Russell McCaskill Simpson (June 17, 1880 – December 12, 1959) was an American character actor.

Early life

Russell Simpson was born on June 17, 1880 (other sources indicate 1877) in

Danville, California The Town of DanvillePronounced is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is one of the List of municipalities in California, incorporated municipalities in California that use "town" in their nam ...

. He attended grammar school in the Danville District in

Contra Costa County, California Contra Costa County (; ''Contra Costa'', Spanish for 'Opposite Coast') is a county located in the U.S. state of California, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,165,927. Th ...

; he graduated on July 2, 1892. At age 18, Simpson prospected for gold in Alaska. He began taking acting classes in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

. He was married to Gertrude Aller from New York City on January 19, 1910.

Career

By 1909, he had gone into the theatre. He appeared in at least two plays on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

between 1909 and 1912, and made his motion picture debut in

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

'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. Simpson didn't usually perform lead roles, but he did star in many movies throughout the silent movie era. He did perform a lead role as the grandfather in '' Out of the Dust'' (1920) and the father in '' The First Auto'' (1927). Simpson is best known for his work in the films of

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

and, in particular, for his portrayal of Pa Joad in ''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize ...

'' in 1940. He was 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 The John Ford Stock Company is the name given to the large collection of actors used repeatedly in the films of American director John Ford. Most famous among these was John Wayne, who appeared in twenty-four films and three television episodes for ...

. He worked up to 1959, the year of his death. His final film was ''

The Horse Soldiers ''The Horse Soldiers'' is a 1959 American adventure war film set during the American Civil War directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, William Holden and Constance Towers. The screenplay by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin was loosely ...

'', his tenth film for Ford. Simpson was the president of the Overseas Phonograph Accessories Corporation. He died on December 12, 1959, in

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

. Simpson had appeared in over 500 movies throughout his life.

Selected filmography

* '' The Old Homestead'' (1915) as Sheriff * ''

Lovely Mary ''Lovely Mary'' is a 1916 silent film, silent drama film directed by Edgar Jones (actor) and starring Mary Miles Minter. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film. Plot As detailed in film magazines, the film is set ...

'' (1916) as Peter Nelson * '' The Feud Girl'' (1916) as Zeb Bassett * ''

The Barrier The Barrier is a lava dam retaining the Garibaldi Lake system in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is over thick and about long where it impounds the lake. The area below and adjacent to The Barrier is considered hazardous due to th ...

'' (1917) as John Gaylord / John Tale * '' The Food Gamblers'' (1917) as Samuel Sloane * '' Blue Jeans'' (1917) as Jacob Tutwiler * '' A Weaver of Dreams'' (1918) as Martin Chandler * '' Breakers Ahead'' (1918) as Captain Scudder * '' Riders of the Night'' (1918) as Sally's Grandfather * ''

The Uphill Path The Uphill Path is a 1918 silent film drama directed by James Kirkwood and starring Catherine Calvert. The film was shot at the old Biograph Studios. The working title for this film was The Girl with a Past. The creator of the story, Paul Ar ...

'' (1918) as James Lawton * '' The Border Legion'' (1918) as Overland Bradley * '' Oh, Johnny!'' (1918) as Adele's father * '' The Challenge Accepted'' (1918) as Uncle Zeke Sawyer * '' Fighting Cressy'' (1919) as Hiram McKinstry * '' Desert Gold'' (1919) as Ladd * '' The Deadlier Sex'' (1920) as Jim Willis * '' Lahoma'' (1920) as Brick Willock * ''

The Branding Iron ''The Branding Iron'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Barbara Castleton and James Kirkwood. It was produced by Barker and Samuel Goldwyn and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. Castleton appeared nu ...

'' (1920) as John Carver * ''

Godless Men ''Godless Men'' is a 1920 American silent adventure drama film directed by Reginald Barker and produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. It stars Russell Simpson (actor), Russell Simpson and James Mason (American actor), James "Jim" Mason as ...

'' (1920) as 'Black' Pawl * ''

Bunty Pulls the Strings ''Bunty Pulls the Strings'' is a lost 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Leatrice Joy. It is based on the London and Broadway play by Graham Moffat. On stage the part of Bunty was played and made famous by ...

'' (1921) as Tammas Biggar * '' Under the Lash'' (1921) as Simeon Krillet * '' Shadows of Conscience'' (1921) as Jim Logan * '' Across the Dead-Line'' (1922) as Enoch Kidder * '' Fools of Fortune'' (1922) as Magpie Simpkins * '' Human Hearts'' (1922) as Paul Logan * ''

Rags to Riches Rags to riches (also rags-to-riches) refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame, fortune and celebrity—sometimes instantly. This is a common archetype i ...

