian

The Virginian

5
Rags to Riches

Rags to Riches

10
Rustlin' for Cupid

Rustlin' for Cupid

0
Geronimo

Geronimo

5
Meet John Doe

Meet John Doe

7.295
West of the Pecos

West of the Pecos

0
Lovey Mary

Lovey Mary

0
Call of the Klondike

Call of the Klondike

7
California Gold Rush

California Gold Rush

6
Lahoma

Lahoma

0
The Gal Who Took the West

The Gal Who Took the West

5.6
The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon

The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon

0
Lone Star Ranger

Lone Star Ranger

3
Wild Bill Hickok Rides

Wild Bill Hickok Rides

4.7
Albuquerque

Albuquerque

6.8
Bad Men of Missouri

Bad Men of Missouri

5.6
Tap Roots

Tap Roots

6.4
The Spoilers

The Spoilers

6.2
Painted People

Painted People

0
The Huntress

The Huntress

0
The Woman of the Town

The Woman of the Town

6.25
Colt Comrades

Colt Comrades

5.6
The Brass Legend

The Brass Legend

6.2
Faint Perfume

Faint Perfume

0
San Francisco

San Francisco

6.6
My Dog Shep

My Dog Shep

6
A Boy and His Dog

A Boy and His Dog

5.538
Three on a Honeymoon

Three on a Honeymoon

0
Godless Men

Godless Men

1
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

7.151
Green Light

Green Light

6.4
Peg o' My Heart

Peg o' My Heart

7
The Romance of Rosy Ridge

The Romance of Rosy Ridge

6.6
The World Moves On

The World Moves On

5.633
Why Women Love

Why Women Love

0
The Lone Star Ranger

The Lone Star Ranger

5
They Were Expendable

They Were Expendable

6.6
The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights

6
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

5.9
Back to Nature

Back to Nature

0
Roaring Guns

Roaring Guns

0
Maid of Salem

Maid of Salem

5.9
Bill Apperson's Boy

Bill Apperson's Boy

0
Tropical Nights

Tropical Nights

0
Riders of the Night

Riders of the Night

7
Old Shoes

Old Shoes

0
My Lady's Past

My Lady's Past

0
Circus Days

Circus Days

6.5
The Narrow Street

The Narrow Street

0
The Girl of the Golden West

The Girl of the Golden West

0
Wild Geese

Wild Geese

0
Riding High

Riding High

4.5
Girl of the Ozarks

Girl of the Ozarks

6
The Deadlier Sex

The Deadlier Sex

5
Paint and Powder

Paint and Powder

0
The Riding Tornado

The Riding Tornado

0
The Tall Men

The Tall Men

6.3
Tennessee Johnson

Tennessee Johnson

6.1
Meet Me at the Fair

Meet Me at the Fair

7
A Weaver of Dreams

A Weaver of Dreams

0
Under the Lash

Under the Lash

0
Flames

Flames

2.5
The Outriders

The Outriders

6.9
Sixteen Fathoms Deep

Sixteen Fathoms Deep

2.3
Across the Dead-Line

Across the Dead-Line

0
Moonlight in Vermont

Moonlight in Vermont

6
All Faces West

All Faces West

0
The Uphill Path

The Uphill Path

0
Radio Scout

Radio Scout

0
Parnell

Parnell

4.6
The Challenge Accepted

The Challenge Accepted

0
Oklahoma!

Oklahoma!

6.572
Ship of Souls

Ship of Souls

0
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent

The Re-Creation of Brian Kent

0