18
Born · March 9, 1902
Died · April 22, 1978 (76 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Frankfort, Indiana, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Will Geer (March 9, 1902 – April 22, 1978) was an American actor and social activist. His original name was William Aughe Ghere. He is remembered for his portrayal of Grandpa Zebulon Tyler Walton in the 1970s TV series, The Waltons. Geer made his Broadway debut as Pistol in a 1928 production of Much Ado About Nothing, created the role of Mr. Mister in Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock, played Candy in John Steinbeck's theatrical adaptation of his novella Of Mice and Men, and appeared in numerous plays and revues throughout the 1940s. From 1948 to 1951, he appeared in more than a dozen movies, including Winchester '73 (as Wyatt Earp), Broken Arrow, Comanche Territory (all 1950) and Bright Victory (1951). Geer became a member of the Communist Party of the United States in 1934. Geer was also influential in introducing Harry Hay to organizing in the Communist Party. In 1934, Geer and Hay gave support to a labor strike of the port of San Francisco; the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike which lasted 83 days. Though marred by violence, it was an organizing triumph, one that became a model for future union strikes Geer became a reader of the West Coast Communist newspaper People's World. Geer became a dedicated activist, touring government work camps in the 1930s with folk singers like Burl Ives and Woody Guthrie (whom he introduced to the People's World and the Daily Worker; Guthrie would go on to write a column for the latter paper). In 1956, the duo released an album together on Folkways Records, titled Bound for Glory: Songs and Stories of Woody Guthrie. In his biography, fellow organizer and homosexual rights pioneer Harry Hay described Geer's activism and outlined their activities while organizing for the strike. Geer is credited with introducing Guthrie to Pete Seeger at the 'Grapes of Wrath' benefit Geer organized in 1940 for migrant farm workers. Geer acted with the Group Theatre (New York) studying under Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford and Lee Strasberg. Geer also acted in radio, appearing as Mephistopheles (the Devil) in the 1938 and 1944 productions of Norman Corwin's The Plot to Overthrow Christmas. He also acted in the radio soap opera Bright Horizon. Geer was blacklisted in the early 1950s for refusing to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. As a result, Geer appeared in very few films over the next decade. Among them was Salt of the Earth (1954) which was produced, directed, written, and starring blacklisted Hollywood personnel and told the story of a miners' strike in New Mexico from a pro-union standpoint. The film was denounced as "subversive" and faced difficulties in its production and distribution as a consequence. Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Geer, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
2.0
2019
Narrator
0.0
2019
Self
0.0
2017
Self (archive footage)
6.0
1988
0.0
1981
Narrator
0.0
1979
Thomas Garrett · (2 episodes)
6.9
1978
Narrator (voice)
5.0
1978
Zom
6.3
1978
Host
5.8
1978
Choo-Choo Trayne
5.6
1977
Franklyn Bootherstone · (1 episode)
6.3
1977
(2 episodes)
6.1
1977
0.0
1977
Rockfield
4.9
1976
Pat Crowley
0.0
1976
Grandfather
5.3
1976
Reverend Davis
7.2
1975
Commodore Atwater · (2 episodes)
7.2
1975
Dr. Simpson
5.2
1975
Self · (1 episode)
3.5
1974
(4 episodes)
0.0
1974
Self · (2 episodes)
6.5
1974
Dr. McCutcheon
4.9
1974
Motel Manager
0.0
1974
Crazy Jack
0.0
1974
Judge Cotton
0.0
1974
Nameless
4.3
1974
Ferguson
6.3
1973
Len McNeil
0.0
1973
Paul Bartlett · (1 episode)
0.0
1973
Lemuel Lovell
6.1
1973
Ben
0.0
1973
Joel Ryker
5.6
1973
J. Smiley Krenshaw
4.0
1973
(1 episode)
7.6
1972
Grandfather Walton · (142 episodes)
7.1
1972
Bear Claw
7.3
1972
Grandpa
6.1
1972
Stan
3.5
1972
Roy Jurroe
5.5
1972
(1 episode)
6.3
1972
Justice Gilead Merton
8.0
1972
Edmund Hidemann · (1 episode)
8.1
1971
Doc Thomas
6.3
1971
Simon Anderson
8.0
1971
Seth · (1 episode)
6.9
1971
Walt Peckinpah · (2 episodes)
7.8
1970
The Bishop
3.5
1970
Mike Patterson
5.9
1970
Mr. Baylor
5.8
1970
Senator Homer Bryant Wydell · (1 episode)
3.0
1970
Boss
6.4
1969
(2 episodes)
6.1
1969
(1 episode)
4.8
1969
Harry I. Madison · (1 episode)
6.0
1969
Mr. Kane · (1 episode)
5.0
1969
Captain Charles Wolford · (2 episodes)
5.7
1968
Professor Harold Lochner · (1 episode)
7.1
1968
Malcolm Stoddard
0.0
1968
Pop Chaney
6.5
1968
Candy
0.0
1968
Dr. Lee-Evan
5.8
1967
Prosecutor
7.5
1967
(1 episode)
7.6
1967
Giles Corey
3.5
1967
Hank Willis · (1 episode)
6.8
1967
Old Man
7.3
1966
Doc · (1 episode)
7.6
1966
Judge Lindemann · (1 episode)
6.8
1965
Judge David P. Andrews · (1 episode)
7.2
1965
Adam Jarrett · (1 episode)
6.9
1964
(2 episodes)
7.9
1964
Truckdriver
5.9
1964
Senate Minority Leader
7.2
1962
Self · (1 episode)
5.1
1961
Zach Randolph · (1 episode)
7.5
1959
Ferris Callahan · (1 episode)
7.5
1959
Calvin Butler · (1 episode)
7.5
1959
Self - Performer · (1 episode)
4.6
1956
Harry Robinson
4.0
1956
Harry Robinson
0.0
1956
Slocum · (1 episode)
6.6
1955
Sheriff
6.9
1954
Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
4.0
1951
Homer Crowley
6.8
1951
Mr. Nevins
6.9
1951
(1 episode)
6.0
1951
Tom Botts
5.4
1951
Jack Mackay
6.3
1950
Convict Mapes
6.3
1950
Rancher
6.7
1950
Wyatt Earp
7.3
1950
William Musk - Father
5.3
1950
Dan'l Seeger
4.7
1950
O'Fallon
5.3
1950
Sheriff Hampton
7.3
1949
Noah
4.3
1949
Deputy Ray Covin
5.9
1949
Schultzy
6.2
1949
Nick Driver
6.0
1948
Narrator (voice)
5.5
1940
Ballou
5.0
1940
Self
0.0
1940
Foreman (uncredited)
6.5
1939
Spectator (uncredited)
5.6
1935
Poker Player (uncredited)
5.0
1934
West Fry
5.4
1934
McMahon - Asylum Guard
0.0
1932