Russell Simpson
AKA: Russell McCaskill Simpson
Birthday: 1880-06-16
Died: 1959-12-12
Birthplace: 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.
Filmography
Character: Fred - Outrider in Prologue
Character: Pop de Longpre
Character: Professor (uncredited)
Character: Judge R.W. Williams
Character: Grandfather Nichols
Character: Jacob Tutwiler
Character: Squire Amasa Bartlett
Character: Bayliss Baynum
Character: Capt. Fergus MacLennan
Character: Matthew Turnbull
Character: Hank Armstrong
Character: Henry Goodbody
Character: Pa Nathan Brown
Character: Lincoln's Employer
Character: Chief of Police
Character: Marshal Len Baker
Character: Woolridge (uncredited)
Character: Kenneth Allen (uncredited)
Character: Dave MacMillan
Character: Winchester Thompson
Character: Jeff Parkington
Character: Old Man in Wagon Train
Character: Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier
Character: Andrew Jackson
Character: Old Silas Bagley
Character: U.S. Army Major
Character: Editor Pickett
Character: Sheriff Big Bill Tanner
Character: Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Character: Marshal Joseph Slyde
Character: Colonel Parker
Character: Bartender (as old Timer)
Character: Sheriff Jim Wyatt
Character: Big Sam Dabney
Character: Big Jack Skinner
Character: Deputy 'Pop' Jackson
Character: Mathew Hodgkins
Character: Mr. Thornycroft
Character: 'Dad' Knowland
Character: Colonel John Aldridge
Character: Farmer MacKenzie
Character: Village Marshal (Uncredited)
Character: Sally's Grandfather
Character: Frenchy McGuire
Character: Emigrant (uncredited)
Character: Martin Chandler
Character: Simeon Krillet
Character: Farmer (uncredited)
Character: Lord Abercrombie McTavish
Character: Overland Bradley
Character: Jonathan Kenyon
Character: Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited)
Character: Capt. Lightfoot
Character: Captain Scudder
Character: The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited)
Character: 2nd Captain (uncredited)
Character: Old Man with Pipe (uncredited)
Character: Judge (uncredited)
Character: The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited)