Russell Simpson

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

204

Gender

Male

Birthday

1880-06-16

Day of death

1959-12-12 (79 years old)

Place of Birth

Danville, California, USA

Russell Simpson

Biography

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.

Known For

  • Wagon Train

    Wagon Train

  • The Lone Ranger

    The Lone Ranger

  • The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

    The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

  • Desert Gold

    Desert Gold

  • The Texan

    The Texan

  • Saddle Tramp

    Saddle Tramp

  • Paradise Isle

    Paradise Isle

  • Brigham Young

    Brigham Young

  • Coroner Creek

    Coroner Creek

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

  • Faint Perfume

    Faint Perfume

  • Carolina

    Carolina

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • Tap Roots

    Tap Roots

  • Public Defender

    Public Defender

  • Lone Star

    Lone Star

  • The Tall Men

    The Tall Men

  • Death Valley

    Death Valley

  • Blue Jeans

    Blue Jeans

  • Western Caravans

    Western Caravans

  • Bad Bascomb

    Bad Bascomb

  • Colt Comrades

    Colt Comrades

  • Virginia City

    Virginia City

  • Sixteen Fathoms Deep

    Sixteen Fathoms Deep

  • Painted People

    Painted People

  • Snowblind

    Snowblind

  • My Darling Clementine

    My Darling Clementine

  • Thunder Mountain

    Thunder Mountain

  • Parnell

    Parnell

  • Law and Order

    Law and Order

  • Cavalcade of America

    Cavalcade of America

  • Cavalcade of America

    Cavalcade of America

  • Cavalcade of America

    Cavalcade of America

  • Young Mr. Lincoln

    Young Mr. Lincoln

  • Lovey Mary

    Lovey Mary

  • Call Her Savage

    Call Her Savage

  • Wyoming

    Wyoming

  • Along Came Jones

    Along Came Jones

  • Flames

    Flames

  • Shut My Big Mouth

    Shut My Big Mouth

  • Tropical Nights

    Tropical Nights

  • The Gal Who Took the West

    The Gal Who Took the West

  • Way Down East

    Way Down East

  • They Were Expendable

    They Were Expendable

  • Breakers Ahead

    Breakers Ahead

  • West of the Pecos

    West of the Pecos

  • Texas Masquerade

    Texas Masquerade

  • Ramona

    Ramona

  • Geronimo

    Geronimo

  • Albuquerque

    Albuquerque

  • Tuna Clipper

    Tuna Clipper

  • Circus Days

    Circus Days

  • Swamp Water

    Swamp Water

  • Girl of the Ozarks

    Girl of the Ozarks

  • Free For All

    Free For All

  • Citadel of Crime

    Citadel of Crime

  • Valley of the Giants

    Valley of the Giants

  • Green Light

    Green Light

  • My Dog Shep

    My Dog Shep

  • The First Auto

    The First Auto

  • The Horse Soldiers

    The Horse Soldiers

  • The Grapes of Wrath

    The Grapes of Wrath

  • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

    Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

  • Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

    Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

  • Peg o' My Heart

    Peg o' My Heart

  • Oklahoma!

    Oklahoma!

