Russell Simpson (actor)

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Russell Simpson (1920)

Russell McCaskill Simpson (born June 17, 1877 or 1880 in Danville , California , † December 12, 1959 in Woodland Hills , California) was an American actor. Between 1914 and 1959, the character actor made over 240 film appearances, mostly in westerns.

life and career

Russell Simpson was born in California in 1877 (according to other sources, 1880). After taking part in the Klondike gold rush in Alaska as a prospector , he became a member of an acting troupe that traveled across America. At a young age, Simpson was used more often as a romantic lover. He played on Broadway in the fall of 1909 in the melodrama Two Women and That Man and in 1912 in the musical operetta The Count of Luxembourg . In 1914 Simpson made his film debut in Cecil B. DeMille's Western The Virginian . The western became his cinematic home because of its rough appearance. In silent films he played leading roles and major supporting roles in numerous westerns, almost all of which are now completely forgotten or lost. In 1927 he played the leading role in the silent film The First Auto , which is about the change from horse to car, a horse owner who falls out with his son. In his early film career, he often played roles that were significantly older than himself.

In contrast to many other silent film actors, Simpson succeeded in switching to sound films at the end of the 1920s without major problems, but from then on he had to be content with supporting roles. He often embodied good-natured but grim and eccentric Westerners. From the 1930s onwards, Simpson was regularly cast by John Ford in his films, including the Western Drums on the Mohawk (1939) and Right of Fist of the Prairie (1946), each alongside Henry Fonda . Also directed by Ford and starring Henry Fonda, Simpson made his most famous appearance in the classic film The Fruits of Wrath as Father Joad, who is resigned and embittered by the blows of fate of his family. Although his appearances became smaller and smaller with age, he starred in almost 230 films by the year he died. In addition, he made a few guest appearances in television series in the 1950s.

In 1910 the character actor married Gertrude Aller (1890–1979), the marriage lasted until his death in 1959. In 1918 their daughter Roberta Hope was born. After his death in 1959, Russell Simpson was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Commons : Russell Simpson (actor)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Russell Simpson in the Internet Broadway Database (English)
  2. ↑ Russell Simpson at Answers
  3. ^ Russell Simpson in the Find a Grave database . Retrieved January 7, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Simpson, Russell
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Simpson, Russell McCaskill (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH June 17, 1877 or 1880
PLACE OF BIRTH Danville , California
DATE OF DEATH December 12, 1959
Place of death Woodland Hills , California