Russell Simpson (Actor)

Reviews of Russell Simpson Movies

Looking for reviews of Russell Simpson movies? Cinafilm has a total of 3,290 reviews across 49 movies.

Movies starring Russell Simpson have generally received positive reviews and hold an average score of 63%.

The Grapes of Wrath - released in 1940 - is Russell Simpson's highest rated movie, with a score of 85% based on 709 reviews.

The lowest rated film from Russell Simpson is The Lonely Man - released in 1957 - with a score of 48% based on 5 reviews.

Actor Biography

Russell McCaskill Simpson (June 17, 1880, Danville, California – December 12, 1959, Woodland Hills, California) was an American character actor who appeared in over 500 movies. He is best 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.

At age 18 Simpson prospected for gold in Alaska. He began taking acting classes in Seattle, Washington. In 1910 he married Gertrude Alter from New York City.

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. He didn't usually perform lead roles, but he did star in many movies throughout the silent movie era. He performed a lead role as the grandfather in Out of the Dust (1920).

Simpson is best known for his work in the films of John Ford and, in particular, for his portrayal of Pa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940). His final film was The Horse Soldiers, his tenth film for Ford. Simpson worked up to 1959, the year of his death.

He was the president of the Overseas Phonograph Accessories Corporation.

Russell Simpson has acted in films with Ward Bond, Francis Ford, Jack Pennick and Hank Bell.

Russell Simpson has worked with these film directors: John Ford, Michael Curtiz, Ray Enright and Frank Capra.