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Will Geer‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1902-03-09

Popularity

star14.3

Will Geer

Frankfort, Indiana, USA

Will Geer

Frankfort, Indiana, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1902-03-09

Popularity

star14.3

Biography

​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.

Movie Credits

Seconds

Seconds‌
star7.3
calendar 1966

Salt of the Earth

Salt of the Earth‌
star6.9
calendar 1954

Jeremiah Johnson

Jeremiah Johnson‌
star7.3
calendar 1972

The Tall Target

The Tall Target‌
star6.8
calendar 1951

Executive Action

Executive Action‌
star6.3
calendar 1973

Convicted

Convicted‌
star6.3
calendar 1950

Deep Waters

Deep Waters‌
star6.0
calendar 1948

Winchester '73

Winchester '73‌
star7.3
calendar 1950

Napoleon and Samantha

Napoleon and Samantha‌
star6.1
calendar 1972

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow‌
star6.7
calendar 1950

Johnny Allegro

Johnny Allegro‌
star6.2
calendar 1949

The Kid from Texas

The Kid from Texas‌
star5.3
calendar 1950

Advise & Consent

Advise & Consent‌
star7.2
calendar 1962

In Cold Blood

In Cold Blood‌
star7.5
calendar 1967

Becky Sharp

Becky Sharp‌
star5.6
calendar 1935

Wild Gold

Wild Gold‌
star5.0
calendar 1934

Certain Honorable Men

Certain Honorable Men‌
star0.0
calendar 1968

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men‌
star9.0
calendar 1968

Intruder in the Dust

Intruder in the Dust‌
star7.3
calendar 1949

It's a Small World

It's a Small World‌
star5.3
calendar 1950

Double Crossbones

Double Crossbones‌
star5.4
calendar 1951

Lust for Gold

Lust for Gold‌
star5.9
calendar 1949

Pieces of Dreams

Pieces of Dreams‌
star3.5
calendar 1970

Comanche Territory

Comanche Territory‌
star4.8
calendar 1950

The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man‌
star4.3
calendar 1974

The Man Who Loved Bears

The Man Who Loved Bears‌
star0.0
calendar 1979

Brother John

Brother John‌
star6.2
calendar 1971

Bright Victory

Bright Victory‌
star6.9
calendar 1951

Savage

Savage‌
star5.6
calendar 1973

Dear Dead Delilah

Dear Dead Delilah‌
star5.5
calendar 1972

To Please a Lady

To Please a Lady‌
star6.3
calendar 1950

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle‌
star5.0
calendar 1978

Hurricane

Hurricane‌
star4.9
calendar 1974

Anna Lucasta

Anna Lucasta‌
star4.3
calendar 1949

Isn't It Shocking?

Isn't It Shocking?‌
star6.1
calendar 1973

The Fight for Life

The Fight for Life‌
star5.0
calendar 1940

Bandolero!

Bandolero!‌
star6.5
calendar 1968

The Mafu Cage

The Mafu Cage‌
star6.3
calendar 1978

Moving Violation

Moving Violation‌
star4.9
calendar 1976

The Billion Dollar Hobo

The Billion Dollar Hobo‌
star5.6
calendar 1977

Spitfire

Spitfire‌
star5.4
calendar 1934

Union Pacific

Union Pacific‌
star6.5
calendar 1939

Men and Dust

Men and Dust‌
star5.5
calendar 1940

Scarecrow

Scarecrow‌
star8.0
calendar 1972

In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s

In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s‌
star0.0
calendar 2017

Brock's Last Case

Brock's Last Case‌
star4.0
calendar 1973

Black Like Me

Black Like Me‌
star5.9
calendar 1964

The Barefoot Mailman

The Barefoot Mailman‌
star4.0
calendar 1951

The Rowdyman

The Rowdyman‌
star3.5
calendar 1972

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On‌
star0.0
calendar 1973

The Misleading Lady

The Misleading Lady‌
star0.0
calendar 1932

Silence

Silence‌
star0.0
calendar 1974

The Brotherhood of the Bell

The Brotherhood of the Bell‌
star5.9
calendar 1970

The Moonshine War

The Moonshine War‌
star5.8
calendar 1970

The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery

The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery‌
star5.2
calendar 1975

