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.
Acted in 199
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
The Lonely Man
Movie
- 1956
The Brass Legend
Deputy 'Pop' Jackson
- 1955
- 1954
Broken Lance
Judge (uncredited)
- 1953
General Electric Theater
TV
Meet Me at the Fair
Sheriff Evans
- 1952
The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon
Sam Stanton
Feudin' Fools
Grandpa Smith
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair
Clem Johnson
- 1951
Comin' Round the Mountain
Judge
- 1950
Call of the Klondike
Andy McKay
Saddle Tramp
Pop
Wagon Master
Adam Perkins
1940s
- 1949
Free For All
Farmer
The Gal Who Took the West
Bartender (as old Timer)
Tuna Clipper
Capt. Fergus MacLennan
- 1948
Sundown in Santa Fe
Sheriff Jim Wyatt
The Untamed Breed
Minister
Coroner Creek
Walt Hardison
- 1947
Bowery Buckaroos
Luke Barlow
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
Dan Yeary
- 1946
My Dog Shep
Mathew Hodgkins
California Gold Rush
Colonel Parker
- 1945
Roughly Speaking
The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited)
- 1944
The Big Bonanza
Adam Parker
Roaring Guns
Farmer MacKenzie
Texas Masquerade
J.K. Trimble
- 1943
The Woman of the Town
Sime
Moonlight in Vermont
Uncle Rufus
Riding High
Frenchy McGuire
Border Patrol
Orestes Krebs
- 1942
Tennessee Johnson
Kirby
Lone Star Ranger
Tom Duane
Nazi Agent
2nd Captain (uncredited)
Shut My Big Mouth
Mayor Potter
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
Ned Nolan
- 1941
Swamp Water
Marty McCord
Last of the Duanes
Tom Duane
Wild Geese Calling
Marshal Len Baker
Citadel of Crime
Jess Meekins
- 1940
Brigham Young
U.S. Army Major
Wyoming
Mr. Bronson
Three Faces West
Minister
1930s
- 1939
Geronimo
Scout
Drums Along the Mohawk
Dr. Petry
Desperate Trails
Sheriff Big Bill Tanner
The Bill of Rights
Frontiersman
Western Caravans
Winchester Thompson
- 1938
Heart of the North
Dave MacMillan
Valley of the Giants
McKenzie
Gold Is Where You Find It
MacKenzie
- 1937
That I May Live
Bish Plivens
Paradise Isle
Baxter
Wild West Days
Matt Keeler
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Bayliss Baynum
Parnell
Dead Child's Father
Mountain Justice
Matthew Turnbull
Green Light
Sheep Man
Maid of Salem
Village Marshal (Uncredited)
- 1936
Ramona
Scroggs
Back to Nature
Sheriff
Girl of the Ozarks
Bascomb Rogers
The Harvester
Abner Prewett
Man Hunt
Jeff Parkington
Paddy O'Day
Benton
- 1935
Way Down East
Squire Amasa Bartlett
Motive for Revenge
McAllister
The Hoosier Schoolmaster
Doc Small
- 1934
West of the Pecos
Roy Neal
Radio Scout
Pappy Tolliver
The World Moves On
Notary (1825)
Ever Since Eve
Jim Wood
Three on a Honeymoon
Ezra MacDuff
Carolina
Richards
Frontier Marshal
Editor Pickett
Sixteen Fathoms Deep
A.B. Crockett
- 1933
The Power and the Glory
Professor (uncredited)
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles
Speaker
Face in the Sky
Pa Nathan Brown
- 1932
Silver Dollar
Hamlin
Call Her Savage
Old Man in Wagon Train
The Cabin in the Cotton
Uncle Joe
The Honor of the Press
Dan Perkins
Flames
Jake
The Riding Tornado
Sheriff
The Famous Ferguson Case
Banker Craig
Lena Rivers
Grandfather Nichols
Law and Order
Judge R.W. Williams
Ridin' for Justice
Marshal Joseph Slyde
- 1931
Alexander Hamilton
Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier
The Great Meadow
Thomas Hall
- 1930
Man to Man
Uncle Cal
Billy the Kid
Angus McSween
The Lone Star Ranger
Colonel John Aldridge
1920s
- 1929
After the Fog
Joshua Barker
The Sap
The Banker
My Lady's Past
Movie
All Faces West
Gunner Bill
Noisy Neighbors
Ebenezer
Innocents of Paris
Emile Leval
- 1928
Tropical Nights
Singapore Joe
- 1927
Wild Geese
Caleb Gare
Now We're in the Air
Lord Abercrombie McTavish
The First Auto
Hank Armstrong
The Frontiersman
Andrew Jackson
Annie Laurie
Sandy
- 1926
The Social Highwayman
The Mayor's Partner
Rustlin' for Cupid
Hank Blatchford
The Earth Woman
Ezra Tilden
- 1925
The Splendid Road
Capt. Lightfoot
The Eagle
The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited)
Why Women Love
Silas Martin
Thunder Mountain
Si Pace
Paint and Powder
Riley
Faint Perfume
Grandpa Crumb
Beauty and the Bad Man
Chuckwalla Bill
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
Jap Taylor
The Narrow Street
Garvey
- 1924
Painted People
Fred Lane
- 1923
Desire
Patrick Ryan
The Virginian
Trampas
The Huntress
Big Jack Skinner
Circus Days
Eben Holt
The Girl of the Golden West
Jack Rance
Hearts Aflame
Black Joe
- 1922
Peg o' My Heart
Jim O'Connell
Rags to Riches
The Sheriff
Human Hearts
Paul Logan
Across the Dead-Line
Enoch Kidder
- 1921
Under the Lash
Simeon Krillet
Snowblind
Hugh Garth
Bunty Pulls the Strings
Tammas Biggar
- 1920
Godless Men
'Black' Pawl
The Branding Iron
John Carver
Lahoma
'Brick' Willock
The Deadlier Sex
Jim Willis
1910s
- 1919
Fighting Cressy
Hiram McKinstry
Desert Gold
Ladd
The Blue Bandanna
Jim Yancy
Bill Apperson's Boy
Bill Apperson
The Brand
Dan McGill
- 1918
The Challenge Accepted
Uncle Zeke Sawyer
Oh, Johnny!
Adele's Father
Riders of the Night
Sally's Grandfather
The Border Legion
Overland Bradley
Breakers Ahead
Captain Scudder
A Weaver of Dreams
Martin Chandler
- 1917
Salt of the Earth
Sinful John
Blue Jeans
Jacob Tutwiler
The Food Gamblers
Samuel Sloane
- 1916
Lovely Mary
Peter Nelson
- 1914
The Virginian
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
