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 Tin Star | Clem Hall | 1957-11-06 |
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The Lonely Man | 1957-06-21 | |
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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 Tall Men | Emigrant (uncredited) | 1955-09-22 |
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The Last Command | The Parson | 1955-08-03 |
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Seven Brides for Seven Brothers | Fred Bixby | 1954-07-22 |
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Broken Lance | Judge (uncredited) | 1954-09-25 |
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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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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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Feudin' Fools | Grandpa Smith | 1952-09-21 |
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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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Call of the Klondike | Andy McKay | 1950-12-17 |
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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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Free For All | Farmer | 1949-11-01 |
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Tuna Clipper | Capt. Fergus MacLennan | 1949-04-11 |
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The Gal Who Took the West | Bartender (as old Timer) | 1949-09-01 |
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Tap Roots | Big Sam Dabney | 1948-08-25 |
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Sundown in Santa Fe | Sheriff Jim Wyatt | 1948-11-05 |
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Albuquerque | Abner Huggins | 1948-02-20 |
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Joan of Arc | Old Man with Pipe (uncredited) | 1948-12-22 |
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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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The Fabulous Texan | Wade Clayton | 1947-11-09 |
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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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My Darling Clementine | John Simpson | 1946-10-17 |
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Bad Bascomb | Elijah Walker | 1946-05-26 |
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A Boy and His Dog | Mr. Thornycroft | 1946-12-26 |
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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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California Gold Rush | Colonel Parker | 1946-02-04 |
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Roughly Speaking | The Colonel - Drill Instructor (uncredited) | 1945-01-31 |
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They Were Expendable | 'Dad' Knowland | 1945-12-07 |
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Along Came Jones | Pop de Longpre | 1945-07-19 |
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Roaring Guns | Farmer MacKenzie | 1944-02-19 |
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The Big Bonanza | Adam Parker | 1944-12-30 |
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Tall in the Saddle | Pat Foster (uncredited) | 1944-09-29 |
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Texas Masquerade | J.K. Trimble | 1944-02-08 |
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The Woman of the Town | Sime | 1943-12-31 |
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Border Patrol | Orestes Krebs | 1943-04-02 |
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Riding High | Frenchy McGuire | 1943-11-11 |
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Colt Comrades | Sheriff | 1943-06-18 |
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Moonlight in Vermont | Uncle Rufus | 1943-12-24 |
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Lone Star Ranger | Tom Duane | 1942-03-20 |
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Nazi Agent | 2nd Captain (uncredited) | 1942-03-01 |
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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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The Spoilers | Flapjack | 1942-06-11 |
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Tennessee Johnson | Kirby | 1942-12-01 |
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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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Last of the Duanes | Tom Duane | 1941-09-26 |
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Tobacco Road | Chief of Police | 1941-02-20 |
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Meet John Doe | (uncredited) | 1941-03-14 |
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Wild Geese Calling | Marshal Len Baker | 1941-08-15 |
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Bad Men of Missouri | Hank Younger | 1941-07-26 |
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Virginia City | Gaylord | 1940-03-23 |
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The Grapes of Wrath | Pa Joad | 1940-03-15 |
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Santa Fe Trail | Shubel Morgan | 1940-12-20 |
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Brigham Young | U.S. Army Major | 1940-09-27 |
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Three Faces West | Minister | 1940-07-03 |
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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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The Bill of Rights | Frontiersman | 1939-08-19 |
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Drums Along the Mohawk | Dr. Petry | 1939-11-10 |
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Western Caravans | Winchester Thompson | 1939-06-14 |
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Kenneth Allen (uncredited) | 1939-10-19 |
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Dodge City | Orth | 1939-04-08 |
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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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Gold Is Where You Find It | MacKenzie | 1938-02-12 |
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The Girl of the Golden West | Fred - Outrider in Prologue | 1938-03-18 |
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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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Paradise Isle | Baxter | 1937-07-21 |
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Wild West Days | Matt Keeler | 1937-07-05 |
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That I May Live | Bish Plivens | 1937-09-13 |
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Green Light | Sheep Man | 1937-02-20 |
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Parnell | Dead Child's Father | 1937-06-04 |
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Maid of Salem | Village Marshal (Uncredited) | 1937-02-12 |
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Mountain Justice | Matthew Turnbull | 1937-04-24 |
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Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge | Bayliss Baynum | 1937-06-14 |
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Back to Nature | Sheriff | 1936-08-14 |
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Girl of the Ozarks | Bascomb Rogers | 1936-06-12 |
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San Francisco | 'Red' Kelly | 1936-06-26 |
