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