Will Geer
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 9, 1902
- Died
- April 22, 1978 (aged 76)
- Birthplace
- Frankfort, Indiana, USA
Biography
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
Photos
Filmography
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
Movie · as Narrator
Will Geer: America's Grandpa
Movie
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
Movie · as Self
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
Movie · as Host
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Man Who Loved Bears
Movie · as Narrator
Rip Van Winkle
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
The Mafu Cage
Movie · as Zom
Unknown Powers
Movie · as Host
A Woman Called Moses
TV · as Thomas Garrett · 2 eps
The Billion Dollar Hobo
Movie · as Choo-Choo Trayne
Bunco
Movie
The Love Boat
TV · as Franklyn Bootherstone · 1 ep
Eight Is Enough
TV · 2 eps
Moving Violation
Movie · as Rockfield
The Blue Bird
Movie · as Grandfather
Law and Order
Movie · as Pat Crowley
The New Deal for Artists
Movie · as Self
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Simpson
The Night That Panicked America
Movie · as Reverend Davis
Starsky & Hutch
TV · as Commodore Atwater · 2 eps
The Hanged Man
Movie · as Nameless
Hurricane
Movie · as Dr. McCutcheon
Silence
Movie · as Crazy Jack
Memory of Us
Movie · as Motel Manager
Honky Tonk
Movie · as Judge Cotton
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Lives of Benjamin Franklin
TV · 4 eps
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Executive Action
Movie · as Ferguson
Savage!
Movie · as Joel Ryker
Isn't It Shocking?
Movie · as Lemuel Lovell
Brock's Last Case
Movie · as J. Smiley Krenshaw
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
Movie · as Len McNeil
A Gift of Terror
Movie · as Ben
Doc Elliot
TV · as Paul Bartlett · 1 ep
Jeremiah Johnson
Movie · as Bear Claw
Napoleon and Samantha
Movie · as Grandpa
Dear Dead Delilah
Movie · as Roy Jurroe
Scarecrow
Movie · as Justice Gilead Merton
The Rowdyman
Movie · as Stan
Kung Fu
TV · as Judge Emmitt Marcus · 1 ep
The Waltons
TV · as Grandfather Walton · 142 eps
The Sixth Sense
TV · 1 ep
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak
TV · as Ben · 1 ep
Brother John
Movie · as Doc Thomas
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
Movie · as Simon Anderson
Alias Smith and Jones
TV · as Seth · 1 ep
Columbo
TV · as Edmund Hidemann · 1 ep
Pieces of Dreams
Movie · as The Bishop
The Brotherhood of the Bell
Movie · as Mike Patterson
The Moonshine War
Movie · as Mr. Baylor
The Bold Ones: The Senator
TV · as Senator Homer Bryant Wydell · 1 ep
The Reivers
Movie · as Boss
Hawaii Five-O
TV · as Professor Harold Lochner · 1 ep
The Bill Cosby Show
TV · as Mr. Kane · 1 ep
Medical Center
TV · 2 eps
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
TV · as Harry I. Madison · 1 ep
Then Came Bronson
TV · as Oliver Hidemann · 1 ep
Certain Honorable Men
Movie · as Malcolm Stoddard
Of Mice and Men
Movie · as Candy
Bandolero!
Movie · as Pop Chaney
Mayberry R.F.D.
TV · as Captain Charles Wolford · 2 eps
In Cold Blood
Movie · as Prosecutor
The Crucible
Movie · as Giles Corey
The President's Analyst
Movie · as Dr. Lee-Evan
Garrison's Gorillas
TV · 1 ep
The Invaders
TV · as Hank Willis · 1 ep
Seconds
Movie · as Old Man
Mission: Impossible
TV · as Doc · 1 ep
Run for Your Life
TV · as Judge David P. Andrews · 1 ep
The Trials of O'Brien
TV · as Judge Lindemann · 1 ep
Black Like Me
Movie · as Truckdriver
Bewitched
TV · as George Washington · 1 ep
Daniel Boone
TV · as Adam Jarrett · 1 ep
Advise & Consent
Movie · as Senate Minority Leader
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Bonanza
TV · as Zach Randolph, Ferris Callahan, Calvin Butler · 1 ep
Mobs, Inc.
Movie · as Harry Robinson
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Performer · 1 ep
Gunsmoke
TV · as Slocum · 1 ep
Salt of the Earth
Movie · as Sheriff
The Tall Target
Movie · as Homer Crowley
Double Crossbones
Movie · as Tom Botts
Bright Victory
Movie · as Mr. Nevins
The Barefoot Mailman
Movie · as Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
Racket Squad
TV · 1 ep
Convicted
Movie · as Convict Mapes
Winchester '73
Movie · as Wyatt Earp
Broken Arrow
Movie · as Ben Slade
The Kid from Texas
Movie · as O'Fallon
It's a Small World
Movie · as William Musk - Father
Comanche Territory
Movie · as Dan'l Seeger
To Please a Lady
Movie · as Jack Mackay
Johnny Allegro
Movie · as Schultzy
Intruder in the Dust
Movie · as Sheriff Hampton
Lust for Gold
Movie · as Deputy Ray Covin
Anna Lucasta
Movie · as Noah
Deep Waters
Movie · as Nick Driver
The Fight for Life
Movie · as Ballou
Men and Dust
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Tall Tales
Movie · as Self
Union Pacific
Movie · as Foreman (uncredited)
Becky Sharp
Movie · as Spectator (uncredited)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Movie · as Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
Wild Gold
Movie · as Poker Player (uncredited)
Spitfire
Movie · as West Fry
The Misleading Lady
Movie · as McMahon - Asylum Guard