
Russell Simpson
Born
June 16, 1880
Died
December 12, 1959 (79 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
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.
Known For

The Horse Soldiers
Henry Goodbody
1959

The Texan
Zeb Waters · (1 episode)
1958

The Tin Star
Clem Hall
1957

Wagon Train
Mr. Carr · (1 episode)
1957

The Lonely Man
1957

The Brass Legend
Deputy 'Pop' Jackson
1956

Friendly Persuasion
Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited)
1956

Oklahoma!
The Minister (uncredited)
1955

The 20th Century Fox Hour
Old Man · (1 episode)
1955

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
(1 episode)
1955

The Tall Men
Emigrant (uncredited)
1955

The Last Command
The Parson
1955

Broken Lance
Judge (uncredited)
1954

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Fred Bixby
1954

Public Defender
Lundquist · (1 episode)
1954

The Sun Shines Bright
Lewt Lake
1953

General Electric Theater
(1 episode)
1953

Meet Me at the Fair
Sheriff Evans
1953

The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon
Sam Stanton
1952

Lone Star
Maynard Cole
1952

Cavalcade of America
Quatermaster · (1 episode)
1952

Cavalcade of America
(1 episode)
1952

Cavalcade of America
Judge Grant · (1 episode)
1952

Feudin' Fools
Grandpa Smith
1952

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair
Clem Johnson
1952

Comin' Round the Mountain
Judge
1951

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
Sam · (1 episode)
1951

Call of the Klondike
Andy McKay
1950

Saddle Tramp
Pop
1950

Wagon Master
Adam Perkins
1950

The Outriders
Farmer (uncredited)
1950

Free For All
Farmer
1949

The Lone Ranger
Jack Brewster · (1 episode)
1949

The Gal Who Took the West
Bartender (as old Timer)
1949

Tuna Clipper
Capt. Fergus MacLennan
1949

Joan of Arc
Old Man with Pipe (uncredited)
1948

Sundown in Santa Fe
Sheriff Jim Wyatt
1948

The Untamed Breed
Minister
1948

Tap Roots
Big Sam Dabney
1948

Coroner Creek
Walt Hardison
1948

Albuquerque
Abner Huggins
1948

Bowery Buckaroos
Luke Barlow
1947

The Fabulous Texan
Wade Clayton
1947

The Romance of Rosy Ridge
Dan Yeary
1947
A Boy and His Dog
Mr. Thornycroft
1946

My Dog Shep
Mathew Hodgkins
1946

My Darling Clementine
John Simpson
1946

Death Valley
Old Silas Bagley
1946

Bad Bascomb
Elijah Walker
1946

California Gold Rush
Colonel Parker
1946

They Were Expendable
'Dad' Knowland
1945

Along Came Jones
Pop de Longpre
1945

Roughly Speaking
The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited)
1945

The Big Bonanza
Adam Parker
1944

Roaring Guns
Farmer MacKenzie
1944

Texas Masquerade
J.K. Trimble
1944

The Woman of the Town
Sime
1943

Moonlight in Vermont
Uncle Rufus
1943

Riding High
Frenchy McGuire
1943

Colt Comrades
Sheriff
1943

Border Patrol
Orestes Krebs
1943

Tennessee Johnson
Kirby
1942

The Spoilers
Flapjack
1942

Lone Star Ranger
Tom Duane
1942

Nazi Agent
2nd Captain (uncredited)
1942

Shut My Big Mouth
Mayor Potter
1942

Wild Bill Hickok Rides
Ned Nolan
1942

Swamp Water
Marty McCord
1941

Last of the Duanes
Tom Duane
1941

Wild Geese Calling
Marshal Len Baker
1941

Bad Men of Missouri
Hank Younger
1941
Citadel of Crime
Jess Meekins
1941

Meet John Doe
(uncredited)
1941

Tobacco Road
Chief of Police
1941

Santa Fe Trail
Shubel Morgan
1940

Brigham Young
U.S. Army Major
1940

Wyoming
Mr. Bronson
1940

Three Faces West
Minister
1940

Virginia City
Gaylord
1940

The Grapes of Wrath
Pa Joad
1940

Geronimo
Scout
1939

Drums Along the Mohawk
Dr. Petry
1939

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Kenneth Allen (uncredited)
1939