Unknown Powers

Unknown Powers‌
star5.8
calendar 1978

The Crucible

The Crucible‌
star3.5
calendar 1967

The Blue Bird

The Blue Bird‌
star5.3
calendar 1976

Memory of Us

Memory of Us‌
star0.0
calendar 1974

Bunco

Bunco‌
star0.0
calendar 1977

Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970

Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970‌
star0.0
calendar 2019

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life‌
star6.0
calendar 1988

Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?

Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?‌
star8.0
calendar 1971

The Reivers

The Reivers‌
star6.4
calendar 1969

Will Geer: America's Grandpa

Will Geer: America's Grandpa‌
star2.0
calendar 2019

Law and Order

Law and Order‌
star0.0
calendar 1976

The New Deal for Artists

The New Deal for Artists‌
star0.0
calendar 1981

Honky Tonk

Honky Tonk‌
star0.0
calendar 1974

The President's Analyst

The President's Analyst‌
star5.8
calendar 1967

The Night That Panicked America

The Night That Panicked America‌
star7.2
calendar 1975

Mobs, Inc.

Mobs, Inc.‌
star4.0
calendar 1956

A Gift of Terror

A Gift of Terror‌
star0.0
calendar 1973

Mobs Incorporated

Mobs Incorporated‌
star0.0
calendar 1956

Tall Tales

Tall Tales‌
star0.0
calendar 1940

Tv Credits

Garrison's Gorillas

Garrison's Gorillas‌
star7.6
calendar 1967

Kung Fu

Kung Fu‌
star7.6
calendar 1972

The Love Boat

The Love Boat‌
star6.3
calendar 1977

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O‌
star7.1
calendar 1968

Alias Smith and Jones

Alias Smith and Jones‌
star6.9
calendar 1971

The Bill Cosby Show

The Bill Cosby Show‌
star5.2
calendar 1969

Medical Center

Medical Center‌
star6.1
calendar 1969

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.6
calendar 1955

Bewitched

Bewitched‌
star7.9
calendar 1964

Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible‌
star7.6
calendar 1966

Eight Is Enough

Eight Is Enough‌
star6.1
calendar 1977

The Waltons

The Waltons‌
star7.1
calendar 1972

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life‌
star7.2
calendar 1965

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone‌
star6.9
calendar 1964

Then Came Bronson

Then Came Bronson‌
star4.8
calendar 1969

The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense‌
star6.3
calendar 1972

Racket Squad

Racket Squad‌
star6.0
calendar 1951

Tony Orlando and Dawn

Tony Orlando and Dawn‌
star3.5
calendar 1974

Columbo

Columbo‌
star8.1
calendar 1971

Night Gallery

Night Gallery‌
star7.8
calendar 1970

Tony Awards

Tony Awards‌
star4.6
calendar 1956

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

Mayberry R.F.D.

Mayberry R.F.D.‌
star5.7
calendar 1968

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

The Courtship of Eddie's Father‌
star6.0
calendar 1969

The Lives of Benjamin Franklin

The Lives of Benjamin Franklin‌
star0.0
calendar 1974

A Woman Called Moses

A Woman Called Moses‌
star7.0
calendar 1978

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

The Trials of O'Brien

The Trials of O'Brien‌
star6.8
calendar 1965

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show‌
star5.1
calendar 1961

Starsky & Hutch

Starsky & Hutch‌
star7.2
calendar 1975

Doc Elliot

Doc Elliot‌
star0.0
calendar 1973

The Invaders

The Invaders‌
star6.8
calendar 1967

Dinah!

Dinah!‌
star6.5
calendar 1974

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

The Bold Ones: The Senator

The Bold Ones: The Senator‌
star3.0
calendar 1970