'' (1922) as The Sheriff * ''

Peg o' My Heart "Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan (lyricist), Alfred Bryan (words) and Fred Fisher (music). It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The song was first performed publ ...

'' (1922) as Jim O'Connell * '' The Kingdom Within'' (1922) as Caleb Deming * '' Hearts Aflame'' (1923) as Black Joe * '' The Girl of the Golden West'' (1923) as Jack Rance * '' Circus Days'' (1923) as Eben Holt * '' The Huntress'' (1923) as Big Jack Skinner * '' Defying Destiny'' (1923) as Mr. Wilkens * '' The Virginian'' (1923) as Trampas * ''

Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of affa ...

'' (1923) * '' Painted People'' (1924) as Fred Lane * '' The Narrow Street'' (1925) as Gaarvey * '' Beauty and the Bad Man'' (1925) as Chuckwalla Bill * '' Old Shoes'' (1925) * '' Paint and Powder'' (1925) as Riley * '' Thunder Mountain'' (1925) as Si Pace * '' The Splendid Road'' (1925) as Capt. Lightfoot * '' The Ship of Souls'' (1925) as Angus Garth * '' The Earth Woman'' (1926) as Ezra Tilden * '' Rustling for Cupid'' (1926) as Hank Blatchford * '' The Social Highwayman'' (1926) as The Mayor's Partner * '' Lovey Mary'' (1926) as Stubbins * '' God's Great Wilderness'' (1927) as Richard Stoner * ''

Annie Laurie "Annie Laurie" is an old Scottish song based on a poem said to have been written by William Douglas (1672 - c1760 ) of Dumfriesshire, about his romance with Annie Laurie (1682–1764). The words were modified and the tune was added by Alicia Ann ...

'' (1927) as Sandy * '' The Heart of the Yukon'' (1927) as 'Cash' Cynon * '' The Frontiersman'' (1927) as Andrew Jackson * '' The First Auto'' (1927) as Hank Armstrong * '' Now We're in the Air'' (1927) as Lord Abercrombie McTavish * '' Wild Geese'' (1927) as Caleb Gare * ''

The Trail of '98 ''The Trail of '98'' is a 1928 American synchronized sound action-adventure/drama film featuring Harry Carey and Dolores del Río about the Klondike Gold Rush. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical ...

'' (1928) as Old Swede (scenes deleted) * '' Life's Mockery'' (1928) as Wolf Miller * '' The Bushranger'' (1928) as Sir Eric * '' Tropical Nights'' (1928) as Singapore Joe * '' Noisy Neighbors'' (1929) as Ebenezer * '' All Faces West'' (1929) as Gunner Bill * '' Innocents of Paris'' (1929) as Emile Leval * '' After the Fog'' (1929) as Joshua Barker * '' The Lone Star Ranger'' (1930) as Colonel John Aldridge * ''

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

'' (1930) as Lincoln's Employer * ''

Billy the Kid Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders: four for which he was solely res ...

'' (1930) as Angus McSween * '' Man to Man'' (1930) as Uncle Cal * '' The Great Meadow'' (1931) as Thomas Hall * ''

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) Susan is a feminine given name, the usual English version of Susanna or Susannah. All are versions of the Hebrew name Shoshana, which is derived from the Hebrew ''shoshan'', meaning ''lotus flower'' in Egyptian, original derivation, and several ...

'' (1931) as Doctor * ''

Ridin' for Justice ''Ridin' for Justice'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Western film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Buck Jones, Mary Doran, and Russell Simpson. Plot Buck Randall (Buck Jones), a carefree cowboy whose popularity with the local saloon g ...

'' (1932) as Marshal Joseph Slyde * '' Law and Order'' (1932) as Judge R.W. Williams * '' Lena Rivers'' (1932) as Grandfather Nichols * '' The Riding Tornado'' (1932) as Sheriff * '' The Famous Ferguson Case'' (1932) as Banker Craig * '' The Honor of the Press'' (1932) as City Editor Dan Perkins * '' Hello Trouble'' (1932) as Jonathan Kenyon * '' Cabin in the Cotton'' (1932) as Uncle Joe * '' Call Her Savage'' (1932) as Old Man in Wagon Train * '' Silver Dollar'' (1932) as Hamlin * ''

Face in the Sky ''Face in the Sky'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film starring Spencer Tracy and Stuart Erwin. The film was directed by Harry Lachman and released by Fox Film. Plot Two sign painters find themselves blackmailed by a beautiful woman dete ...

