Will Geer
Known for Acting · 109 credits
- Born
- 1902-03-09
- Died
- 1978-04-22
- Place of birth
- Frankfort, Indiana, USA
- Also known as
- High Ghere · William Aughe Ghere · Уилл Гир
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (34)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
Columbo
1971
as Edmund Hidemann
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
Bonanza
1959
as Zach Randolph / Ferris Callahan / Calvin Butler
The Love Boat
1977
as Franklyn Bootherstone
Bewitched
1964
as George Washington
Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Professor Harold Lochner
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Performer
The Waltons
1972
as Grandfather Walton
Mission: Impossible
1966
as Doc
Starsky & Hutch
1975
as Commodore Atwater
Daniel Boone
1964
as Adam Jarrett
The Invaders
1967
as Hank Willis
Run for Your Life
1965
as Judge David P. Andrews
Medical Center
1969
Gunsmoke
1955
as Slocum
Dinah!
1974
as Self
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
as Seth
Eight Is Enough
1977
Mayberry R.F.D.
1968
as Captain Charles Wolford
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969
as Harry I. Madison
Then Came Bronson
1969
as Oliver Hidemann
The Bill Cosby Show
1969
as Mr. Kane
Racket Squad
1951
Garrison's Gorillas
1967
The Sixth Sense
1972
Tony Orlando and Dawn
1974
as Self
The Trials of O'Brien
1965
as Judge Lindemann
Doc Elliot
1973
as Paul Bartlett
The Bold Ones: The Senator
1970
as Senator Homer Bryant Wydell
A Woman Called Moses
1978
as Thomas Garrett
The Lives of Benjamin Franklin
1974
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak
1972
as Ben
Kung Fu
1972
as Judge Emmitt Marcus
Movies (75)
Broken Arrow
1950
as Ben Slade
Seconds
1966
as Old Man
Jeremiah Johnson
1972
as Bear Claw
Napoleon and Samantha
1972
as Grandpa
Bandolero!
1968
as Pop Chaney
Winchester '73
1950
as Wyatt Earp
Advise & Consent
1962
as Senate Minority Leader
In Cold Blood
1967
as Prosecutor
The Crucible
1967
as Giles Corey
Brother John
1971
as Doc Thomas
Deep Waters
1948
as Nick Driver
Becky Sharp
1935
as Spectator (uncredited)
Savage
1973
as Joel Ryker
The Reivers
1969
as Boss
The Night That Panicked America
1975
as Reverend Davis
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
as Self (archive footage)
Johnny Allegro
1949
as Schultzy
The Mafu Cage
1978
as Zom
Union Pacific
1939
as Foreman (uncredited)
Comanche Territory
1950
as Dan'l Seeger
Moving Violation
1976
as Rockfield
The Blue Bird
1976
as Grandfather
Executive Action
1973
as Ferguson
Scarecrow
1972
as Justice Gilead Merton
The Hanged Man
1974
as Nameless
Lust for Gold
1949
as Deputy Ray Covin
Salt of the Earth
1954
as Sheriff
The Tall Target
1951
as Homer Crowley
Convicted
1950
as Convict Mapes
Double Crossbones
1951
as Tom Botts
The President's Analyst
1967
as Dr. Lee-Evan
Intruder in the Dust
1949
as Sheriff Hampton
Bright Victory
1951
as Mr. Nevins
The Moonshine War
1970
as Mr. Baylor
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
2019
as Narrator
Anna Lucasta
1949
as Noah
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
1935
as Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
1971
as Simon Anderson
Honky Tonk
1974
as Judge Cotton
The Kid from Texas
1950
as O'Fallon
The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970
as Mike Patterson
The Rowdyman
1972
as Stan
Hurricane
1974
as Dr. McCutcheon
Law and Order
1976
as Pat Crowley
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
1973
as Len McNeil
The Barefoot Mailman
1951
as Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
Spitfire
1934
as West Fry
The Billion Dollar Hobo
1977
as Choo-Choo Trayne
A Gift of Terror
1973
as Ben
Of Mice and Men
1968
as Candy
Black Like Me
1964
as Truckdriver
The Fight for Life
1940
as Ballou
Isn't It Shocking?
1973
as Lemuel Lovell
Dear Dead Delilah
1972
as Roy Jurroe
Brock's Last Case
1973
as J. Smiley Krenshaw
Rip Van Winkle
1978
as Narrator (voice)
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
2017
as Self
Memory of Us
1974
as Motel Manager
Silence
1974
as Crazy Jack
Bunco
1977
Men and Dust
1940
as Narrator (voice)
To Please a Lady
1950
as Jack Mackay
The Misleading Lady
1932
as McMahon - Asylum Guard
Pieces of Dreams
1970
as The Bishop
Wild Gold
1934
as Poker Player (uncredited)
Unknown Powers
1978
as Host
Certain Honorable Men
1968
as Malcolm Stoddard
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
1975
as Dr. Simpson
Mobs, Inc.
1956
as Harry Robinson
Tall Tales
1940
as Self
It's a Small World
1950
as William Musk - Father
The Man Who Loved Bears
1979
as Narrator
The New Deal for Artists
1981
as Self
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
2005
as Host
Will Geer: America's Grandpa
2019
About Will Geer
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… With 109 credits spanning from 1932 to 2019, Will Geer has appeared in 75 films and 34 TV shows.
Fans searching for Will Geer movies, Will Geer filmography, or the latest projects starring Will Geer can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Will Geer Movies
- Broken Arrow (1950) — as Ben Slade
- Seconds (1966) — as Old Man
- Jeremiah Johnson (1972) — as Bear Claw
- Napoleon and Samantha (1972) — as Grandpa
- Bandolero! (1968) — as Pop Chaney
Where to Watch Will Geer Films
Most Will Geer movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Will Geer, check our movies catalogue and browse page.