Russell Simpson

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.

Known For

Pa Joad

The Grapes of Wrath

Shubel Morgan

Santa Fe Trail

John Simpson

My Darling Clementine

Clem Hall

The Tin Star

Ezra Tilden

The Earth Woman

Tammas Biggar

Bunty Pulls the Strings

Richards

Carolina

Ladd

Desert Gold

Lord Abercrombie McTavish

Now We're in the Air

Adam Perkins

Wagon Master

Walt Hardison

Coroner Creek

Fred - Outrider in Prologue

The Girl of the Golden West

Overland Bradley

The Border Legion

Doc Small

The Hoosier Schoolmaster

Jonathan Kenyon

Hello Trouble

Orestes Krebs

Border Patrol

Pop de Longpre

Along Came Jones

Hamlin

Silver Dollar

Old Man with Pipe (uncredited)

Joan of Arc

Professor (uncredited)

The Power and the Glory

Judge (uncredited)

Broken Lance

Judge R.W. Williams

Law and Order

Lewt Lake

The Sun Shines Bright

Grandpa Smith

Feudin' Fools

Adam Parker

The Big Bonanza

Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited)

Friendly Persuasion

Pop

Saddle Tramp

Scroggs

Ramona

McAllister

Motive for Revenge

Baxter

Paradise Isle

Grandfather Nichols

Lena Rivers

Capt. Lightfoot

The Splendid Road

Jacob Tutwiler

Blue Jeans

Bish Plivens

That I May Live

Angus McSween

Billy the Kid

Sheriff Jim Wyatt

Sundown in Santa Fe

Hugh Garth

Snowblind

Squire Amasa Bartlett

Way Down East

Abner Prewett

The Harvester

Bayliss Baynum

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

Capt. Fergus MacLennan

Tuna Clipper

Matthew Turnbull

Mountain Justice

Thomas Hall

The Great Meadow

Judge

Comin' Round the Mountain

Hank Armstrong

The First Auto

Dan McGill

The Brand

Henry Goodbody

The Horse Soldiers

Pa Nathan Brown

Face in the Sky

Joshua Barker

After the Fog

MacKenzie

Gold Is Where You Find It

Si Pace

Thunder Mountain

Doctor

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

Uncle Cal

Man to Man

Sheriff

The Old Homestead

Emile Leval

Innocents of Paris

Lincoln's Employer

Abraham Lincoln

Uncle Joe

The Cabin in the Cotton

Matt Keeler

Wild West Days

Chief of Police

Tobacco Road

Marshal Len Baker

Wild Geese Calling

Mr. Wilkens

Defying Destiny

Maynard Cole

Lone Star

John Carver

The Branding Iron

Speaker

Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles

The Banker

The Sap

The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited)

Roughly Speaking

Tom Duane

Last of the Duanes

Dan Perkins

The Honor of the Press

Caleb Deming

The Kingdom Within

Captain Scudder

Breakers Ahead

The Lonely Man

Benton

Paddy O'Day

The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited)

The Eagle

Gaylord

Virginia City

Banker Craig

The Famous Ferguson Case

Jim Wood

Ever Since Eve

Orth

Dodge City

Woolridge (uncredited)

Young Mr. Lincoln

Kenneth Allen (uncredited)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

2nd Captain (uncredited)

Nazi Agent

Dr. Petry

Drums Along the Mohawk

Wade Clayton

The Fabulous Texan

Dave MacMillan

Heart of the North

Winchester Thompson

Western Caravans

Farmer

Free For All

The Parson

The Last Command

Minister

The Untamed Breed

Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier

Alexander Hamilton

Andrew Jackson

The Frontiersman

Old Man in Wagon Train

Call Her Savage

Jeff Parkington

Man Hunt

McKenzie

Valley of the Giants

Old Silas Bagley

Death Valley

Luke Barlow

Bowery Buckaroos

Mayor Potter

Shut My Big Mouth

Jess Meekins

Citadel of Crime

Mr. Bronson

Wyoming

U.S. Army Major

Brigham Young

Sandy

Annie Laurie

Sheriff Big Bill Tanner

Desperate Trails

Editor Pickett

Frontier Marshal

Elijah Walker

Bad Bascomb

Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)

