Russell Simpson (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Russell Simpson
Simpson in The Grapes of Wrath.
Born	(1880-06-17)June 17, 1880 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	December 12, 1959(1959-12-12) (aged 79) Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Years active	1914-1959
Spouse(s)	Gertrude Aller (1910-1959) (his death) 1 child
Children	Russell Jr. Roberta (b. 1918)

Lionel Belmore, Laurette Taylor & Russell Simpson in Peg o' My Heart

Russell McCaskill Simpson (born June 17, 1880 – died December 12, 1959) was an American actor. He was known for his many roles in movies, especially those directed by John Ford. He is most famous for playing Pa Joad in the 1940 movie The Grapes of Wrath.

Who Was Russell Simpson?

Russell Simpson was born in San Francisco, California. Before becoming an actor, it is said that he looked for gold in Alaska when he was young. He started his acting career in the theatre around 1909. He even performed in plays on Broadway in New York City.

Starting in Movies

Russell Simpson made his first movie appearance in 1914. It was in a film called The Virginian, directed by Cecil B. DeMille. He had a small part in this movie. Later, when the movie was remade in 1923, Russell Simpson played a much bigger role as the main villain.

Working with John Ford

Russell Simpson became a well-known character actor. He was part of a group of actors who often worked with the famous director John Ford. This group was sometimes called the John Ford Stock Company. Simpson worked for almost 45 years, appearing in many films until 1959. His last movie was The Horse Soldiers, which was his tenth film with John Ford.

Russell Simpson passed away on December 12, 1959, in Woodland Hills, California. He was survived by his wife, Gertrude, and his two children, Russell Jr. and Roberta.

Russell Simpson's Movies

Russell Simpson acted in many movies during his long career. Here are some of his most notable films:

See also

In Spanish: Russell Simpson (actor) para niños