1902-03-09 ( 123 years old ) in Frankfort, Indiana, USA
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.
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Movies
Will Geer: America's Grandpa
2019-05-02
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
2019-03-01
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
2005-01-01
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1988-11-22
The New Deal for Artists
1981-07-06
The Man Who Loved Bears
1979-06-17
Rip Van Winkle
1978-11-20
The Mafu Cage
1978-03-19
Unknown Powers
1978-01-01
The Billion Dollar Hobo
1977-11-01
Bunco
1977-01-01
Moving Violation
1976-07-16
Law and Order
1976-05-06
The Blue Bird
1976-04-30
The Night That Panicked America
1975-10-31
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
1975-03-07
Hurricane
1974-09-10
Memory of Us
1974-05-01
Silence
1974-04-15
Honky Tonk
1974-04-01
The Hanged Man
1974-03-13
Executive Action
1973-11-07
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
1973-11-03
Isn't It Shocking?
1973-10-02
A Gift of Terror
1973-04-05
Savage
1973-03-31
Brock's Last Case
1973-03-05
Jeremiah Johnson
1972-09-10
Napoleon and Samantha
1972-07-05
The Rowdyman
1972-05-18
Dear Dead Delilah
1972-05-05
Scarecrow
1972-01-10
Brother John
1971-08-15
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
1971-02-01
Pieces of Dreams
1970-09-23
The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970-09-17
The Moonshine War
1970-06-30
The Reivers
1969-12-20
Certain Honorable Men
1968-09-12
Bandolero!
1968-06-01
Of Mice and Men
1968-01-31
The President's Analyst
1967-12-21
In Cold Blood
1967-12-15
The Crucible
1967-05-04
Seconds
1966-10-05
Black Like Me
1964-01-01
Advise & Consent
1962-06-06
Mobs, Inc.
1956-03-21
Mobs Incorporated
1956-03-21
Salt of the Earth
1954-03-14
The Barefoot Mailman
1951-12-03
The Tall Target
1951-08-17
Bright Victory
1951-08-01
Double Crossbones
1951-04-26
To Please a Lady
1950-10-13
Convicted
1950-08-01
Broken Arrow
1950-08-01
Winchester '73
1950-07-12
It's a Small World
1950-06-24
Comanche Territory
1950-05-01
The Kid from Texas
1950-03-01
Intruder in the Dust
1949-11-22
Anna Lucasta
1949-07-11
Lust for Gold
1949-06-10
Johnny Allegro
1949-05-26
Deep Waters
1948-07-22
Men and Dust
1940-11-08
The Fight for Life
1940-03-07
Tall Tales
1940-01-01
Union Pacific
1939-05-05
Becky Sharp
1935-06-28
Wild Gold
1934-06-08
Spitfire
1934-03-08
The Misleading Lady
1932-04-15
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