1880-06-16 Danville, California, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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.
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The Horse Soldiers | Henry Goodbody | 1959-06-11 |
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The Lonely Man | 1957-06-21 | |
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The Tin Star | Clem Hall | 1957-11-06 |
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The Brass Legend | Deputy 'Pop' Jackson | 1956-12-01 |
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Friendly Persuasion | Brother Griffith - Elder (uncredited) | 1956-10-30 |
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Oklahoma! | The Minister (uncredited) | 1955-10-10 |
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The Last Command | The Parson | 1955-08-03 |
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The Tall Men | Emigrant (uncredited) | 1955-09-22 |
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Broken Lance | Judge (uncredited) | 1954-09-25 |
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Seven Brides for Seven Brothers | Fred Bixby | 1954-07-22 |
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The Sun Shines Bright | Lewt Lake | 1953-05-02 |
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Meet Me at the Fair | Sheriff Evans | 1953-01-01 |
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Feudin' Fools | Grandpa Smith | 1952-09-21 |
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Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair | Clem Johnson | 1952-07-11 |
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Lone Star | Maynard Cole | 1952-10-24 |
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The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon | Sam Stanton | 1952-11-01 |
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Comin' Round the Mountain | Judge | 1951-07-26 |
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Saddle Tramp | Pop | 1950-09-21 |
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Wagon Master | Adam Perkins | 1950-04-22 |
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The Outriders | Farmer (uncredited) | 1950-03-01 |
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Call of the Klondike | Andy McKay | 1950-12-17 |
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Free For All | Farmer | 1949-11-01 |
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The Gal Who Took the West | Bartender (as old Timer) | 1949-09-01 |
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Tuna Clipper | Capt. Fergus MacLennan | 1949-04-11 |
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Tap Roots | Big Sam Dabney | 1948-08-25 |
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The Untamed Breed | Minister | 1948-10-20 |
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Coroner Creek | Walt Hardison | 1948-07-01 |
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Joan of Arc | Old Man with Pipe (uncredited) | 1948-12-22 |
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Albuquerque | Abner Huggins | 1948-02-20 |
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Sundown in Santa Fe | Sheriff Jim Wyatt | 1948-11-05 |
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Bowery Buckaroos | Luke Barlow | 1947-11-22 |
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The Romance of Rosy Ridge | Dan Yeary | 1947-08-04 |
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The Fabulous Texan | Wade Clayton | 1947-11-09 |
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California Gold Rush | Colonel Parker | 1946-02-04 |
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Bad Bascomb | Elijah Walker | 1946-05-26 |
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My Dog Shep | Mathew Hodgkins | 1946-11-01 |
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Death Valley | Old Silas Bagley | 1946-08-15 |
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A Boy and His Dog | Mr. Thornycroft | 1946-12-26 |
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My Darling Clementine | John Simpson | 1946-10-17 |
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Along Came Jones | Pop de Longpre | 1945-07-19 |
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They Were Expendable | 'Dad' Knowland | 1945-12-07 |
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Roughly Speaking | The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited) | 1945-01-31 |
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Texas Masquerade | J.K. Trimble | 1944-02-08 |
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Roaring Guns | Farmer MacKenzie | 1944-02-19 |
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Tall in the Saddle | Pat Foster (uncredited) | 1944-09-29 |
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The Big Bonanza | Adam Parker | 1944-12-30 |
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Colt Comrades | Sheriff | 1943-06-18 |
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Border Patrol | Orestes Krebs | 1943-04-02 |
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The Woman of the Town | Sime | 1943-12-31 |
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Moonlight in Vermont | Uncle Rufus | 1943-12-24 |
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Riding High | Frenchy McGuire | 1943-11-11 |
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Tennessee Johnson | Kirby | 1942-12-01 |
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Nazi Agent | 2nd Captain (uncredited) | 1942-03-01 |
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The Spoilers | Flapjack | 1942-06-11 |
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Lone Star Ranger | Tom Duane | 1942-03-20 |
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Wild Bill Hickok Rides | Ned Nolan | 1942-01-31 |
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Shut My Big Mouth | Mayor Potter | 1942-02-19 |
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Meet John Doe | (uncredited) | 1941-03-14 |
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Last of the Duanes | Tom Duane | 1941-09-26 |
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Bad Men of Missouri | Hank Younger | 1941-07-26 |
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Swamp Water | Marty McCord | 1941-11-16 |
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Citadel of Crime | Jess Meekins | 1941-07-23 |