  • The Tin Star

    The Tin Star

  • Lahoma

    Lahoma

  • Friendly Persuasion

    Friendly Persuasion

  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

  • Comin' Round the Mountain

    Comin' Round the Mountain

  • Lovely Mary

    Lovely Mary

  • Dodge City

    Dodge City

  • The Earth Woman

    The Earth Woman

  • Drums Along the Mohawk

    Drums Along the Mohawk

  • Wagon Master

    Wagon Master

  • The Brand

    The Brand

  • Border Patrol

    Border Patrol

  • The Spoilers

    The Spoilers

  • Broken Lance

    Broken Lance

  • The Narrow Street

    The Narrow Street

  • Joan of Arc

    Joan of Arc

  • San Francisco

    San Francisco

  • That I May Live

    That I May Live

  • Meet John Doe

    Meet John Doe

  • The Big Bonanza

    The Big Bonanza

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • Hello Trouble

    Hello Trouble

  • Tall in the Saddle

    Tall in the Saddle

  • Santa Fe Trail

    Santa Fe Trail

  • The Last Command

    The Last Command

  • Back to Nature

    Back to Nature

  • Under the Lash

    Under the Lash

  • Nazi Agent

    Nazi Agent

  • Tobacco Road

    Tobacco Road

  • The Brass Legend

    The Brass Legend

  • The Sun Shines Bright

    The Sun Shines Bright

  • Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln

  • The Outriders

    The Outriders

  • Why Women Love

    Why Women Love

  • The Eagle

    The Eagle

  • The Kingdom Within

    The Kingdom Within

  • The Lonely Man

    The Lonely Man

  • Last of the Duanes

    Last of the Duanes

  • Wild Bill Hickok Rides

    Wild Bill Hickok Rides

  • Desire

    Desire

  • Bad Men of Missouri

    Bad Men of Missouri

  • Billy the Kid

    Billy the Kid

  • Riding High

    Riding High

  • Three Faces West

    Three Faces West

  • My Lady's Past

    My Lady's Past

  • Tennessee Johnson

    Tennessee Johnson

  • The Bill of Rights

    The Bill of Rights

  • Silver Dollar

    Silver Dollar

  • The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon

    The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon

  • Frontier Marshal

    Frontier Marshal

  • Heart of the North

    Heart of the North

  • Mountain Justice

    Mountain Justice

  • Bowery Buckaroos

    Bowery Buckaroos

  • Gold Is Where You Find It

    Gold Is Where You Find It

  • The Girl of the Golden West

    The Girl of the Golden West

  • Roughly Speaking

    Roughly Speaking

  • The Woman of the Town

    The Woman of the Town

  • The Famous Ferguson Case

    The Famous Ferguson Case

  • Face in the Sky

    Face in the Sky

  • The Cabin in the Cotton

    The Cabin in the Cotton

  • Paddy O'Day

    Paddy O'Day

  • Fighting Cressy

    Fighting Cressy

  • A Boy and His Dog

    A Boy and His Dog

  • The Riding Tornado

    The Riding Tornado

  • Human Hearts

    Human Hearts

  • Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

    Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

  • Annie Laurie

    Annie Laurie

  • The Deadlier Sex

    The Deadlier Sex

  • Wild Geese Calling

    Wild Geese Calling

  • Man to Man

    Man to Man

  • The Untamed Breed

    The Untamed Breed

  • The World Moves On

    The World Moves On

  • Defying Destiny

    Defying Destiny

  • Paint and Powder

    Paint and Powder

  • The Frontiersman

    The Frontiersman

  • Call of the Klondike

    Call of the Klondike

  • The Harvester

    The Harvester

  • Man Hunt

    Man Hunt

  • Old Shoes

    Old Shoes

  • Lone Star Ranger

    Lone Star Ranger

  • After the Fog

    After the Fog

  • Maid of Salem

    Maid of Salem

  • Lena Rivers

    Lena Rivers

  • Wild Geese

    Wild Geese

  • The Romance of Rosy Ridge

    The Romance of Rosy Ridge

  • Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

    Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

  • Meet Me at the Fair

    Meet Me at the Fair

  • Feudin' Fools

    Feudin' Fools

  • The Honor of the Press

    The Honor of the Press

  • Motive for Revenge

    Motive for Revenge

  • Ridin' for Justice

    Ridin' for Justice

  • The Uphill Path

    The Uphill Path

  • Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

    Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

  • The Fabulous Texan

    The Fabulous Texan

  • Sundown in Santa Fe

    Sundown in Santa Fe

  • California Gold Rush

    California Gold Rush

  • Roaring Guns

    Roaring Guns

  • Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles

    Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles

  • Rags to Riches

    Rags to Riches

  • Now We're in the Air

    Now We're in the Air

  • The Old Homestead

    The Old Homestead

  • The Great Meadow

    The Great Meadow

  • The Girl of the Golden West

    The Girl of the Golden West

  • Wild West Days

    Wild West Days

  • The Hoosier Schoolmaster

    The Hoosier Schoolmaster

  • Beauty and the Bad Man

    Beauty and the Bad Man

  • The Re-Creation of Brian Kent

    The Re-Creation of Brian Kent

  • The Branding Iron

    The Branding Iron

  • Innocents of Paris

    Innocents of Paris

  • The Huntress

    The Huntress

  • Bunty Pulls the Strings

    Bunty Pulls the Strings

  • Three on a Honeymoon

    Three on a Honeymoon

  • Across the Dead-Line

    Across the Dead-Line

  • Desperate Trails

    Desperate Trails

  • The Power and the Glory

    The Power and the Glory

  • The Splendid Road

    The Splendid Road

  • Ever Since Eve

    Ever Since Eve

  • The Barrier

    The Barrier

  • A Weaver of Dreams

    A Weaver of Dreams

  • Godless Men

    Godless Men

  • Alexander Hamilton

    Alexander Hamilton

  • The Challenge Accepted

    The Challenge Accepted

  • Hearts Aflame

    Hearts Aflame

  • The Border Legion

    The Border Legion

  • The Sap

    The Sap

  • Moonlight in Vermont

    Moonlight in Vermont

  • Riders of the Night

    Riders of the Night

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • The Bushranger

    The Bushranger

  • The Lone Star Ranger

    The Lone Star Ranger

  • Bill Apperson's Boy

    Bill Apperson's Boy

  • Rustlin' for Cupid

    Rustlin' for Cupid

  • All Faces West

    All Faces West

  • Radio Scout

    Radio Scout

  • Ship of Souls

    Ship of Souls

  • The Heart of the Yukon

    The Heart of the Yukon

  • The Blue Bandanna

    The Blue Bandanna

  • Oh, Johnny!

    Oh, Johnny!