Will Geer, Acting - KorPlix:Korean Person Archives

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Will Geer
Acting

Will Geer
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1902-03-09,Frankfort, Indiana, USA
Gender
Male
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.

Filmography

7.327

Seconds
1966-10-05

Salt of the Earth

7

Salt of the Earth
1954-03-14

Jeremiah Johnson

7.306

Jeremiah Johnson
1972-09-10

The Tall Target

6.878

The Tall Target
1951-08-17

Executive Action

6.458

Executive Action
1973-11-07

6.167

Convicted
1950-08-01

6.125

Deep Waters
1948-07-22

7.306

Winchester '73
1950-07-06

Napoleon and Samantha

6.263

Napoleon and Samantha
1972-07-05

6.691

Broken Arrow
1950-07-21

6.389

Johnny Allegro
1949-05-26

The Kid from Texas

5.523

The Kid from Texas
1950-03-01

Advise & Consent

7.2

Advise & Consent
1962-06-06

7.508

In Cold Blood
1967-12-15

5.8

Becky Sharp
1935-06-28

6.5

Wild Gold
1934-06-08

Certain Honorable Men

10

Certain Honorable Men
1968-09-12

Of Mice and Men

9

Of Mice and Men
1968-01-31

Intruder in the Dust

7.35

Intruder in the Dust
1949-11-22

It's a Small World

5.75

It's a Small World
1950-06-24

Double Crossbones

5.938

Double Crossbones
1951-04-26

6

Lust for Gold
1949-06-10

Pieces of Dreams

4.6

Pieces of Dreams
1970-09-23

Comanche Territory

5

Comanche Territory
1950-05-01

4.538

The Hanged Man
1974-03-13

The Man Who Loved Bears

4

The Man Who Loved Bears
1979-06-17

6.467

Brother John
1971-08-15

7.053

Bright Victory
1951-08-01

5.5

Savage!
1973-03-31

Dear Dead Delilah

5.3

Dear Dead Delilah
1972-05-05

To Please a Lady

6.536

To Please a Lady
1950-10-13

5.667

Rip Van Winkle
1978-11-20

5.375

Hurricane
1974-09-10

4.2

Anna Lucasta
1949-07-11

Isn't It Shocking?

6.35

Isn't It Shocking?
1973-10-02

The Fight for Life

6.5

The Fight for Life
1940-03-07

6.588

Bandolero!
1968-06-01

5.897

The Mafu Cage
1978-03-19

Moving Violation

5.2

Moving Violation
1976-07-16

The Billion Dollar Hobo

5.75

The Billion Dollar Hobo
1977-11-01

5.219

Spitfire
1934-03-08

6.7

Union Pacific
1939-05-05

6

Men and Dust
1940-11-08

8

Scarecrow
1972-01-10

In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s

0

In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
2017-02-15

Brock's Last Case

5

Brock's Last Case
1973-03-05

6.182

Black Like Me
1964-05-20

The Barefoot Mailman

6.5

The Barefoot Mailman
1951-12-03

4

The Rowdyman
1972-05-18

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On

6.333

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
1973-03-11

The Misleading Lady

7

The Misleading Lady
1932-04-15

9

Silence
1974-04-15

The Brotherhood of the Bell

5.962

The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970-09-17

The Moonshine War

5.714

The Moonshine War
1970-06-30

The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery

5.5

The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
1975-03-07

6.167

Unknown Powers
1978-01-01

4.5

The Crucible
1967-05-04

5.5

The Blue Bird
1976-04-30

8

Memory of Us
1974-05-01

7

Bunco
1977-01-01

Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970

0

Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
2019-03-01

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

6.5

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987-03-13

Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?

9

Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
1971-02-01

6.4

The Reivers
1969-12-20

Will Geer: America's Grandpa

2

Will Geer: America's Grandpa
2019-05-02

8

Law and Order
1976-05-06

The New Deal for Artists

0

The New Deal for Artists
1981-07-06

8

Honky Tonk
1974-04-01

The President's Analyst

5.827

The President's Analyst
1967-12-21

The Night That Panicked America

6.944

The Night That Panicked America
1975-10-31

7

Mobs, Inc.
1956-03-21

A Gift of Terror

7

A Gift of Terror
1973-04-05

0

Tall Tales
1940-01-01

Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death

0

Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
2005-01-01

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

5.875

The Mystery of Edwin Drood
1935-02-04

Garrison's Gorillas

8.063

Garrison's Gorillas
1967-09-06

7.7

Kung Fu
1972-10-14

6.3

The Love Boat
1977-09-24

7.172

Hawaii Five-O
1968-09-20

Alias Smith and Jones

7

Alias Smith and Jones
1971-01-05

The Bill Cosby Show

5.5

The Bill Cosby Show
1969-09-14

6.357

Medical Center
1969-09-24

6.679

Gunsmoke
1955-09-10

7.9

Bewitched
1964-09-17

Mission: Impossible

7.554

Mission: Impossible
1966-09-17

Eight Is Enough

6.231

Eight Is Enough
1977-03-15

7.2

The Waltons
1972-09-14

Run for Your Life

7.143

Run for Your Life
1965-09-13

7.03

Daniel Boone
1964-09-24

The Sixth Sense

6.111

The Sixth Sense
1972-01-15

6.5

Racket Squad
1951-06-07

Tony Orlando and Dawn

3.5

Tony Orlando and Dawn
1974-12-04

8.1

Columbo
1971-09-15

7.521

Bonanza
1959-09-12

Mayberry R.F.D.

6.2

Mayberry R.F.D.
1968-09-23

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

6.176

The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969-09-17

The Lives of Benjamin Franklin

9

The Lives of Benjamin Franklin
1974-11-21

A Woman Called Moses

7

A Woman Called Moses
1978-12-11

7.521

Bonanza
1959-09-12

The Trials of O'Brien

7

The Trials of O'Brien
1965-09-18

The Mike Douglas Show

5.8

The Mike Douglas Show
1961-12-11

Starsky & Hutch

7.3

Starsky & Hutch
1975-09-10

7

Doc Elliot
1973-10-10

6.8

The Invaders
1967-01-10

7

Dinah!
1974-10-21

7.521

Bonanza
1959-09-12

The Bold Ones: The Senator

4.667

The Bold Ones: The Senator
1970-09-13

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

7.533

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962-10-01

Then Came Bronson

5.2

Then Came Bronson
1969-09-17

7.9

Bewitched
1964-09-17

The ABC Afternoon Playbreak

7

The ABC Afternoon Playbreak
1972-12-07

0

Tony Awards
1956-04-01