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.
Known For
Credits
- 2019 · Will Geer: America's Grandpa as
- 2019 · Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970 as Narrator
- 2017 · In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s as Self
- 1988 · James Stewart: A Wonderful Life as Self (archive footage)
- 1981 · The New Deal for Artists as
- 1979 · The Man Who Loved Bears as Narrator
- 1978 · A Woman Called Moses as Thomas Garrett
- 1978 · Rip Van Winkle as Narrator (voice)
- 1978 · The Mafu Cage as Zom
- 1978 · Unknown Powers as Host
- 1977 · The Billion Dollar Hobo as Choo-Choo Trayne
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Franklyn Bootherstone
- 1977 · Eight Is Enough as
- 1977 · Bunco as
- 1976 · Moving Violation as Rockfield
- 1976 · Law and Order as Pat Crowley
- 1976 · The Blue Bird as Grandfather
- 1975 · The Night That Panicked America as Reverend Davis
- 1975 · Starsky & Hutch as Commodore Atwater
- 1975 · The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery as Dr. Simpson
- 1974 · Tony Orlando and Dawn as Self
- 1974 · The Lives of Benjamin Franklin as
- 1974 · Dinah! as Self
- 1974 · Hurricane as Dr. McCutcheon
- 1974 · Memory of Us as Motel Manager
- 1974 · Silence as Crazy Jack
- 1974 · Honky Tonk as Judge Cotton
- 1974 · The Hanged Man as Nameless
- 1973 · Executive Action as Ferguson
- 1973 · Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On as Len McNeil
- 1973 · Doc Elliot as Paul Bartlett
- 1973 · Isn't It Shocking? as Lemuel Lovell
- 1973 · A Gift of Terror as Ben
- 1973 · Savage as Joel Ryker
- 1973 · Brock's Last Case as J. Smiley Krenshaw
- 1972 · Kung Fu as
- 1972 · The Waltons as Grandfather Walton
- 1972 · Jeremiah Johnson as Bear Claw
- 1972 · Napoleon and Samantha as Grandpa
- 1972 · The Rowdyman as Stan
- 1972 · Dear Dead Delilah as Roy Jurroe
- 1972 · The Sixth Sense as
- 1972 · Scarecrow as Justice Gilead Merton
- 1971 · Columbo as Edmund Hidemann
- 1971 · Brother John as Doc Thomas
- 1971 · Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster? as Simon Anderson
- 1971 · Alias Smith and Jones as Seth
- 1970 · Night Gallery as Walt Peckinpah
- 1970 · Pieces of Dreams as The Bishop
- 1970 · The Brotherhood of the Bell as Mike Patterson
- 1970 · The Moonshine War as Mr. Baylor
- 1970 · The Bold Ones: The Senator as Senator Homer Bryant Wydell
- 1969 · The Reivers as Boss
- 1969 · Medical Center as
- 1969 · The Courtship of Eddie's Father as Harry I. Madison
- 1969 · Then Came Bronson as
- 1969 · The Bill Cosby Show as Mr. Kane
- 1968 · Mayberry R.F.D. as Captain Charles Wolford
- 1968 · Hawaii Five-O as Professor Harold Lochner
- 1968 · Certain Honorable Men as Malcolm Stoddard
- 1968 · Bandolero! as Pop Chaney
- 1968 · Of Mice and Men as Candy
- 1967 · The President's Analyst as Dr. Lee-Evan
- 1967 · In Cold Blood as Prosecutor
- 1967 · Garrison's Gorillas as
- 1967 · The Crucible as Giles Corey
- 1967 · The Invaders as Hank Willis
- 1966 · Seconds as Old Man
- 1966 · Mission: Impossible as Doc
- 1965 · The Trials of O'Brien as Judge Lindemann
- 1965 · Run for Your Life as Judge David P. Andrews
- 1964 · Daniel Boone as Adam Jarrett
- 1964 · Bewitched as
- 1964 · Black Like Me as Truckdriver
- 1962 · Advise & Consent as Senate Minority Leader
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1959 · Bonanza as Zach Randolph
- 1959 · Bonanza as Ferris Callahan
- 1959 · Bonanza as Calvin Butler
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Performer
- 1956 · Mobs, Inc. as Harry Robinson
- 1956 · Mobs Incorporated as Harry Robinson
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Slocum
- 1954 · Salt of the Earth as Sheriff
- 1951 · The Barefoot Mailman as Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
- 1951 · The Tall Target as Homer Crowley
- 1951 · Bright Victory as Mr. Nevins
- 1951 · Racket Squad as
- 1951 · Double Crossbones as Tom Botts
- 1950 · To Please a Lady as Jack Mackay
- 1950 · Broken Arrow as Rancher
- 1950 · Convicted as Convict Mapes
- 1950 · Winchester '73 as Wyatt Earp
- 1950 · It's a Small World as William Musk - Father
- 1950 · Comanche Territory as Dan'l Seeger
- 1950 · The Kid from Texas as O'Fallon
- 1949 · Intruder in the Dust as Sheriff Hampton
- 1949 · Anna Lucasta as Noah
- 1949 · Lust for Gold as Deputy Ray Covin
- 1949 · Johnny Allegro as Schultzy
- 1948 · Deep Waters as Nick Driver
- 1940 · Men and Dust as Narrator (voice)
- 1940 · The Fight for Life as Ballou
- 1940 · Tall Tales as Self
- 1939 · Union Pacific as Foreman (uncredited)
- 1935 · Becky Sharp as Spectator (uncredited)
- 1934 · Wild Gold as Poker Player (uncredited)
- 1934 · Spitfire as West Fry
- 1932 · The Misleading Lady as McMahon - Asylum Guard