'' (1933) as Pa Nathan Brown * '' Sixteen Fathoms Deep'' (1934) as A.B. Crockett * '' Frontier Marshal'' (1934) as Editor Pickett * '' Carolina'' (1934) as Richards * '' Three on a Honeymoon'' (1934) as Ezra MacDuff * '' Ever Since Eve'' (1934) as Jim Wood * '' The World Moves On'' (1934) as Notary (1825) * '' West of the Pecos'' (1934) as Roy Neal * '' The County Chairman'' (1935) as Vance Jimmison * '' The Hoosier Schoolmaster'' (1935) as Doc Small * '' Motive for Revenge'' (1935) as McAllister * ''

Way Down East ''Way Down East'' is a 1920 American silent film, silent melodrama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. It is one of four film adaptations of the 19th century play of the same name by Charlotte Blair Parker, Lottie Blair ...

'' (1935) as Squire Amasa Bartlett * '' Paddy O'Day'' (1936) as Benton * '' Man Hunt'' (1936) as Jeff Parkington * '' The Harvester'' (1936) as Abner Prewett * '' Girl of the Ozarks'' (1936) as Bascomb Rogers * ''

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

'' (1936) as Red Kelly * '' The Crime of Dr. Forbes'' (1936) as Sheriff Neil * ''

Back to Nature The human back, also called the dorsum (: dorsa), is the large posterior area of the human body, rising from the top of the buttocks to the back of the neck. It is the surface of the body opposite from the chest and the abdomen. The vertebral c ...

'' (1936) as Sheriff (uncredited) * '' Ramona'' (1936) as Scroggs * '' Wild Brian Kent'' (1936) as Race Judge (uncredited) * ''

Green Light Green Light, green light, green-light or greenlight may refer to: * Green-colored light, part of the visible spectrum * Greenlight, formal approval of a project to move forward Arts, entertainment, and media Films and television * Green Light ( ...

'' (1937) as Sheep Man * '' Maid of Salem'' (1937) as Village Marshal (uncredited) * '' Mountain Justice'' (1937) as Mr. Matthew Turnbull * '' That I May Live'' (1937) as Bish Plivens * '' Parnell'' (1937) as Dead Child's Father (uncredited) * ''

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge ''Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Betty Bronson. Based on a story by Jack Natteford, the film is about the son of a Southeastern cattleman who ...

'' (1937) as Bayliss Baynum * '' Wild West Days'' (1937) as Matt Keeler * '' Paradise Isle'' (1937) as Baxter * ''

Gold is Where You Find It ''Gold is Where You Find It'' is a 1938 American Western Technicolor film that gives a fictionalized account of a true event — an ecological disaster whose effects are still felt in California today. Directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Ge ...

'' (1938) as MacKenzie * '' Valley of the Giants'' (1938) as McKenzie * ''

Heart of the North ''Heart of the North'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Lewis Seiler and written by Lee Katz and Vincent Sherman. The film stars Dick Foran, Gloria Dickson, Gale Page, Allen Jenkins, Patric Knowles, and Janet Chapman. The film was re ...

'' (1938) as Dave MacMillan * ''

Dodge City Dodge City is a city in and the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. It was named after nearby Fort Dodge, which was named in honor of Grenville Dodge. The city ...

'' (1939) as Jack Orth * '' Desperate Trails'' (1939) as Sheriff Big Bill Tanner * ''

Drums Along the Mohawk ''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film stars Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, and direct ...

'' (1939) as Dr. Petry * ''

'' (1940) as Pa Joad * '' Virginia City'' (1940) as Frank Gaylord * '' Three Faces West'' (1940) as Minister * ''

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

'' (1940) as U.S. Army Major * '' Tobacco Road'' (1941) as Chief of Police * '' Citadel of Crime'' (1941) as Jess Meekins * '' Bad Men of Missouri'' (1941) as Hank Younger * '' Wild Geese Calling'' (1941) as Marshal Len Baker * '' Last of the Duanes'' (1941) as Tom Duane * '' Swamp Water'' (1941) as Marty McCord * '' Nazi Agent'' (1942) as 2nd Captain (uncredited) * '' Wild Bill Hickok Rides'' (1942) as Edward 'Ned' Nolan * '' Shut My Big Mouth'' (1942) as Mayor Potter * '' The Lone Star Ranger'' (1942) as Tom Duane * '' The Spoilers'' (1942) as Flapjack Sims * '' Tennessee Johnson'' (1942) as Kirby * '' Border Patrol'' (1943) as Orestes Krebs * '' Colt Comrades'' (1943) as Sheriff (uncredited) * '' Moonlight in Vermont'' (1943) as Uncle Rufus * ''

The Woman of the Town ''The Woman of the Town'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Aeneas MacKenzie. The film stars Claire Trevor, Albert Dekker, Barry Sullivan, Henry Hull, Porter Hall, Percy Kilbride and Clem Bevans. T ...

