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person_profile-Will Geer

Will Geer Died at age: 76

Actor | Producer

Fullname:

Will Geer

Date of Birth:

Mar 09, 1902

Country of birth:

USA

Died:

Apr 22, 1978

Biography of

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.

    Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Geer, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Photos of

Will Geer

Photos ( 1 Photos

Filmography of

Will Geer

Found 67 Movies in total

... 2019

... 2017

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 1988

... 1981

The Mafu Cage

Zom ( Actor )

... 1978

Unknown Powers

Host ( Actor )

... 1978

The Billion Dollar Hobo

Choo-Choo Trayne ( Actor )

... 1977

Bunco

Actor

... 1977

Moving Violation

Rockfield ( Actor )

... 1976

Law and Order

Pat Crowley ( Actor )

... 1976

The Blue Bird

Grandfather ( Actor )

... 1976

The Night That Panicked America

Reverend Davis ( Actor )

... 1975

... 1975

Hurricane

Dr. McCutcheon ( Actor )

... 1974

Memory of Us

Motel Manager ( Actor )

... 1974

Honky Tonk

Judge Cotton ( Actor )

... 1974

The Hanged Man

Nameless ( Actor )

... 1974

Executive Action

Ferguson ( Actor )

... 1973

... 1973

Isn't It Shocking?

Lemuel Lovell ( Actor )

... 1973

A Gift of Terror

Ben ( Actor )

... 1973

Savage

Joel Ryker ( Actor )

... 1973

Brock's Last Case

J. Smiley Krenshaw ( Actor )

... 1973

Jeremiah Johnson

Bear Claw ( Actor )

... 1972

Napoleon and Samantha

Grandpa ( Actor )

... 1972

The Rowdyman

Stan ( Actor )

... 1972

Dear Dead Delilah

Roy Jurroe ( Actor )

... 1972

Scarecrow

Justice Gilead Merton ( Actor )

... 1972

Brother John

Doc Thomas ( Actor )

... 1971

... 1971

Pieces of Dreams

The Bishop ( Actor )

... 1970

The Brotherhood of the Bell

Mike Patterson ( Actor )

... 1970

The Moonshine War

Mr. Baylor ( Actor )

... 1970

The Reivers

Boss ( Actor )

... 1969

Certain Honorable Men

Malcolm Stoddard ( Actor )

... 1968

Bandolero!

Pop Chaney ( Actor )

... 1968

Of Mice and Men

Candy ( Actor )

... 1968

The President's Analyst

Dr. Lee-Evan ( Actor )

... 1967

In Cold Blood

Prosecutor ( Actor )

... 1967

The Crucible

Giles Corey ( Actor )

... 1967

Seconds

Old Man ( Actor )

... 1966

Black Like Me

Truckdriver ( Actor )

... 1964

Advise & Consent

Senate Minority Leader ( Actor )

... 1962

Mobs Incorporated

Harry Robinson ( Actor )

... 1956

Mobs, Inc.

Harry Robinson ( Actor )

... 1956

Salt of the Earth

Sheriff ( Actor )

... 1954

The Barefoot Mailman

Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster ( Actor )

... 1951

The Tall Target

Homer Crowley ( Actor )

... 1951

Bright Victory

Mr. Nevins ( Actor )

... 1951

Double Crossbones

Tom Botts ( Actor )

... 1951

To Please a Lady

Jack Mackay ( Actor )

... 1950

Convicted

Convict Mapes ( Actor )

... 1950

Broken Arrow

Rancher ( Actor )

... 1950

Winchester '73

Wyatt Earp ( Actor )

... 1950

It's a Small World

William Musk - Father ( Actor )

... 1950

Comanche Territory

Dan'l Seeger ( Actor )

... 1950

The Kid from Texas

O'Fallon ( Actor )

... 1950

Intruder in the Dust

Sheriff Hampton ( Actor )

... 1949

Anna Lucasta

Noah ( Actor )

... 1949

Lust for Gold

Deputy Ray Covin ( Actor )

... 1949

Johnny Allegro

Schultzy ( Actor )

... 1949

Deep Waters

Nick Driver ( Actor )

... 1948

Union Pacific

Foreman (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1939

Becky Sharp

Spectator (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1935

Wild Gold

Poker Player (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1934

Spitfire

West Fry ( Actor )

... 1934

The Misleading Lady

McMahon - Asylum Guard ( Actor )

... 1932