76
Age
75
Movies
37
TV Shows
7.6
Rating
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.
76
Died at
75
Movies
37
TV Shows
7.6
Avg Rating
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.
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
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.
Gender
Male
Birthday
March 9, 1902
Died
April 22, 1978
Birthplace
Frankfort, Indiana, USA
Also Known As
Broken Arrow
1950
In Cold Blood
1967
Jeremiah Johnson
1972
The Reivers
1969
Intruder in the Dust
1949
The Kid from Texas
1950
The Night That Panicked America
1975
Johnny Allegro
1949
Brother John
1971
Seconds
1966
Rip Van Winkle
1978
Napoleon and Samantha
1972
A Gift of Terror
1973
Certain Honorable Men
1968
Memory of Us
1974
The Tall Target
1951
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
The Mafu Cage
1978
The Misleading Lady
1932
Comanche Territory
1950
+ 55 more movies
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Columbo
1971
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
Bonanza
1959
Bonanza
1959
Bonanza
1959
Bewitched
1964
Bewitched
1964
The Love Boat
1977
Tony Awards
1956
The Waltons
1972
Mission: Impossible
1966
Hawaii Five-O
1968
Daniel Boone
1964
Gunsmoke
1955
Starsky & Hutch
1975
The Invaders
1967
Medical Center
1969
Eight Is Enough
1977
Dinah!
1974
+ 17 more TV shows