Russell Simpson (actor)
Russell Simpson | |
---|---|
Simpson in 1923 | |
Born | Russell McCaskill Simpson (1880年06月17日)June 17, 1880 Danville, California, U.S. |
Died | December 12, 1959(1959年12月12日) (aged 79) |
Years active | 1914–1959 |
Spouse |
Gertrude Aller (m. 1910) |
Children | 1 |
Russell McCaskill Simpson (June 17, 1880 – December 12, 1959) was an American character actor.
Early life
[edit ]Russell Simpson was born on June 17, 1880 (other sources indicate 1877) in Danville, California.[1] He attended grammar school in the Danville District in Contra Costa County, California; he graduated on July 2, 1892.[2] At age 18, Simpson prospected for gold in Alaska. He began taking acting classes in Seattle, Washington.[3] He was married to Gertrude Aller from New York City on January 19, 1910. [4]
Career
[edit ]By 1909, he had gone into the theatre.[citation needed ] He appeared in at least two plays on Broadway between 1909 and 1912,[5] and made his motion picture debut in Cecil B. DeMille's 1914 original film version of The Virginian in a bit part.[6] By 1923, when the film was remade, Simpson had progressed to playing the lead villain.[7] : 487
Throughout his career, Simpson worked for 12 years in road shows, stock companies, and on Broadway.[8] Simpson didn't usually perform lead roles, but he did star in many movies throughout the silent movie era. He did perform a lead role as the grandfather in Out of the Dust (1920)[7] : 317 and the father in The First Auto (1927).
Simpson is best known for his work in the films of John Ford [9] : 69, 184 and, in particular, for his portrayal of Pa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath in 1940.[10] He was known for his "grizzled old man" appearances.[11] 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.[9] : 183 He worked up to 1959, the year of his death. His final film was The Horse Soldiers , his tenth film for Ford. Simpson was the president of the Overseas Phonograph Accessories Corporation.[12] He died on December 12, 1959, in Woodland Hills, California.[1] Simpson had appeared in over 500 movies throughout his life.[3]
Selected filmography
[edit ]- The Old Homestead (1915) as Sheriff
- Lovely Mary (1916) as Peter Nelson
- The Feud Girl (1916) as Zeb Bassett
- The Barrier (1917) as John Gaylord / John Tale
- The Food Gamblers (1917) as Samuel Sloane
- Blue Jeans (1917) as Jacob Tutwiler
- A Weaver of Dreams (1918) as Martin Chandler
- Breakers Ahead (1918) as Captain Scudder
- Riders of the Night (1918) as Sally's Grandfather
- The Uphill Path (1918) as James Lawton
- The Border Legion (1918) as Overland Bradley
- Oh, Johnny! (1918) as Adele's father
- The Challenge Accepted (1918) as Uncle Zeke Sawyer
- Fighting Cressy (1919) as Hiram McKinstry
- Desert Gold (1919) as Ladd
- The Deadlier Sex (1920) as Jim Willis
- Lahoma (1920) as Brick Willock
- The Branding Iron (1920) as John Carver
- Godless Men (1920) as 'Black' Pawl
- Bunty Pulls the Strings (1921) as Tammas Biggar
- Under the Lash (1921) as Simeon Krillet
- Shadows of Conscience (1921) as Jim Logan
- Across the Dead-Line (1922) as Enoch Kidder
- Fools of Fortune (1922) as Magpie Simpkins
- Human Hearts (1922) as Paul Logan
- Rags to Riches (1922) as The Sheriff
- Peg o' My Heart (1922) as Jim O'Connell
- The Kingdom Within (1922) as Caleb Deming
- Hearts Aflame (1923) as Black Joe
- The Girl of the Golden West (1923) as Jack Rance
- Circus Days (1923) as Eben Holt
- The Huntress (1923) as Big Jack Skinner
- Defying Destiny (1923) as Mr. Wilkens
- The Virginian (1923) as Trampas
- Desire (1923)
- Painted People (1924) as Fred Lane
- The Narrow Street (1925) as Gaarvey
- Beauty and the Bad Man (1925) as Chuckwalla Bill
- Old Shoes (1925)
- Paint and Powder (1925) as Riley
- Thunder Mountain (1925) as Si Pace
