Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charles Ellsworth Grapewin (December 20, 1869 – February 2, 1956) was an American vaudeville performer, writer and a stage and silent and sound actor, and comedian who was best known for portraying Aunt Em's husband, Uncle Henry in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's The Wizard of Oz (1939) as well as Grandpa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and Jeeter Lester in Tobacco Road (1941). He usually portrayed elderly folksy-type characters in a rustic setting, in all appearing in over 100 films. He was the oldest cast member of The Wizard of Oz. Born in Xenia, Ohio, Charles Ellsworth Grapewin ran away from home to be a circus acrobat which led him to work as an aerialist and trapeze artist in a traveling circus before turning to acting. He traveled all over the world with the famous P. T. Barnum circus. Grapewin also appeared in the original 1903 Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz, 36 years before he would appear in the famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film version. After this he continued in theatre, on and offstage, for the next thirty years, starting with various stock companies, and wrote stage plays as a vehicle for himself. His sole Broadway theatre credit was the short-lived play It's Up to You John Henry in 1905. Grapewin married actress Anna Chance (1875–1943) in 1896, and they remained a devoted couple until her death some 47 years later. Two years after his first wife's death, Grapewin married Loretta McGowan Becker on Jan 10, 1945. Grapewin began in silent films at the turn of the twentieth century. His very first films were two "moving image shorts" made by Frederick S. Armitage and released in November 1900; Chimmie Hicks at the Races (also known as Above the Limit) and Chimmie Hicks and the Rum Omelet, both shot in September and October 1900 and released in November of that year. During his long career, Grapewin appeared in more than one hundred films, including The Good Earth, The Grapes of Wrath, Tobacco Road, and in what is probably his best-remembered role: Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz. He also had a recurring role as Inspector Queen in the Ellery Queen film series of the early 1940s. Grapewin died of natural causes in Corona, California at age 86, and his ashes are interred with his wife's in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, at the Great Mausoleum's Columbarium of Inspiration.
Acted in 99
2000s
- 2000
The Dark Side of the Rainbow
Uncle Henry (archive footage)
1980s
- 1984
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1970s
- 1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1960s
- 1964
The Big Parade of Comedy
Mr. Bane in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage) (uncredited)
1950s
- 1951
When I Grow Up
Grandpa Reed
1940s
- 1949
Sand
Doug
- 1948
The Enchanted Valley
Grandpa
- 1947
Gunfighters
Rancher Inskip
- 1944
Atlantic City
Jake Taylor
The Impatient Years
Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy
- 1943
Crash Dive
Pop
- 1942
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
Inspector Richard Queen
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
Insp. Queen
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
Insp. Queen
- 1941
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
Insp. Queen
- 1940
The Texas Rangers Ride Again
Ben Caldwalder
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
Insp. Queen
Rhythm on the River
Uncle Caleb
Earthbound
Mr. Whimser
Johnny Apollo
Judge Emmett T. Brennan
1930s
- 1939
Sabotage
Major Matt Grayson
Hero for a Day
Uncle Frank "Lucky" Higgins
Dust Be My Destiny
Pop
The Man Who Dared
Ulysses Porterfield
Sudden Money
Grandpa Casey Patterson
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
Doc Heath
Stand Up and Fight
'Old Puff'
- 1938
Artists and Models Abroad
James Harper
Listen, Darling
Joe Higgins
Three Comrades
Local Doctor
Of Human Hearts
Jim Meeker
- 1937
The Bad Man of Brimstone
Barney Lane
Big City
Robert, the Mayor
Bad Guy
Dan Gray
Broadway Melody of 1938
James K. Blakeley
Between Two Women
Dr. Webster
Captains Courageous
Uncle Salters
A Family Affair
Frank Redmond
- 1936
Sinner Take All
Aaron Lampier
Without Orders
J.P. Kendrick
Small Town Girl
Dr. Ned Fabre
The Voice of Bugle Ann
Cal Royster
- 1935
Ah, Wilderness!
Dave McComber
Super Speed
Terry Devlin
Rendezvous
Prof. Martin
King Solomon of Broadway
Uncle Winchester
Alice Adams
J. A. Lamb
Shanghai
Truesdale
One Frightened Night
Jasper Whyte
Party Wire
Will Oliver
Eight Bells
Grayson
In Spite of Danger
Pop Sullivan
- 1934
Caravan
Notary
Anne of Green Gables
Dr. Tatum
The President Vanishes
Richard Norton
Return of the Terror
Jessup
The Loudspeaker
Pop Calloway
She Made Her Bed
Joe Olesen
The Quitter
Ed Tilford
Two Alone
Sandy Roberts
- 1933
Female
Drunk at Hamburger Stand (Uncredited)
Torch Singer
Andrew 'Juddy' Judson
Beauty for Sale
Freddy Gordon
Turn Back the Clock
Dr. Henderson (uncredited)
Midnight Mary
Clerk
Don't Bet on Love
Patrick McCaffrey
Heroes for Sale
Pa Dennis
The Kiss Before the Mirror
Schultz
Hello, Everybody!
Jed
- 1932
No Man of Her Own
Clerk
Wild Horse Mesa
Sam Bass
The Night of June 13
"Grandpop" Strawn (as Charles Grapewin)
American Madness
Mr. Jones (uncredited)
The Washington Masquerade
Senator Simmons (uncredited)
The Woman in Room 13
Andy
Huddle
Doctor (uncredited)
Are You Listening?
Pierce
The Big Timer
Pop Baldwin
Hell's House
Henry Clark
- 1931
Heaven on Earth
Doc Boax
Gold Dust Gertie
Nicholas Hautrey
The Millionaire
Ed Powers
- 1930
Only Saps Work
Simeon Tanner
1920s
- 1929
The Shannons of Broadway
Swanzey
Appearances2
1950s
- 1955
1930s
- 1936
Breakdowns of 1936
Self