The Virginian

Paul Logan

Human Hearts

Marshal Joseph Slyde

Ridin' for Justice

J.K. Trimble

Texas Masquerade

Marty McCord

Swamp Water

Minister

Three Faces West

Trampas

The Virginian

The Sheriff

Rags to Riches

Hank Blatchford

Rustlin' for Cupid

Scout

Geronimo

(uncredited)

Meet John Doe

Roy Neal

West of the Pecos

Stubbins

Lovey Mary

Andy McKay

Call of the Klondike

Colonel Parker

California Gold Rush

'Brick' Willock

Lahoma

Bartender (as old Timer)

The Gal Who Took the West

Sam Stanton

The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon

Tom Duane

Lone Star Ranger

Ned Nolan

Wild Bill Hickok Rides

Abner Huggins

Albuquerque

Hank Younger

Bad Men of Missouri

Big Sam Dabney

Tap Roots

Flapjack

The Spoilers

Fred Lane

Painted People

Big Jack Skinner

The Huntress

Sime

The Woman of the Town

Sheriff

Colt Comrades

Deputy 'Pop' Jackson

The Brass Legend

Grandpa Crumb

Faint Perfume

'Red' Kelly

San Francisco

Mathew Hodgkins

My Dog Shep

Mr. Thornycroft

A Boy and His Dog

Ezra MacDuff

Three on a Honeymoon

'Black' Pawl

Godless Men

Fred Bixby

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Sheep Man

Green Light

Jim O'Connell

Peg o' My Heart

Dan Yeary

The Romance of Rosy Ridge

Notary (1825)

The World Moves On

Silas Martin

Why Women Love

Colonel John Aldridge

The Lone Star Ranger

'Dad' Knowland

They Were Expendable

Frontiersman

The Bill of Rights

Clem Johnson

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

Sheriff

Back to Nature

Farmer MacKenzie

Roaring Guns

Village Marshal (Uncredited)

Maid of Salem

Bill Apperson

Bill Apperson's Boy

Singapore Joe

Tropical Nights

Sally's Grandfather

Riders of the Night

Old Shoes

My Lady's Past

Eben Holt

Circus Days

Garvey

The Narrow Street

Jack Rance

The Girl of the Golden West

Caleb Gare

Wild Geese

Frenchy McGuire

Riding High

Bascomb Rogers

Girl of the Ozarks

Jim Willis

The Deadlier Sex

Riley

Paint and Powder

Sheriff

The Riding Tornado

Emigrant (uncredited)

The Tall Men

Kirby

Tennessee Johnson

Sheriff Evans

Meet Me at the Fair

Martin Chandler

A Weaver of Dreams

Simeon Krillet

Under the Lash

Jake

Flames

Farmer (uncredited)

The Outriders

A.B. Crockett

Sixteen Fathoms Deep

Enoch Kidder

Across the Dead-Line

Uncle Rufus

Moonlight in Vermont

Gunner Bill

All Faces West

James Lawton

The Uphill Path

Pappy Tolliver

Radio Scout

Dead Child's Father

Parnell

Uncle Zeke Sawyer

The Challenge Accepted

The Minister (uncredited)

Oklahoma!

Angus Garth

Ship of Souls

Jap Taylor

The Re-Creation of Brian Kent

Black Joe

Hearts Aflame

Sir Eric

The Bushranger

Pat Foster (uncredited)

Tall in the Saddle

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

185

Gender

Male

Birthday

1880-06-16

Place of Birth

Danville, California, USA

Also Known As

Russell McCaskill Simpson