Will Geer
Acting
Born: March 9, 1902 · Frankfort, Indiana, USA
Died: April 22, 1978 (aged 76)
Highest Rated
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
Columbo
1971
Bewitched
1964
Jeremiah Johnson
1972
Bonanza
1959
Seconds
1966
In Cold Blood
1967
Winchester '73
1950
Mission: Impossible
1966
Kung Fu
1972
Broken Arrow
1950
Starsky & Hutch
1975
The Love Boat
1977
Photos (4)
Movies (68)
Jeremiah Johnson
Bear Claw
Seconds
Old Man
Broken Arrow
Ben Slade
In Cold Blood
Prosecutor
Bandolero!
Pop Chaney
Union Pacific
Foreman (uncredited)
Advise & Consent
Senate Minority Leader
Winchester '73
Wyatt Earp
Lust for Gold
Deputy Ray Covin
The Blue Bird
Grandfather
The Mafu Cage
Zom
The Reivers
Boss
Napoleon and Samantha
Grandpa
Executive Action
Ferguson
The Tall Target
Homer Crowley
The President's Analyst
Dr. Lee-Evan
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
Convicted
Convict Mapes
Savage!
Joel Ryker
Bright Victory
Mr. Nevins
Salt of the Earth
Sheriff
The Moonshine War
Mr. Baylor
Comanche Territory
Dan'l Seeger
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
Simon Anderson
The Brotherhood of the Bell
Mike Patterson
To Please a Lady
Jack Mackay
The Kid from Texas
O'Fallon
Honky Tonk
Judge Cotton
The Crucible
Giles Corey
Unknown Powers
Host
Law and Order
Pat Crowley
Intruder in the Dust
Sheriff Hampton
Brother John
Doc Thomas
Deep Waters
Nick Driver
Dear Dead Delilah
Roy Jurroe
Double Crossbones
Tom Botts
Becky Sharp
Spectator (uncredited)
Black Like Me
Truckdriver
The Hanged Man
Nameless
Of Mice and Men
Candy
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
Dr. Simpson
The Night That Panicked America
Reverend Davis
Wild Gold
Poker Player (uncredited)
The Barefoot Mailman
Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
Moving Violation
Rockfield
Spitfire
West Fry
The Misleading Lady
McMahon - Asylum Guard
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
Narrator
The Rowdyman
Stan
Johnny Allegro
Schultzy
Certain Honorable Men
Malcolm Stoddard
Memory of Us
Motel Manager
Hurricane
Dr. McCutcheon
Isn't It Shocking?
Lemuel Lovell
Mobs, Inc.
Harry Robinson
Anna Lucasta
Noah
A Gift of Terror
Ben
Brock's Last Case
J. Smiley Krenshaw
It's a Small World
William Musk - Father
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
Len McNeil
Pieces of Dreams
The Bishop
Scarecrow
Justice Gilead Merton
The Billion Dollar Hobo
Choo-Choo Trayne
Bunco
1977
Rip Van Winkle
Narrator (voice)
Men and Dust
Narrator (voice)
Will Geer: America's Grandpa
2019
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
Host
TV Shows (32)
Columbo
Edmund Hidemann · 1 eps
The Love Boat
Franklyn Bootherstone · 1 eps
Hawaii Five-O
Professor Harold Lochner · 1 eps
Bonanza
Zach Randolph · 1 eps
Bonanza
Ferris Callahan · 1 eps
Bonanza
Calvin Butler · 1 eps
Bewitched
1 eps
Bewitched
George Washington · 1 eps
The Waltons
Grandfather Walton · 142 eps
Mission: Impossible
Doc · 1 eps
Daniel Boone
Adam Jarrett · 1 eps
Starsky & Hutch
Commodore Atwater · 2 eps
Run for Your Life
Judge David P. Andrews · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Slocum · 1 eps
Medical Center
2 eps
The Invaders
Hank Willis · 1 eps
Alias Smith and Jones
Seth · 1 eps
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Harry I. Madison · 1 eps
Eight Is Enough
2 eps
Mayberry R.F.D.
Captain Charles Wolford · 2 eps
Then Came Bronson
Oliver Hidemann · 1 eps
The Bill Cosby Show
Mr. Kane · 1 eps
Racket Squad
1 eps
The Sixth Sense
1 eps
Garrison's Gorillas
1 eps
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak
Ben · 1 eps
The Bold Ones: The Senator
Senator Homer Bryant Wydell · 1 eps
The Trials of O'Brien
Judge Lindemann · 1 eps
The Lives of Benjamin Franklin
4 eps
A Woman Called Moses
Thomas Garrett · 2 eps
Doc Elliot
Paul Bartlett · 1 eps
Kung Fu
Judge Emmitt Marcus · 1 eps
Self / Appearances (9)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · 2 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · 1 eps
Tony Awards
Self - Performer · 1 eps
Dinah!
Self · 2 eps
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Self · 1 eps
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self (archive footage)
The New Deal for Artists
Self
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
Self
Tall Tales
Self