- The Splendid Road (1925) as Capt. Lightfoot
- The Ship of Souls (1925) as Angus Garth
- The Earth Woman (1926) as Ezra Tilden
- Rustling for Cupid (1926) as Hank Blatchford
- The Social Highwayman (1926) as The Mayor's Partner
- Lovey Mary (1926) as Stubbins
- God's Great Wilderness (1927) as Richard Stoner
- Annie Laurie (1927) as Sandy
- The Heart of the Yukon (1927) as 'Cash' Cynon
- The Frontiersman (1927) as Andrew Jackson
- The First Auto (1927) as Hank Armstrong
- Now We're in the Air (1927) as Lord Abercrombie McTavish
- Wild Geese (1927) as Caleb Gare
- The Trail of '98 (1928) as Old Swede (scenes deleted)
- Life's Mockery (1928) as Wolf Miller
- The Bushranger (1928) as Sir Eric
- Tropical Nights (1928) as Singapore Joe
- Noisy Neighbors (1929) as Ebenezer
- All Faces West (1929) as Gunner Bill
- Innocents of Paris (1929) as Emile Leval
- After the Fog (1929) as Joshua Barker
- The Lone Star Ranger (1930) as Colonel John Aldridge
- Abraham Lincoln (1930) as Lincoln's Employer
- Billy the Kid (1930) as Angus McSween
- Man to Man (1930) as Uncle Cal
- The Great Meadow (1931) as Thomas Hall
- Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (1931) as Doctor
- Ridin' for Justice (1932) as Marshal Joseph Slyde
- Law and Order (1932) as Judge R.W. Williams
- Lena Rivers (1932) as Grandfather Nichols
- The Riding Tornado (1932) as Sheriff
- The Famous Ferguson Case (1932) as Banker Craig
- The Honor of the Press (1932) as City Editor Dan Perkins
- Hello Trouble (1932) as Jonathan Kenyon
- Cabin in the Cotton (1932) as Uncle Joe
- Call Her Savage (1932) as Old Man in Wagon Train
- Silver Dollar (1932) as Hamlin
- Face in the Sky (1933) as Pa Nathan Brown
- Sixteen Fathoms Deep (1934) as A.B. Crockett
- Frontier Marshal (1934) as Editor Pickett
- Carolina (1934) as Richards
- Three on a Honeymoon (1934) as Ezra MacDuff
- Ever Since Eve (1934) as Jim Wood
- The World Moves On (1934) as Notary (1825)
- West of the Pecos (1934) as Roy Neal
- The County Chairman (1935) as Vance Jimmison
- The Hoosier Schoolmaster (1935) as Doc Small
- Motive for Revenge (1935) as McAllister
- Way Down East (1935) as Squire Amasa Bartlett
- Paddy O'Day (1936) as Benton
- Man Hunt (1936) as Jeff Parkington
- The Harvester (1936) as Abner Prewett
- Girl of the Ozarks (1936) as Bascomb Rogers
- San Francisco (1936) as Red Kelly
- The Crime of Dr. Forbes (1936) as Sheriff Neil
- Back to Nature (1936) as Sheriff (uncredited)
- Ramona (1936) as Scroggs
- Wild Brian Kent (1936) as Race Judge (uncredited)
- Green Light (1937) as Sheep Man
- Maid of Salem (1937) as Village Marshal (uncredited)
- Mountain Justice (1937) as Mr. Matthew Turnbull
- That I May Live (1937) as Bish Plivens
- Parnell (1937) as Dead Child's Father (uncredited)
- Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge (1937) as Bayliss Baynum
- Wild West Days (1937) as Matt Keeler
- Paradise Isle (1937) as Baxter
- Gold is Where You Find It (1938) as MacKenzie
- Valley of the Giants (1938) as McKenzie
- Heart of the North (1938) as Dave MacMillan
- Dodge City (1939) as Jack Orth
- Desperate Trails (1939) as Sheriff Big Bill Tanner
- Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) as Dr. Petry
- The Grapes of Wrath (1940) as Pa Joad
- Virginia City (1940) as Frank Gaylord
- Three Faces West (1940) as Minister
- Brigham Young (1940) as U.S. Army Major
- Tobacco Road (1941) as Chief of Police
- Citadel of Crime (1941) as Jess Meekins
- Bad Men of Missouri (1941) as Hank Younger
- Wild Geese Calling (1941) as Marshal Len Baker
- Last of the Duanes (1941) as Tom Duane
- Swamp Water (1941) as Marty McCord
- Nazi Agent (1942) as 2nd Captain (uncredited)
- Wild Bill Hickok Rides (1942) as Edward 'Ned' Nolan
- Shut My Big Mouth (1942) as Mayor Potter
- The Lone Star Ranger (1942) as Tom Duane