'' (1943) as Sime * '' Texas Masquerade'' (1944) as J.K. Trimble * ''

Man from Frisco ''Man from Frisco'' (1944) is a United States feature-length spy and war film by Republic Pictures directed by Robert Florey and starring Michael O'Shea (1906–1973) and Anne Shirley. Plot Matt Braddock is a civil engineer during the Second ...

'' (1944) as Dr. Hershey * '' The Big Bonanza'' (1944) as Adam Parker * '' Along Came Jones'' (1945) as Pop de Longpre * '' Incendiary Blonde'' (1945) as Jenkins (uncredited) * ''

They Were Expendable ''They Were Expendable'' is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William Lindsay White, relating the stor ...

'' (1945) as 'Dad' Knowland * ''

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

'' (1946) as Colonel Parker * '' Bad Bascomb'' (1946) as Elijah Walker * ''

Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. It is thought to be the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth during summer. Death Valley's Badwat ...

'' (1946) as Old Silas Bagley * ''

My Darling Clementine ''My Darling Clementine'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp during the period leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The ensemble cast also features Victor Mature (as Doc Holli ...

'' (1946) as John Simpson * ''

My Dog Shep ''My Dog Shep'' is a 1946 American drama (genre), drama film directed by Ford Beebe. It was made by Golden Gate Productions and released through the newly-formed Screen Guild Productions. They had just made ''Flight to Nowhere''. Filming starte ...

'' (1946) as Matt Hodgkins * '' A Boy and His Dog'' (1946, Short) as Mr. Thornycroft * ''

The Romance of Rosy Ridge ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' is a 1947 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Roy Rowland (film director), Roy Rowland, about a rural community bitterly divided during the Reconstruction Era, aftermath of the American Civil War. It s ...

'' (1947) as Dan Yeary * '' Bowery Buckaroos'' (1947) as Sheriff Luke Barlow * '' The Fabulous Texan'' (1947) as Wade Clayton * ''

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

'' (1948) as Abner Huggins * '' Coroner Creek'' (1948) as Walt Hardison * '' Tap Roots'' (1948) as Big Sam Dabney * '' Sundown in Santa Fe'' (1948) as Sheriff Jim Wyatt * '' Tuna Clipper'' (1949) as Capt. Fergus MacLennan * '' The Gal Who Took the West'' (1949) as Bartender (as old Timer) * '' Free for All'' (1949) as Farmer * ''

Wagon Master ''Wagon Master'' is a 1950 American Western film produced and directed by John Ford and starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Joanne Dru, and Ward Bond. The story follows a Mormon pioneer wagon train across treacherous desert to the San ...

'' (1950) as Adam Perkins * '' Saddle Tramp'' (1950) as Pop * '' Call of the Klondike'' (1950) as Andy McKay * '' Comin' Round the Mountain'' (1951) as Judge * '' Lone Star'' (1952) as Senator Maynard Cole * '' Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair'' (1952) as Clem Johnson * '' Feudin' Fools'' (1952) as Grandpa Smith * '' Meet Me at the Fair'' (1953) as Sheriff Evans * ''

The Sun Shines Bright ''The Sun Shines Bright'' is a 1953 American comedy-drama Western film directed by John Ford, based on material taken from a series of Irvin S. Cobb "Judge Priest" short stories featured in ''The Saturday Evening Post'' in the 1910s, specifical ...

'' (1953) as Dr. Lewt Lake * ''

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' is a 1954 American musical film, directed by Stanley Donen, with music by Gene de Paul, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, and choreography by Michael Kidd. The screenplay, by Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Dor ...

'' (1954) as Mr. Bixby * ''

Broken Lance ''Broken Lance'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Edward Dmytryk and produced by Sol C. Siegel. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark and Katy Jurado. Shot in Technicolor and CinemaScope, the film ...

'' (1954) as Judge (uncredited) * '' The Last Command'' (1955) as The Parson * '' The Brass Legend'' (1956) as Deputy 'Pop' Jackson * ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'' (1956) as Mr Carr * '' The Tin Star'' (1957) as Clem Hall * ''

'' (1959) as Sheriff Goodbody

References

External links

* * *
Russell Simpson papers
a
L. Tom Perry Special Collections

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Russell 1880 births 1959 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male silent film actors Male Western (genre) film actors Male actors from San Francisco Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) People from Danville, California