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Wild Geese Calling | Marshal Len Baker | 1941-08-15 |
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Tobacco Road | Chief of Police | 1941-02-20 |
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Virginia City | Gaylord | 1940-03-23 |
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Three Faces West | Minister | 1940-07-03 |
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Brigham Young | U.S. Army Major | 1940-09-27 |
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Santa Fe Trail | Shubel Morgan | 1940-12-20 |
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The Grapes of Wrath | Pa Joad | 1940-03-15 |
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Wyoming | Mr. Bronson | 1940-09-13 |
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Young Mr. Lincoln | Woolridge (uncredited) | 1939-06-09 |
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Dodge City | Orth | 1939-04-08 |
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Kenneth Allen (uncredited) | 1939-10-19 |
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Drums Along the Mohawk | Dr. Petry | 1939-11-10 |
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Geronimo | Scout | 1939-11-26 |
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Desperate Trails | Sheriff Big Bill Tanner | 1939-09-30 |
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The Bill of Rights | Frontiersman | 1939-08-19 |
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Western Caravans | Winchester Thompson | 1939-06-14 |
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Gold Is Where You Find It | MacKenzie | 1938-02-12 |
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Heart of the North | Dave MacMillan | 1938-12-10 |
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Valley of the Giants | McKenzie | 1938-09-17 |
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The Girl of the Golden West | Fred - Outrider in Prologue | 1938-03-18 |
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Mountain Justice | Matthew Turnbull | 1937-04-24 |
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Maid of Salem | Village Marshal (Uncredited) | 1937-02-12 |
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Green Light | Sheep Man | 1937-02-20 |
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Paradise Isle | Baxter | 1937-07-21 |
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That I May Live | Bish Plivens | 1937-09-13 |
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Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge | Bayliss Baynum | 1937-06-14 |
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Parnell | Dead Child's Father | 1937-06-04 |
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Wild West Days | Matt Keeler | 1937-07-05 |
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San Francisco | 'Red' Kelly | 1936-06-26 |
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The Harvester | Abner Prewett | 1936-04-18 |
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Paddy O'Day | Benton | 1936-01-17 |
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Ramona | Scroggs | 1936-09-25 |
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Back to Nature | Sheriff | 1936-08-14 |
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Man Hunt | Jeff Parkington | 1936-01-29 |
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Girl of the Ozarks | Bascomb Rogers | 1936-06-12 |
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Motive for Revenge | McAllister | 1935-05-15 |
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The Hoosier Schoolmaster | Doc Small | 1935-05-14 |
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Way Down East | Squire Amasa Bartlett | 1935-10-25 |
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West of the Pecos | Roy Neal | 1934-12-27 |
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Ever Since Eve | Jim Wood | 1934-03-25 |
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Three on a Honeymoon | Ezra MacDuff | 1934-03-22 |
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Carolina | Richards | 1934-02-02 |
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The World Moves On | Notary (1825) | 1934-06-27 |
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Frontier Marshal | Editor Pickett | 1934-01-19 |
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Radio Scout | Pappy Tolliver | 1934-09-01 |
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Sixteen Fathoms Deep | A.B. Crockett | 1934-01-01 |
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Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles | Speaker | 1933-07-13 |
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The Power and the Glory | Professor (uncredited) | 1933-10-06 |
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Face in the Sky | Pa Nathan Brown | 1933-01-15 |
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Flames | Jake | 1932-05-29 |
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Silver Dollar | Hamlin | 1932-12-22 |
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The Cabin in the Cotton | Uncle Joe | 1932-09-26 |
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Law and Order | Judge R.W. Williams | 1932-02-09 |
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The Riding Tornado | Sheriff | 1932-05-04 |
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The Honor of the Press | Dan Perkins | 1932-07-13 |
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Lena Rivers | Grandfather Nichols | 1932-03-27 |
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Call Her Savage | Old Man in Wagon Train | 1932-11-24 |
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Ridin' for Justice | Marshal Joseph Slyde | 1932-01-04 |
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Hello Trouble | Jonathan Kenyon | 1932-07-15 |
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The Famous Ferguson Case | Banker Craig | 1932-04-19 |
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Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) | Doctor | 1931-10-10 |
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Alexander Hamilton | Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier | 1931-09-12 |
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The Great Meadow | Thomas Hall | 1931-01-24 |
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Man to Man | Uncle Cal | 1930-12-05 |
