
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.

as Henry Goodbody

as Clem Hall

as Deputy 'Pop' Jackson

as Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited)

as The Minister (uncredited)

as Emigrant (uncredited)

as The Parson

as Judge (uncredited)

as Fred Bixby

as Lewt Lake

as Sheriff Evans

as Sam Stanton

as Maynard Cole

as Grandpa Smith

as Clem Johnson

as Judge

as Andy McKay

as Pop

as Adam Perkins

as Farmer (uncredited)

as Farmer

as Bartender (as old Timer)

as Capt. Fergus MacLennan

as Old Man with Pipe (uncredited)

as Sheriff Jim Wyatt

as Minister

as Big Sam Dabney

as Walt Hardison

as Abner Huggins

as Luke Barlow

as Wade Clayton

as Dan Yeary

as Mr. Thornycroft

as Mathew Hodgkins

as John Simpson

as Old Silas Bagley

as Elijah Walker

as Colonel Parker

as 'Dad' Knowland

as Pop de Longpre

as The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited)

as Adam Parker

as Pat Foster (uncredited)

as Farmer MacKenzie

as J.K. Trimble

as Sime

as Uncle Rufus

as Frenchy McGuire

as Sheriff

as Orestes Krebs

as Kirby

as Flapjack

as Tom Duane

as 2nd Captain (uncredited)

as Mayor Potter

as Ned Nolan

as Marty McCord

as Tom Duane

as Marshal Len Baker

as Hank Younger

as Jess Meekins

as (uncredited)

as Chief of Police

as Shubel Morgan

as U.S. Army Major

as Mr. Bronson

as Minister

as Gaylord

as Pa Joad

as Scout

as Dr. Petry

as Kenneth Allen (uncredited)

as Sheriff Big Bill Tanner

as Frontiersman

as Winchester Thompson

as Woolridge (uncredited)

as Orth

as Dave MacMillan

as McKenzie

as Fred - Outrider in Prologue

as MacKenzie

as Bish Plivens

as Baxter

as Matt Keeler

as Bayliss Baynum

as Dead Child's Father

as Matthew Turnbull

as Sheep Man

as Village Marshal (Uncredited)

as Scroggs

as Sheriff

as 'Red' Kelly

as Bascomb Rogers

as Abner Prewett

as Jeff Parkington

as Benton

as Squire Amasa Bartlett

as McAllister

as Doc Small

as Roy Neal

as Pappy Tolliver

as Notary (1825)

as Jim Wood

as Ezra MacDuff

as Richards

as Editor Pickett

as A.B. Crockett

as Professor (uncredited)

as Speaker

as Doctor (uncredited)

as Pa Nathan Brown

as Hamlin

as Old Man in Wagon Train

as Uncle Joe

as Jonathan Kenyon

as Dan Perkins

as Jake

as Sheriff

as Banker Craig

as Grandfather Nichols

as Judge R.W. Williams

as Marshal Joseph Slyde

as Doctor

as Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier

as Thomas Hall

as Uncle Cal

as Lincoln's Employer

as Angus McSween

as Colonel John Aldridge

as Joshua Barker

as The Banker

as Gunner Bill

as Ebenezer

as Emile Leval

as Singapore Joe

as Sir Eric

as Wolf Miller

as Caleb Gare

as Lord Abercrombie McTavish

as Hank Armstrong

as Andrew Jackson

as 'Cash' Cynon

as Sandy

as Stubbins

as The Mayor's Partner

as Hank Blatchford

as Ezra Tilden

as Angus Garth

as Capt. Lightfoot

as The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited)

as Silas Martin

as Si Pace

as Riley

as Grandpa Crumb

as Chuckwalla Bill

as Jap Taylor

as Garvey

as Fred Lane

as Patrick Ryan

as Mr. Wilkens

as Trampas

as Big Jack Skinner

as Eben Holt

as Jack Rance

as Black Joe

as Caleb Deming

as Jim O'Connell

as The Sheriff

as Paul Logan

as Enoch Kidder

as Simeon Krillet

as Hugh Garth

as Tammas Biggar

as 'Black' Pawl

as John Carver

as 'Brick' Willock

as Jim Willis

as Hiram McKinstry

as Ladd

as Jim Yancy

as Bill Apperson

as Dan McGill

as Uncle Zeke Sawyer

as Adele's Father

as Sally's Grandfather

as James Lawton

as Overland Bradley

as Captain Scudder

as Martin Chandler

as Sinful John

as Jacob Tutwiler

as Samuel Sloane

as John Gaylord / John Tale

as Peter Nelson

as Sheriff

as Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)