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Russell Simpson

Russell Simpson

Actor · 1880 – 1959 · 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.

Movies24

  • Movie7.8

    The Grapes of Wrath

    1940 · 1.1K votes

  • Movie7.8
  • Movie7.1
  • Movie6.9

    The Horse Soldiers

    1959 · 291 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Friendly Persuasion

    1956 · 145 votes

  • Movie7.5

    My Darling Clementine

    1946 · 501 votes

  • Movie6.1

    Susan Lenox

    1931 · 21 votes

  • Movie7.1

    The Tin Star

    1957 · 149 votes

  • Movie6.5

    The Tall Men

    1955 · 83 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Tall in the Saddle

    1944 · 76 votes

  • Movie7.2

    Young Mr. Lincoln

    1939 · 195 votes

  • Movie6.2

    Joan of Arc

    1948 · 89 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Dodge City

    1939 · 113 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Oklahoma!

    1955 · 196 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Broken Lance

    1954 · 88 votes

  • Movie6.5

    They Were Expendable

    1945 · 140 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Hello Trouble

    1932 · 2 votes

  • Movie7.3

    Meet John Doe

    1941 · 289 votes

  • Movie5.8

    Santa Fe Trail

    1940 · 66 votes

  • Movie6.2

    The Spoilers

    1942 · 68 votes

  • Movie6.1

    The Lonely Man

    1957 · 20 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Drums Along the Mohawk

    1939 · 133 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Tap Roots

    1948 · 11 votes

  • Movie6.7

    The Last Command

    1955 · 10 votes

Series9

  • TV6.6

    Wagon Train

    1957 · 31 votes

  • TV6.8

    The Lone Ranger

    1949 · 36 votes

  • TV6.0

    The Texan

    1958 · 6 votes

  • TV6.0
  • TV5.3
  • TV6.3

    Public Defender

    1954 · 4 votes

  • TV4.6

    Cavalcade of America

    1952 · 5 votes

  • TV6.8
  • TV6.8