Charley Grapewin
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 20, 1869
- Died
- February 2, 1956 (aged 86)
- Birthplace
- Xenia, Ohio, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charles Ellsworth Grapewin (December 20, 1869 – February 2, 1956) was an American vaudeville performer, writer and a stage and silent and sound actor, and comedian who was best known for portraying Aunt Em's husband, Uncle Henry in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's The Wizard of Oz (1939) as well as Grandpa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and Jeeter Lester in Tobacco Road (1941). He usually portrayed elderly folksy-type characters in a rustic setting, in all appearing in over 100 films. He was the oldest cast member of The Wizard of Oz. Born in Xenia, Ohio, Charles Ellsworth Grapewin ran away from home to be a circus acrobat which led him to work as an aerialist and trapeze artist in a traveling circus before turning to acting. He traveled all over the world with the famous P. T. Barnum circus. Grapewin also appeared in the original 1903 Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz, 36 years before he would appear in the famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film version. After this he continued in theatre, on and offstage, for the next thirty years, starting with various stock companies, and wrote stage plays as a vehicle for himself. His sole Broadway theatre credit was the short-lived play It's Up to You John Henry in 1905. Grapewin married actress Anna Chance (1875–1943) in 1896, and they remained a devoted couple until her death some 47 years later. Two years after his first wife's death, Grapewin married Loretta McGowan Becker on Jan 10, 1945. Grapewin began in silent films at the turn of the twentieth century. His very first films were two "moving image shorts" made by Frederick S. Armitage and released in November 1900; Chimmie Hicks at the Races (also known as Above the Limit) and Chimmie Hicks and the Rum Omelet, both shot in September and October 1900 and released in November of that year. During his long career, Grapewin appeared in more than one hundred films, including The Good Earth, The Grapes of Wrath, Tobacco Road, and in what is probably his best-remembered role: Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz. He also had a recurring role as Inspector Queen in the Ellery Queen film series of the early 1940s. Grapewin died of natural causes in Corona, California at age 86, and his ashes are interred with his wife's in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, at the Great Mausoleum's Columbarium of Inspiration.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
The Dark Side of the Rainbow
Movie · as Uncle Henry (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Movie · as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Big Parade of Comedy
Movie · as Mr. Bane in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage) (uncredited)
MGM Parade
TV · as self · 1 ep
When I Grow Up
Movie · as Grandpa Reed
Sand
Movie · as Doug
The Enchanted Valley
Movie · as Grandpa
Gunfighters
Movie · as Rancher Inskip
Follow the Boys
Movie · as Nick West
The Impatient Years
Movie · as Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy
Atlantic City
Movie · as Jake Taylor
Crash Dive
Movie · as Pop
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
Movie · as Insp. Queen
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
Movie · as Insp. Queen
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
Movie · as Inspector Richard Queen
They Died with Their Boots On
Movie · as California Joe
Tobacco Road
Movie · as Jeeter Lester
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
Movie · as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
Movie · as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
Movie · as Insp. Queen
The Grapes of Wrath
Movie · as Grandpa Joad
Johnny Apollo
Movie · as Judge Emmett T. Brennan
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
Movie · as Insp. Queen
Rhythm on the River
Movie · as Uncle Caleb
The Texas Rangers Ride Again
Movie · as Ben Caldwalder
Earthbound
Movie · as Mr. Whimser
The Wizard of Oz
Movie · as Uncle Henry
Dust Be My Destiny
Movie · as Pop
Stand Up and Fight
Movie · as 'Old Puff'
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
Movie · as Doc Heath
Sudden Money
Movie · as Grandpa Casey Patterson
The Man Who Dared
Movie · as Ulysses Porterfield
Sabotage
Movie · as Major Matt Grayson
Hero for a Day
Movie · as Uncle Frank "Lucky" Higgins
The Girl of the Golden West
Movie · as Uncle Davy
Listen, Darling
Movie · as Joe Higgins
Of Human Hearts
Movie · as Jim Meeker
Artists and Models Abroad
Movie · as James Harper
Three Loves Has Nancy
Movie · as Grandpa Briggs
Three Comrades
Movie · as Local Doctor
Broadway Melody of 1938
Movie · as James K. Blakeley
Captains Courageous
Movie · as Uncle Salters
Big City
Movie · as Robert, the Mayor
A Family Affair
Movie · as Frank Redmond
Between Two Women
Movie · as Dr. Webster
Bad Guy
Movie · as Dan Gray
The Bad Man of Brimstone
Movie · as Barney Lane
The Good Earth
Movie · as Old Father
Libeled Lady
Movie · as Mr. Bane
The Petrified Forest
Movie · as Gramp Maple
Small Town Girl
Movie · as Dr. Ned Fabre
The Voice of Bugle Ann
Movie · as Cal Royster
Without Orders
Movie · as J.P. Kendrick
Breakdowns of 1936
Movie · as Self
Sinner Take All
Movie · as Aaron Lampier
One Frightened Night
Movie · as Jasper Whyte
Alice Adams
Movie · as J. A. Lamb
Rendezvous
Movie · as Prof. Martin
Ah, Wilderness!
Movie · as Dave McComber
Party Wire
Movie · as Will Oliver
Shanghai
Movie · as Truesdale
Eight Bells
Movie · as Grayson
King Solomon of Broadway
Movie · as Uncle Winchester
In Spite of Danger
Movie · as Pop Sullivan
Super Speed
Movie · as Terry Devlin
Judge Priest
Movie · as Sergeant Jimmy Bagby
Anne of Green Gables
Movie · as Dr. Tatum
Return of the Terror
Movie · as Jessup
Two Alone
Movie · as Sandy Roberts
The President Vanishes
Movie · as Richard Norton
Caravan
Movie · as Notary
The Quitter
Movie · as Ed Tilford
The Loudspeaker
Movie · as Pop Calloway
She Made Her Bed
Movie · as Joe Olesen
Heroes for Sale
Movie · as Pa Dennis
Midnight Mary
Movie · as Clerk
Torch Singer
Movie · as Andrew 'Juddy' Judson
Turn Back the Clock
Movie · as Dr. Henderson (uncredited)
Don't Bet on Love
Movie · as Patrick McCaffrey
Hello, Everybody!
Movie · as Jed
Beauty for Sale
Movie · as Freddy Gordon
The Kiss Before the Mirror
Movie · as Schultz
Hell and High Water
Movie · as Peck Wealin
Wild Boys of the Road
Movie · as Mr. Cadman (uncredited)
Female
Movie · as Drunk at Hamburger Stand (Uncredited)
Pilgrimage
Movie · as Dad Saunders
No Man of Her Own
Movie · as Clerk
Hell's House
Movie · as Henry Clark
Are You Listening?
Movie · as Pierce
The Big Timer
Movie · as Pop Baldwin
The Night of June 13
Movie · as "Grandpop" Strawn (as Charles Grapewin)
The Washington Masquerade
Movie · as Senator Simmons (uncredited)
American Madness
Movie · as Mr. Jones (uncredited)
The Woman in Room 13
Movie · as Andy
Huddle
Movie · as Doctor (uncredited)
Wild Horse Mesa
Movie · as Sam Bass
The Millionaire
Movie · as Ed Powers
Gold Dust Gertie
Movie · as Nicholas Hautrey
Heaven on Earth
Movie · as Doc Boax
For the Love of Fanny
Movie · as Professor
Only Saps Work
Movie · as Simeon Tanner
The Shannons of Broadway
Movie · as Swanzey
Above the Limit
Movie · as Chimmie Hicks