Russell Simpson

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. He attended grammar school in the Danville District in Contra Costa County, California; he graduated on July 2, 1892. At age 18, Simpson prospected for gold in Alaska. He began taking acting classes in Seattle, Washington. 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 between 1909 and 1912, and made his motion picture debut in Cecil B. DeMille'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) 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. He worked up to 1959, the year of his death. His final film was The Horse Soldiers, 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. Simpson had appeared in over 500 movies throughout his life.

Selected filmography

The Old Homestead (1915) as Sheriff Lovely Mary (1916) as Peter Nelson The Feud Girl (1916) as Zeb Bassett The Barrier (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 (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 (1920) as John Carver Godless Men (1920) as 'Black' Pawl Bunty Pulls the Strings (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 (1922) as The Sheriff Peg o' My Heart (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 (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 (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 (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 (1930) as Lincoln's Employer Billy the Kid (1930) as Angus McSween Man to Man (1930) as Uncle Cal The Great Meadow (1931) as Thomas Hall Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (1931) as Doctor Ridin' for Justice (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 (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 (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 (1936) as Red Kelly The Crime of Dr. Forbes (1936) as Sheriff Neil Back to Nature (1936) as Sheriff (uncredited) Ramona (1936) as Scroggs Wild Brian Kent (1936) as Race Judge (uncredited) 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 (1937) as Bayliss Baynum Wild West Days (1937) as Matt Keeler Paradise Isle (1937) as Baxter Gold is Where You Find It (1938) as MacKenzie Valley of the Giants (1938) as McKenzie Heart of the North (1938) as Dave MacMillan Dodge City (1939) as Jack Orth Desperate Trails (1939) as Sheriff Big Bill Tanner Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) as Dr. Petry The Grapes of Wrath (1940) as Pa Joad Virginia City (1940) as Frank Gaylord Three Faces West (1940) as Minister Brigham Young (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 (1943) as Sime Texas Masquerade (1944) as J.K. Trimble Man from Frisco (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 (1945) as 'Dad' Knowland California Gold Rush (1946) as Colonel Parker Bad Bascomb (1946) as Elijah Walker Death Valley (1946) as Old Silas Bagley My Darling Clementine (1946) as John Simpson My Dog Shep (1946) as Matt Hodgkins A Boy and His Dog (1946, Short) as Mr. Thornycroft The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947) as Dan Yeary Bowery Buckaroos (1947) as Sheriff Luke Barlow The Fabulous Texan (1947) as Wade Clayton Albuquerque (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 (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 (1953) as Dr. Lewt Lake Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) as Mr. Bixby Broken Lance (1954) as Judge (uncredited) The Last Command (1955) as The Parson The Brass Legend (1956) as Deputy 'Pop' Jackson Wagon Train (1956) as Mr Carr The Tin Star (1957) as Clem Hall The Horse Soldiers (1959) as Sheriff Goodbody