Will Geer
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Mar 9, 1902
- Died
- Apr 22, 1978 (aged 76)
- Place of birth
- Frankfort, Indiana, USA
- Credits
- 109
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.
Known for
Filmography
Will Geer: America's Grandpa
2019Movie
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
2019Movie
Narrator
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
2017Movie
Self
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
2005Movie
Host
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Man Who Loved Bears
1979Movie
Narrator
A Woman Called Moses
1978TV
Thomas Garrett
Rip Van Winkle
1978Movie
Narrator (voice)
The Mafu Cage
1978Movie
Zom
Unknown Powers
1978Movie
Host
The Billion Dollar Hobo
1977Movie
Choo-Choo Trayne
The Love Boat
1977TV
Franklyn Bootherstone
Eight Is Enough
1977TV
Bunco
1977Movie
The New Deal for Artists
1976Movie
Self
Moving Violation
1976Movie
Rockfield
Law and Order
1976Movie
Pat Crowley
The Blue Bird
1976Movie
Grandfather
The Night That Panicked America
1975Movie
Reverend Davis
Starsky & Hutch
1975TV
Commodore Atwater
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
1975Movie
Dr. Simpson
Tony Orlando and Dawn
1974TV
Self
The Lives of Benjamin Franklin
1974TV
Dinah!
1974TV
Self
Hurricane
1974Movie
Dr. McCutcheon
Memory of Us
1974Movie
Motel Manager
Silence
1974Movie
Crazy Jack
Honky Tonk
1974Movie
Judge Cotton
The Hanged Man
1974Movie
Nameless
Executive Action
1973Movie
Ferguson
Doc Elliot
1973TV
Paul Bartlett
Isn't It Shocking?
1973Movie
Lemuel Lovell
A Gift of Terror
1973Movie
Ben
Savage!
1973Movie
Joel Ryker
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
1973Movie
Len McNeil
Brock's Last Case
1973Movie
J. Smiley Krenshaw
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak
1972TV
Ben
Kung Fu
1972TV
Judge Emmitt Marcus
The Waltons
1972TV
Grandfather Walton
Jeremiah Johnson
1972Movie
Bear Claw
Napoleon and Samantha
1972Movie
Grandpa
The Rowdyman
1972Movie
Stan
Dear Dead Delilah
1972Movie
Roy Jurroe
The Sixth Sense
1972TV
Scarecrow
1972Movie
Justice Gilead Merton
Columbo
1971TV
Edmund Hidemann
Brother John
1971Movie
Doc Thomas
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
1971Movie
Simon Anderson
Alias Smith and Jones
1971TV
Seth
Pieces of Dreams
1970Movie
The Bishop
The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970Movie
Mike Patterson
The Bold Ones: The Senator
1970TV
Senator Homer Bryant Wydell
The Moonshine War
1970Movie
Mr. Baylor
The Reivers
1969Movie
Boss
Medical Center
1969TV
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969TV
Harry I. Madison
Then Came Bronson
1969TV
Oliver Hidemann
The Bill Cosby Show
1969TV
Mr. Kane
Hawaii Five-O
1969TV
Professor Harold Lochner
Mayberry R.F.D.
1968TV
Captain Charles Wolford
Certain Honorable Men
1968Movie
Malcolm Stoddard
Bandolero!
1968Movie
Pop Chaney
Of Mice and Men
1968Movie
Candy
The President's Analyst
1967Movie
Dr. Lee-Evan
In Cold Blood
1967Movie
Prosecutor
Garrison's Gorillas
1967TV
The Crucible
1967Movie
Giles Corey
The Invaders
1967TV
Hank Willis
Seconds
1966Movie
Old Man
Mission: Impossible
1966TV
Doc
The Trials of O'Brien
1965TV
Judge Lindemann
Run for Your Life
1965TV
Judge David P. Andrews
Daniel Boone
1964TV
Adam Jarrett
Bewitched
1964TV
George Washington
Black Like Me
1964Movie
Truckdriver
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962TV
Self
Advise & Consent
1962Movie
Senate Minority Leader
The Mike Douglas Show
1961TV
Self
Bonanza
1959TV
Zach Randolph, Ferris Callahan, Calvin Butler
Tony Awards
1956TV
Self - Performer
Mobs, Inc.
1956Movie
Harry Robinson
Gunsmoke
1955TV
Slocum
Salt of the Earth
1954Movie
Sheriff
The Barefoot Mailman
1951Movie
Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
The Tall Target
1951Movie
Homer Crowley
Bright Victory
1951Movie
Mr. Nevins
Racket Squad
1951TV
Double Crossbones
1951Movie
Tom Botts
To Please a Lady
1950Movie
Jack Mackay
Convicted
1950Movie
Convict Mapes
Broken Arrow
1950Movie
Ben Slade
Winchester '73
1950Movie
Wyatt Earp
It's a Small World
1950Movie
William Musk - Father
Comanche Territory
1950Movie
Dan'l Seeger
The Kid from Texas
1950Movie
O'Fallon
Intruder in the Dust
1949Movie
Sheriff Hampton
Anna Lucasta
1949Movie
Noah
Lust for Gold
1949Movie
Deputy Ray Covin
Johnny Allegro
1949Movie
Schultzy
Deep Waters
1948Movie
Nick Driver
Men and Dust
1940Movie
Narrator (voice)
The Fight for Life
1940Movie
Ballou
Tall Tales
1940Movie
Self
Union Pacific
1939Movie
Foreman (uncredited)
Becky Sharp
1935Movie
Spectator (uncredited)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
1935Movie
Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
Wild Gold
1934Movie
Poker Player (uncredited)
Spitfire
1934Movie
West Fry
The Misleading Lady
1932Movie
McMahon - Asylum Guard