- The Spoilers (1942) as Flapjack Sims
- Tennessee Johnson (1942) as Kirby
- Border Patrol (1943) as Orestes Krebs
- Colt Comrades (1943) as Sheriff (uncredited)
- Moonlight in Vermont (1943) as Uncle Rufus
- The Woman of the Town (1943) as Sime
- Texas Masquerade (1944) as J.K. Trimble
- Man from Frisco (1944) as Dr. Hershey
- The Big Bonanza (1944) as Adam Parker
- Along Came Jones (1945) as Pop de Longpre
- Incendiary Blonde (1945) as Jenkins (uncredited)
- They Were Expendable (1945) as 'Dad' Knowland
- California Gold Rush (1946) as Colonel Parker
- Bad Bascomb (1946) as Elijah Walker
- Death Valley (1946) as Old Silas Bagley
- My Darling Clementine (1946) as John Simpson
- My Dog Shep (1946) as Matt Hodgkins
- A Boy and His Dog (1946, Short) as Mr. Thornycroft
- The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947) as Dan Yeary
- Bowery Buckaroos (1947) as Sheriff Luke Barlow
- The Fabulous Texan (1947) as Wade Clayton
- Albuquerque (1948) as Abner Huggins
- Coroner Creek (1948) as Walt Hardison
- Tap Roots (1948) as Big Sam Dabney
- Sundown in Santa Fe (1948) as Sheriff Jim Wyatt
- Tuna Clipper (1949) as Capt. Fergus MacLennan
- The Gal Who Took the West (1949) as Bartender (as old Timer)
- Free for All (1949) as Farmer
- Wagon Master (1950) as Adam Perkins
- Saddle Tramp (1950) as Pop
- Call of the Klondike (1950) as Andy McKay
- Comin' Round the Mountain (1951) as Judge
- Lone Star (1952) as Senator Maynard Cole
- Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (1952) as Clem Johnson
- Feudin' Fools (1952) as Grandpa Smith
- Meet Me at the Fair (1953) as Sheriff Evans
- The Sun Shines Bright (1953) as Dr. Lewt Lake
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) as Mr. Bixby
- Broken Lance (1954) as Judge (uncredited)
- The Last Command (1955) as The Parson
- The Brass Legend (1956) as Deputy 'Pop' Jackson
- The Tin Star (1957) as Clem Hall
- The Horse Soldiers (1959) as Sheriff Goodbody
References
[edit ]- ^ a b Ellenberger, Allan R. (May 2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 70. ISBN 9780786409839.
- ^ "Diploma" (July 2, 1892) [Print]. Russell Simpson Papers, Box: 1. Provo, Utah: L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University.
- ^ a b "Finding Aid for the Russell Simpson Papers, 1917–1942". Prepared for the Charles E. Young Research Library, Los Angeles, California. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ "License" (January 19, 1910) [Print]. Russell Simpson Papers, Box: 1. Provo, Utah: L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University.
- ^ "Russell Simpson Theatre Credits". Broadway World. wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ Green, Paul (November 2009). A History of Television's The Virginian, 1962–1971. McFarland. p. 15. ISBN 9780786446803 . Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ a b Langman, Larry (October 1992). A Guide to Silent Westerns: (Bibliographies and Indexes in the Performing Arts). Greenwood. ISBN 9780313278587 . Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ^ "Scrapbook" [Print]. Russell Simpson Papers, Box: 1. Provo, Utah: L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University.
- ^ a b Harty Jr., John P. (September 2016). The Cinematic Challenge: Filming Colonial America: Volume 1: The Golden Age, 1930–1950. Langdon Street Press. ISBN 9781635051469 . Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ "The Grapes of Wrath". TCM. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ Liebman, Roy (August 2010). Vitaphone Films: A Catalogue of the Features and Shorts. McFarland. p. 384. ISBN 9780786446971 . Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ "The Theatres: "Out of The Dust" Eagle Next Sunday". Hamilton Evening Journal. January 15, 1925. Retrieved July 15, 2016.