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
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
The Love Boat
1977
as Franklyn Bootherstone
Columbo
1971
as Edmund Hidemann
Bonanza
1959
as Zach Randolph / Ferris Callahan / Calvin Butler
The Waltons
1972
as Grandfather Walton
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Performer
Mission: Impossible
1966
as Doc
Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Professor Harold Lochner
Bewitched
1964
as George Washington
Daniel Boone
1964
as Adam Jarrett
Run for Your Life
1965
as Judge David P. Andrews
Dinah!
1974
as Self
Gunsmoke
1955
as Slocum
The Invaders
1967
as Hank Willis
Starsky & Hutch
1975
as Commodore Atwater
Eight Is Enough
1977
Medical Center
1969
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
as Seth
Mayberry R.F.D.
1968
as Captain Charles Wolford
Racket Squad
1951
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969
as Harry I. Madison
The Bill Cosby Show
1969
as Mr. Kane
Then Came Bronson
1969
as Oliver Hidemann
The Sixth Sense
1972
Garrison's Gorillas
1967
Tony Orlando and Dawn
1974
as Self
The Trials of O'Brien
1965
as Judge Lindemann
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
Doc Elliot
1973
as Paul Bartlett
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak
1972
as Ben
Kung Fu
1972
as Judge Emmitt Marcus
Movies (75)
Broken Arrow
1950
as Ben Slade
Bandolero!
1968
as Pop Chaney
Silence
1974
as Crazy Jack
In Cold Blood
1967
as Prosecutor
Jeremiah Johnson
1972
as Bear Claw
Winchester '73
1950
as Wyatt Earp
Unknown Powers
1978
as Host
The Mafu Cage
1978
as Zom
The Blue Bird
1976
as Grandfather
The Reivers
1969
as Boss
Executive Action
1973
as Ferguson
Napoleon and Samantha
1972
as Grandpa
The Moonshine War
1970
as Mr. Baylor
Union Pacific
1939
as Foreman (uncredited)
The President's Analyst
1967
as Dr. Lee-Evan
Seconds
1966
as Old Man
Advise & Consent
1962
as Senate Minority Leader
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
1935
as Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
Salt of the Earth
1954
as Sheriff
Certain Honorable Men
1968
as Malcolm Stoddard
Bright Victory
1951
as Mr. Nevins
The Hanged Man
1974
as Nameless
Black Like Me
1964
as Truckdriver
The Night That Panicked America
1975
as Reverend Davis
The Tall Target
1951
as Homer Crowley
The Billion Dollar Hobo
1977
as Choo-Choo Trayne
Brother John
1971
as Doc Thomas
Lust for Gold
1949
as Deputy Ray Covin
Moving Violation
1976
as Rockfield
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
as Self (archive footage)
Double Crossbones
1951
as Tom Botts
Savage!
1973
as Joel Ryker
Intruder in the Dust
1949
as Sheriff Hampton
Becky Sharp
1935
as Spectator (uncredited)
The Misleading Lady
1932
as McMahon - Asylum Guard
The Kid from Texas
1950
as O'Fallon
Isn't It Shocking?
1973
as Lemuel Lovell
Convicted
1950
as Convict Mapes
Dear Dead Delilah
1972
as Roy Jurroe
Comanche Territory
1950
as Dan'l Seeger
It's a Small World
1950
as William Musk - Father
Deep Waters
1948
as Nick Driver
A Gift of Terror
1973
as Ben
Johnny Allegro
1949
as Schultzy
Pieces of Dreams
1970
as The Bishop
To Please a Lady
1950
as Jack Mackay
The New Deal for Artists
1981
as Self
The Crucible
1967
as Giles Corey
Honky Tonk
1974
as Judge Cotton
Men and Dust
1940
as Narrator (voice)
Of Mice and Men
1968
as Candy
Spitfire
1934
as West Fry
Wild Gold
1934
as Poker Player (uncredited)
The Man Who Loved Bears
1979
as Narrator
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery
1975
as Dr. Simpson
Hurricane
1974
as Dr. McCutcheon
The Barefoot Mailman
1951
as Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970
as Mike Patterson
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
1973
as Len McNeil
Anna Lucasta
1949
as Noah
Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
1971
as Simon Anderson
Brock's Last Case
1973
as J. Smiley Krenshaw
Bunco
1977
Scarecrow
1972
as Justice Gilead Merton
Mobs, Inc.
1956
as Harry Robinson
The Rowdyman
1972
as Stan
Memory of Us
1974
as Motel Manager
Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death
2005
as Host
The Fight for Life
1940
as Ballou
Law and Order
1976
as Pat Crowley
Rip Van Winkle
1978
as Narrator (voice)
Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970
2019
as Narrator
Tall Tales
1940
as Self
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
2017
as Self
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 Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Will Geer Movies
- Broken Arrow (1950) — as Ben Slade
- Bandolero! (1968) — as Pop Chaney
- Silence (1974) — as Crazy Jack
- In Cold Blood (1967) — as Prosecutor
- Jeremiah Johnson (1972) — as Bear Claw
Where to Watch Will Geer Films
Most Will Geer movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV 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.