Russell Simpson

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Born
June 16, 1880 (79 years old)
Died
December 12, 1959
Place of Birth
Danville, California, USA
Popular Genres
Western Drama Romance
Career Span
1914 – 1959

Russell Simpson

9 wins
54 nominations
9 Oscars
181 credits

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Russell McCaskill Simpson (June 17, 1880, Danville, California – December 12, 1959, Woodland Hills, California) was an American character actor who appeared in over 500 movies. He is best known for his "grizzled old man" appearances. Gaunt, lanky, and rustic-sounding, Simpson was a familiar character actor for almost forty-five years, particularly as a member of the John Ford Stock Company.

At age 18 Simpson prospected for gold in Alaska. He began taking acting classes in Seattle, Washington. In 1910 he married Gertrude Alter from New York City.

By 1909, he had gone into the theatre. He appeared in at least two plays on Broadway between 1909 and 1912, and made his motion picture debut in Cecil B. DeMille's 1914 original film version of The Virginian in a bit part. By 1923, when the film was remade, Simpson had progressed to playing the lead villain.

Throughout his career, Simpson worked for 12 years in road shows, stock companies, and on Broadway. He didn't usually perform lead roles, but he did star in many movies throughout the silent movie era. He performed a lead role as the grandfather in Out of the Dust (1920).

Simpson is best known for his work in the films of John Ford and, in particular, for his portrayal of Pa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940). His final film was The Horse Soldiers, his tenth film for Ford. Simpson worked up to 1959, the year of his death.

He was the president of the Overseas Phonograph Accessories Corporation.

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Personal Info

Born
Jun 16, 1880
From
Danville, California, USA
Known For
Acting
Career
1914 – 1959

Award Recognition

9
Wins
54
Nominations
9
Oscars

Complete Filmography

1959

1957

1956

1955

1954

1953

1952

1951

1950

1949

1948

1947

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1945

1944

1943

1942

1941

1940

1939

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1921

1920

1919

1918

1917

1915

1914

Photos & Videos

Featured in Trailers

The Grapes of Wrath
My Darling Clementine
Friendly Persuasion
The Tin Star
Abraham Lincoln
Meet John Doe
The Tall Men
Oklahoma!
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Career Statistics

Roles by Genre
Genre Evolution