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Abraham Lincoln | Lincoln's Employer | 1930-11-08 |
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The Lone Star Ranger | Colonel John Aldridge | 1930-01-05 |
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Billy the Kid | Angus McSween | 1930-10-16 |
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The Sap | The Banker | 1929-11-09 |
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My Lady's Past | 1929-04-01 | |
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All Faces West | Gunner Bill | 1929-03-02 |
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After the Fog | Joshua Barker | 1929-12-15 |
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Innocents of Paris | Emile Leval | 1929-01-02 |
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Tropical Nights | Singapore Joe | 1928-12-10 |
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The Bushranger | Sir Eric | 1928-11-17 |
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The First Auto | Hank Armstrong | 1927-06-27 |
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The Frontiersman | Andrew Jackson | 1927-06-11 |
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Wild Geese | Caleb Gare | 1927-11-15 |
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Now We're in the Air | Lord Abercrombie McTavish | 1927-10-21 |
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Annie Laurie | Sandy | 1927-05-10 |
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The Earth Woman | Ezra Tilden | 1926-04-04 |
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Rustlin' for Cupid | Hank Blatchford | 1926-04-11 |
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Lovey Mary | Stubbins | 1926-06-20 |
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Why Women Love | Silas Martin | 1925-10-18 |
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Faint Perfume | Grandpa Crumb | 1925-06-08 |
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Old Shoes | 1925-04-08 | |
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Ship of Souls | Angus Garth | 1925-12-20 |
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Beauty and the Bad Man | Chuckwalla Bill | 1925-03-29 |
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The Narrow Street | Garvey | 1925-01-04 |
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Thunder Mountain | Si Pace | 1925-10-11 |
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Paint and Powder | Riley | 1925-09-16 |
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The Splendid Road | Capt. Lightfoot | 1925-12-06 |
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The Re-Creation of Brian Kent | Jap Taylor | 1925-02-15 |
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The Eagle | The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited) | 1925-11-08 |
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Painted People | Fred Lane | 1924-01-28 |
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Hearts Aflame | Black Joe | 1923-01-01 |
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Circus Days | Eben Holt | 1923-07-30 |
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The Virginian | Trampas | 1923-09-29 |
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Defying Destiny | Mr. Wilkens | 1923-09-29 |
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The Girl of the Golden West | Jack Rance | 1923-05-03 |
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Desire | Patrick Ryan | 1923-10-01 |
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The Huntress | Big Jack Skinner | 1923-08-20 |
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Across the Dead-Line | Enoch Kidder | 1922-01-09 |
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Rags to Riches | The Sheriff | 1922-09-24 |
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Peg o' My Heart | Jim O'Connell | 1922-12-17 |
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Human Hearts | Paul Logan | 1922-08-19 |
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The Kingdom Within | Caleb Deming | 1922-12-24 |
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Snowblind | Hugh Garth | 1921-03-22 |
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Bunty Pulls the Strings | Tammas Biggar | 1921-01-02 |
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Under the Lash | Simeon Krillet | 1921-10-16 |
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The Branding Iron | John Carver | 1920-10-31 |
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Godless Men | 'Black' Pawl | 1920-11-06 |
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The Deadlier Sex | Jim Willis | 1920-03-28 |
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Lahoma | 'Brick' Willock | 1920-08-20 |
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The Blue Bandanna | Jim Yancy | 1919-11-17 |
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Fighting Cressy | Hiram McKinstry | 1919-11-22 |
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Bill Apperson's Boy | Bill Apperson | 1919-06-22 |
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Desert Gold | Ladd | 1919-11-21 |
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The Brand | Dan McGill | 1919-03-09 |
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Riders of the Night | Sally's Grandfather | 1918-10-15 |
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The Border Legion | Overland Bradley | 1918-07-28 |
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Breakers Ahead | Captain Scudder | 1918-03-25 |
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The Challenge Accepted | Uncle Zeke Sawyer | 1918-12-29 |
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A Weaver of Dreams | Martin Chandler | 1918-03-02 |
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The Uphill Path | James Lawton | 1918-10-01 |
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Oh, Johnny! | Adele's Father | 1918-12-22 |
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The Barrier | John Gaylord / John Tale | 1917-02-25 |
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Blue Jeans | Jacob Tutwiler | 1917-12-10 |
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Lovely Mary | Peter Nelson | 1916-03-13 |
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The Old Homestead | Sheriff | 1915-12-16 |
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The Virginian | Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited) | 1914-09-07 |
