Will Geer
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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.
Known for
Credits
Broken Arrow (1950)
as Ben Slade
Seconds (1966)
as Old Man
Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
as Bear Claw
In Cold Blood (1967)
as Prosecutor
Bandolero! (1968)
as Pop Chaney
Winchester '73 (1950)
as Wyatt Earp
Silence (1974)
as Crazy Jack
Advise & Consent (1962)
as Senate Minority Leader
The Reivers (1969)
as Boss
Union Pacific (1939)
as Foreman (uncredited)
The Blue Bird (1976)
as Grandfather
The Mafu Cage (1978)
as Zom
Lust for Gold (1949)
as Deputy Ray Covin
The President's Analyst (1967)
as Dr. Lee-Evan
Napoleon and Samantha (1972)
as Grandpa
Executive Action (1973)
as Ferguson
The Tall Target (1951)
as Homer Crowley
Comanche Territory (1950)
as Dan'l Seeger
The Moonshine War (1970)
as Mr. Baylor
Salt of the Earth (1954)
as Sheriff
Convicted (1950)
as Convict Mapes
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935)
as Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
Bright Victory (1951)
as Mr. Nevins
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987)
as Self (archive footage)
The Kid from Texas (1950)
as O'Fallon
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery (1975)
as Dr. Simpson
Honky Tonk (1974)
as Judge Cotton
The Hanged Man (1974)
as Nameless
The Night That Panicked America (1975)
as Reverend Davis
Becky Sharp (1935)
as Spectator (uncredited)
Brother John (1971)
as Doc Thomas
The Crucible (1967)
as Giles Corey
Moving Violation (1976)
as Rockfield
Deep Waters (1948)
as Nick Driver
Savage! (1973)
as Joel Ryker
Johnny Allegro (1949)
as Schultzy
Isn't It Shocking? (1973)
as Lemuel Lovell
The Misleading Lady (1932)
as McMahon - Asylum Guard
Spitfire (1934)
as West Fry
Unknown Powers (1978)
as Host
To Please a Lady (1950)
as Jack Mackay
Intruder in the Dust (1949)
as Sheriff Hampton
The Brotherhood of the Bell (1970)
as Mike Patterson
Double Crossbones (1951)
as Tom Botts
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster? (1971)
as Simon Anderson
Brock's Last Case (1973)
as J. Smiley Krenshaw
The Barefoot Mailman (1951)
as Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
Black Like Me (1964)
as Truckdriver
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970 (2019)
as Narrator
Hurricane (1974)
as Dr. McCutcheon
The New Deal for Artists (1981)
as Self
Of Mice and Men (1968)
as Candy
Dear Dead Delilah (1972)
as Roy Jurroe
The Man Who Loved Bears (1979)
as Narrator
The Rowdyman (1972)
as Stan
Anna Lucasta (1949)
as Noah
Law and Order (1976)
as Pat Crowley
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On (1973)
as Len McNeil
Certain Honorable Men (1968)
as Malcolm Stoddard
Memory of Us (1974)
as Motel Manager
The Billion Dollar Hobo (1977)
as Choo-Choo Trayne
Pieces of Dreams (1970)
as The Bishop
It's a Small World (1950)
as William Musk - Father
The Fight for Life (1940)
as Ballou
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s (2017)
as Self
Scarecrow (1972)
as Justice Gilead Merton
Wild Gold (1934)
as Poker Player (uncredited)
Mobs, Inc. (1956)
as Harry Robinson
A Gift of Terror (1973)
as Ben
Bunco (1977)
Actor
Rip Van Winkle (1978)
as Narrator (voice)
Tall Tales (1940)
as Self
Men and Dust (1940)
as Narrator (voice)
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death (2005)
as Host
Will Geer: America's Grandpa (2019)
Actor