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