Desperate Trails
Sheriff Big Bill Tanner
1939

The Bill of Rights
Frontiersman
1939

Western Caravans
Winchester Thompson
1939

Young Mr. Lincoln
Woolridge (uncredited)
1939

Dodge City
Orth
1939

Heart of the North
Dave MacMillan
1938

Valley of the Giants
McKenzie
1938

The Girl of the Golden West
Fred - Outrider in Prologue
1938

Gold Is Where You Find It
MacKenzie
1938

That I May Live
Bish Plivens
1937

Paradise Isle
Baxter
1937

Wild West Days
Matt Keeler
1937

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Bayliss Baynum
1937

Parnell
Dead Child's Father
1937

Mountain Justice
Matthew Turnbull
1937

Green Light
Sheep Man
1937

Maid of Salem
Village Marshal (Uncredited)
1937

Ramona
Scroggs
1936

Back to Nature
Sheriff
1936

San Francisco
'Red' Kelly
1936

Girl of the Ozarks
Bascomb Rogers
1936
The Harvester
Abner Prewett
1936

Man Hunt
Jeff Parkington
1936

Paddy O'Day
Benton
1936

Way Down East
Squire Amasa Bartlett
1935

Motive for Revenge
McAllister
1935

The Hoosier Schoolmaster
Doc Small
1935

West of the Pecos
Roy Neal
1934

Radio Scout
Pappy Tolliver
1934

The World Moves On
Notary (1825)
1934

Ever Since Eve
Jim Wood
1934

Three on a Honeymoon
Ezra MacDuff
1934

Carolina
Richards
1934

Frontier Marshal
Editor Pickett
1934

Sixteen Fathoms Deep
A.B. Crockett
1934

The Power and the Glory
Professor (uncredited)
1933

Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles
Speaker
1933

Face in the Sky
Pa Nathan Brown
1933

Silver Dollar
Hamlin
1932

Call Her Savage
Old Man in Wagon Train
1932

The Cabin in the Cotton
Uncle Joe
1932

Hello Trouble
Jonathan Kenyon
1932

The Honor of the Press
Dan Perkins
1932

Flames
Jake
1932

The Riding Tornado
Sheriff
1932

The Famous Ferguson Case
Banker Craig
1932

Lena Rivers
Grandfather Nichols
1932

Law and Order
Judge R.W. Williams
1932

Ridin' for Justice
Marshal Joseph Slyde
1932

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)
Doctor
1931

Alexander Hamilton
Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier
1931

The Great Meadow
Thomas Hall
1931

Man to Man
Uncle Cal
1930

Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln's Employer
1930

Billy the Kid
Angus McSween
1930

The Lone Star Ranger
Colonel John Aldridge
1930

After the Fog
Joshua Barker
1929

The Sap
The Banker
1929

My Lady's Past
1929

All Faces West
Gunner Bill
1929

Innocents of Paris
Emile Leval
1929

Tropical Nights
Singapore Joe
1928

Wild Geese
Caleb Gare
1927

Now We're in the Air
Lord Abercrombie McTavish
1927

The First Auto
Hank Armstrong
1927

The Frontiersman
Andrew Jackson
1927

Annie Laurie
Sandy
1927
Lovey Mary
Stubbins
1926

Rustlin' for Cupid
Hank Blatchford
1926

The Earth Woman
Ezra Tilden
1926
Ship of Souls
Angus Garth
1925

The Splendid Road
Capt. Lightfoot
1925

The Eagle
The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited)
1925

Why Women Love
Silas Martin
1925

Thunder Mountain
Si Pace
1925

Paint and Powder
Riley
1925

Faint Perfume
Grandpa Crumb
1925
Old Shoes
1925
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
Jap Taylor
1925

The Narrow Street
Garvey
1925

Painted People
Fred Lane
1924
Defying Destiny
Mr. Wilkens
1923

The Virginian
Trampas
1923

The Huntress
Big Jack Skinner
1923

Circus Days
Eben Holt
1923

The Girl of the Golden West
Jack Rance
1923
The Kingdom Within
Caleb Deming
1922

Peg o' My Heart
Jim O'Connell
1922

Rags to Riches
The Sheriff
1922

Human Hearts
Paul Logan
1922

Across the Dead-Line
Enoch Kidder
1922

Under the Lash
Simeon Krillet
1921

Snowblind
Hugh Garth
1921

Bunty Pulls the Strings
Tammas Biggar
1921

Godless Men
'Black' Pawl
1920

The Branding Iron
John Carver
1920

Lahoma
'Brick' Willock
1920

The Deadlier Sex
Jim Willis
1920

Desert Gold
Ladd
1919

Bill Apperson's Boy
Bill Apperson
1919

The Brand
Dan McGill
1919

The Challenge Accepted
Uncle Zeke Sawyer
1918

Riders of the Night
Sally's Grandfather
1918
The Uphill Path
James Lawton
1918

The Border Legion
Overland Bradley
1918

Breakers Ahead
Captain Scudder
1918

A Weaver of Dreams
Martin Chandler
1918

Blue Jeans
Jacob Tutwiler
1917
The Old Homestead
Sheriff
1915

The Virginian
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
1914