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.
198 movies · 9 shows
The Horse Soldiers
1959·6.9
The Tin Star
1957·7.0
The Lonely Man
1957·6.1
The Brass Legend
1956·6.3
Friendly Persuasion
1956·6.6
Oklahoma!
1955·6.6
The Tall Men
1955·6.5
The Last Command
1955·6.7
Broken Lance
1954·6.5
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
1954·7.1
The Sun Shines Bright
1953·6.5
Meet Me at the Fair
1953·8.5
The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon
1952·9.0
Lone Star
1952·5.7
Feudin' Fools
1952·5.5
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair
1952·6.5
Comin' Round the Mountain
1951·6.1
Call of the Klondike
1950·7.3
Saddle Tramp
1950·6.5
Wagon Master
1950·6.7
The Outriders
1950·7.3
Free For All
1949·6.3
The Gal Who Took the West
1949·6.0
Tuna Clipper
1949·7.8
Joan of Arc
1948·6.2
Sundown in Santa Fe
1948·10.0
The Untamed Breed
1948·6.5
Tap Roots
1948·6.9
Coroner Creek
1948·6.2
Albuquerque
1948·6.8
Bowery Buckaroos
1947·6.6
The Fabulous Texan
1947·6.5
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
1947·6.7
A Boy and His Dog
1946·5.9
My Dog Shep
1946·6.3
My Darling Clementine
1946·7.5
Death Valley
1946·5.7
Bad Bascomb
1946·7.3
California Gold Rush
1946·7.5
They Were Expendable
1945·6.5
Along Came Jones
1945·5.8
Roughly Speaking
1945·6.8
The Big Bonanza
1944·6.3
Tall in the Saddle
1944·6.6
Roaring Guns
1944·8.0
Texas Masquerade
1944·6.5
The Woman of the Town
1943·6.4
Moonlight in Vermont
1943·6.5
Riding High
1943·5.6
Colt Comrades
1943·5.9
Border Patrol
1943·6.2
Tennessee Johnson
1942·6.4
The Spoilers
1942·6.2
Lone Star Ranger
1942·5.3
Nazi Agent
1942·6.6
Shut My Big Mouth
1942·8.3
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
1942·5.5
Swamp Water
1941·6.3
Last of the Duanes
1941·6.5
Wild Geese Calling
1941·6.5
Bad Men of Missouri
1941·6.2
Citadel of Crime
1941·9.0
Meet John Doe
1941·7.3
Tobacco Road
1941·6.8
Santa Fe Trail
1940·5.8
Brigham Young
1940·4.6
Wyoming
1940·6.7
Three Faces West
1940·5.7
Virginia City
1940·6.3
The Grapes of Wrath
1940·7.8
Geronimo
1939·5.3
Drums Along the Mohawk
1939·6.5
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939·7.8
Desperate Trails
1939·5.7
The Bill of Rights
1939·6.5
Western Caravans
1939·7.0
Young Mr. Lincoln
1939·7.2
Dodge City
1939·6.9
Heart of the North
1938·5.2
Valley of the Giants
1938·6.7
The Girl of the Golden West
1938·5.3
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938·7.0
That I May Live
1937·7.3
Paradise Isle
1937·6.0
Wild West Days
1937·8.0
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
1937·6.7
Parnell
1937·4.6
Mountain Justice
1937·6.3
Green Light
1937·6.7
Maid of Salem
1937·6.2
Ramona
1936·5.8
Back to Nature
1936·9.0
San Francisco
1936·6.6
Girl of the Ozarks
1936·6.5
The Harvester
1936·9.0
Man Hunt
1936·10.0
Paddy O'Day
1936·7.0
Way Down East
1935·4.3
Motive for Revenge
1935·6.3
The Hoosier Schoolmaster
1935·4.3
West of the Pecos
1934·7.0
Radio Scout
1934·0.0
The World Moves On
1934·5.9
Ever Since Eve
1934·9.0
Three on a Honeymoon
1934·7.0
Carolina
1934·6.7
Frontier Marshal
1934·7.0
Sixteen Fathoms Deep
1934·4.0
The Power and the Glory
1933·5.9
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles
1933·1.0
Secrets
1933·5.2
Face in the Sky
1933·5.8
Silver Dollar
1932·6.2
Call Her Savage
1932·5.8
The Cabin in the Cotton
1932·6.3
Hello Trouble
1932·7.0
The Honor of the Press
1932·8.0
Flames
1932·4.3
The Riding Tornado
1932·7.0
The Famous Ferguson Case
1932·6.6
Lena Rivers
1932·7.0
Law and Order
1932·5.0
Ridin' for Justice
1932·10.0
Susan Lenox
1931·6.1
Alexander Hamilton
1931·4.4
The Great Meadow
1931·6.0
Man to Man
1930·6.2
Abraham Lincoln
1930·5.5
Billy the Kid
1930·4.7
The Lone Star Ranger
1930·7.0
After the Fog
1929·8.0
The Sap
1929·10.0
My Lady's Past
1929·7.0
All Faces West
1929·9.0
Noisy Neighbors
1929·9.0
Innocents of Paris
1929·8.0
Tropical Nights
1928·8.0
The Bushranger
1928·10.0
Life's Mockery
1928·7.0
Wild Geese
1927·10.0
Now We're in the Air
1927·7.5
The First Auto
1927·5.8
The Frontiersman
1927·9.0
The Heart of the Yukon
1927·7.0
Annie Laurie
1927·6.8
Lovey Mary
1926·8.0
The Social Highwayman
1926·8.0
Rustlin' for Cupid
1926·9.0
The Earth Woman
1926·8.0
Ship of Souls
1925·5.0
The Splendid Road
1925·7.0
The Eagle
1925·6.3
Why Women Love
1925·9.0
Thunder Mountain
1925·7.0
Paint and Powder
1925·7.0
Faint Perfume
1925·7.0
Old Shoes
1925·9.0
Beauty and the Bad Man
1925·7.0
The Re-Creation of Brian Kent
1925·7.0
The Narrow Street
1925·8.0
Painted People
1924·10.0
Desire
1923·7.0
Defying Destiny
1923·6.7
The Virginian
1923·6.5
The Huntress
1923·8.0
Circus Days
1923·7.3
The Girl of the Golden West
1923·8.0
Hearts Aflame
1923·9.0
The Kingdom Within
1922·10.0
Peg o' My Heart
1922·7.3
Rags to Riches
1922·10.0
Human Hearts
1922·10.0
Across the Dead-Line
1922·8.0
Under the Lash
1921·9.0
Snowblind
1921·9.0
Bunty Pulls the Strings
1921·8.0
Godless Men
1920·4.0
The Branding Iron
1920·7.0
Lahoma
1920·10.0
The Deadlier Sex
1920·7.5
Fighting Cressy
1919·10.0
Desert Gold
1919·9.0
The Blue Bandanna
1919·0.0
Bill Apperson's Boy
1919·0.0
The Brand
1919·0.0
The Challenge Accepted
1918·8.0
Oh, Johnny!
1918·8.0
Riders of the Night
1918·7.0
The Uphill Path
1918·7.0
The Border Legion
1918·0.0
Breakers Ahead
1918·0.0
A Weaver of Dreams
1918·0.0
Blue Jeans
1917·5.9
The Food Gamblers
1917·0.0
The Barrier
1917·0.0
Lovely Mary
1916·0.0
The Old Homestead
1915·0.0
The Virginian
1914·5.6