Will Geer
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.
Seconds
(Old Man)
Salt of the Earth
(Sheriff)
Jeremiah Johnson
(Bear Claw)
The Tall Target
(Homer Crowley)
Executive Action
(Ferguson)
Convicted
(Convict Mapes)
Deep Waters
(Nick Driver)
Winchester '73
(Wyatt Earp)
Napoleon and Samantha
(Grandpa)
Broken Arrow
(Rancher)
Johnny Allegro
(Schultzy)
The Kid from Texas
(O'Fallon)
Advise & Consent
(Senate Minority Leader)
In Cold Blood
(Prosecutor)
Becky Sharp
(Spectator (uncredited))
Wild Gold
(Poker Player (uncredited))
Certain Honorable Men
(Malcolm Stoddard)
Of Mice and Men
(Candy)
Intruder in the Dust
(Sheriff Hampton)
It's a Small World
(William Musk - Father)
Double Crossbones
(Tom Botts)
Lust for Gold
(Deputy Ray Covin)
Pieces of Dreams
(The Bishop)
Comanche Territory
(Dan'l Seeger)
The Hanged Man
(Nameless)
The Man Who Loved Bears
(Narrator)
Brother John
(Doc Thomas)
Bright Victory
(Mr. Nevins)
Savage
(Joel Ryker)
Dear Dead Delilah
(Roy Jurroe)
To Please a Lady
(Jack Mackay)
Rip Van Winkle
(Narrator (voice))
Hurricane
(Dr. McCutcheon)
Anna Lucasta
(Noah)
Isn't It Shocking?
(Lemuel Lovell)
The Fight for Life
(Ballou)
Bandolero!
(Pop Chaney)
The Mafu Cage
(Zom)
Moving Violation
(Rockfield)
The Billion Dollar Hobo
(Choo-Choo Trayne)
Spitfire
(West Fry)
Union Pacific
(Foreman (uncredited))
Men and Dust
(Narrator (voice))
Scarecrow
(Justice Gilead Merton)
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
(Self)
Brock's Last Case
(J. Smiley Krenshaw)
Black Like Me
(Truckdriver)
The Barefoot Mailman
(Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster)
The Rowdyman
(Stan)
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
(Len McNeil)
The Misleading Lady
(McMahon - Asylum Guard)
Silence
(Crazy Jack)
The Brotherhood of the Bell
(Mike Patterson)
The Moonshine War
(Mr. Baylor)
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
(Dr. Simpson)
Unknown Powers
(Host)
The Crucible
(Giles Corey)
The Blue Bird
(Grandfather)
Memory of Us
(Motel Manager)
Bunco
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
(Narrator)
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
(Self (archive footage))
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
(Simon Anderson)
The Reivers
(Boss)
Will Geer: America's Grandpa
Law and Order
(Pat Crowley)
The New Deal for Artists
Honky Tonk
(Judge Cotton)
The President's Analyst
(Dr. Lee-Evan)
The Night That Panicked America
(Reverend Davis)
Mobs, Inc.
(Harry Robinson)
A Gift of Terror
(Ben)
Mobs Incorporated
(Harry Robinson)
Tall Tales
(Self)
Garrison's Gorillas
Kung Fu
The Love Boat
(Franklyn Bootherstone)
Hawaii Five-O
(Professor Harold Lochner)
Alias Smith and Jones
(Seth)
The Bill Cosby Show
(Mr. Kane)
Medical Center
Gunsmoke
(Slocum)
Bewitched
Mission: Impossible
(Doc)
Eight Is Enough
The Waltons
(Grandfather Walton)
Run for Your Life
(Judge David P. Andrews)
Daniel Boone
(Adam Jarrett)
Then Came Bronson
The Sixth Sense
Racket Squad
Tony Orlando and Dawn
(Self)
Columbo
(Edmund Hidemann)
Night Gallery
(Walt Peckinpah)
Tony Awards
(Self - Performer)
Bonanza
(Zach Randolph)
Mayberry R.F.D.
(Captain Charles Wolford)
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
(Harry I. Madison)
The Lives of Benjamin Franklin
A Woman Called Moses
(Thomas Garrett)
Bonanza
(Ferris Callahan)
The Trials of O'Brien
(Judge Lindemann)
The Mike Douglas Show
(Self)
Starsky & Hutch
(Commodore Atwater)
Doc Elliot
(Paul Bartlett)
The Invaders
(Hank Willis)
Dinah!
(Self)
Bonanza
(Calvin Butler)
The Bold Ones: The Senator
(Senator Homer Bryant Wydell)