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Paddy O'Day | Benton | 1936-01-17 |
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Man Hunt | Jeff Parkington | 1936-01-29 |
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The Harvester | Abner Prewett | 1936-04-18 |
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Ramona | Scroggs | 1936-09-25 |
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Motive for Revenge | McAllister | 1935-05-15 |
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Way Down East | Squire Amasa Bartlett | 1935-10-25 |
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The Hoosier Schoolmaster | Doc Small | 1935-05-14 |
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West of the Pecos | Roy Neal | 1934-12-27 |
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Sixteen Fathoms Deep | A.B. Crockett | 1934-01-01 |
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Radio Scout | Pappy Tolliver | 1934-09-01 |
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Carolina | Richards | 1934-02-02 |
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Three on a Honeymoon | Ezra MacDuff | 1934-03-22 |
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Ever Since Eve | Jim Wood | 1934-03-25 |
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Frontier Marshal | Editor Pickett | 1934-01-19 |
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The World Moves On | Notary (1825) | 1934-06-27 |
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Secrets | Doctor (uncredited) | 1933-03-16 |
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Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles | Speaker | 1933-07-13 |
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Face in the Sky | Pa Nathan Brown | 1933-01-15 |
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The Power and the Glory | Professor (uncredited) | 1933-10-06 |
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The Famous Ferguson Case | Banker Craig | 1932-04-19 |
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Flames | Jake | 1932-05-29 |
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Lena Rivers | Grandfather Nichols | 1932-03-27 |
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Law and Order | Judge R.W. Williams | 1932-02-09 |
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Call Her Savage | Old Man in Wagon Train | 1932-11-24 |
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The Riding Tornado | Sheriff | 1932-05-04 |
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Hello Trouble | Jonathan Kenyon | 1932-07-15 |
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The Cabin in the Cotton | Uncle Joe | 1932-09-26 |
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Ridin' for Justice | Marshal Joseph Slyde | 1932-01-04 |
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Silver Dollar | Hamlin | 1932-12-22 |
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The Honor of the Press | Dan Perkins | 1932-07-13 |
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Alexander Hamilton | Harvey Taylor - First Ex-Soldier | 1931-09-12 |
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Susan Lenox | Doctor | 1931-10-10 |
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The Great Meadow | Thomas Hall | 1931-01-24 |
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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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Man to Man | Uncle Cal | 1930-12-05 |
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Billy the Kid | Angus McSween | 1930-10-16 |
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Noisy Neighbors | Ebenezer | 1929-02-17 |
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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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My Lady's Past | 1929-04-01 | |
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All Faces West | Gunner Bill | 1929-03-02 |
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The Sap | The Banker | 1929-11-09 |
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Life's Mockery | Wolf Miller | 1928-07-20 |
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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 Heart of the Yukon | 'Cash' Cynon | 1927-05-29 |
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Wild Geese | Caleb Gare | 1927-11-15 |
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Annie Laurie | Sandy | 1927-05-10 |
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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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Now We're in the Air | Lord Abercrombie McTavish | 1927-10-21 |
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Rustlin' for Cupid | Hank Blatchford | 1926-04-11 |
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The Earth Woman | Ezra Tilden | 1926-04-04 |
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The Social Highwayman | The Mayor's Partner | 1926-05-15 |
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Lovey Mary | Stubbins | 1926-06-20 |
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The Splendid Road | Capt. Lightfoot | 1925-12-06 |
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Ship of Souls | Angus Garth | 1925-12-20 |
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Paint and Powder | Riley | 1925-09-16 |
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Beauty and the Bad Man | Chuckwalla Bill | 1925-03-29 |
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The Eagle | The Eagle's Lieutenant / Coach Driver (uncredited) | 1925-11-08 |
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The Narrow Street | Garvey | 1925-01-04 |
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Old Shoes | 1925-04-08 | |
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The Re-Creation of Brian Kent | Jap Taylor | 1925-02-15 |
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Thunder Mountain | Si Pace | 1925-10-11 |
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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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Painted People | Fred Lane | 1924-01-28 |
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Hearts Aflame | Black Joe | 1923-01-01 |
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Defying Destiny | Mr. Wilkens | 1923-09-29 |
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The Virginian | Trampas | 1923-09-29 |
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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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The Girl of the Golden West | Jack Rance | 1923-05-03 |
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Circus Days | Eben Holt | 1923-07-30 |
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Human Hearts | Paul Logan | 1922-08-19 |
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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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The Kingdom Within | Caleb Deming | 1922-12-24 |
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Peg o' My Heart | Jim O'Connell | 1922-12-17 |
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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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Lahoma | 'Brick' Willock | 1920-08-20 |
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The Deadlier Sex | Jim Willis | 1920-03-28 |
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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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The Blue Bandanna | Jim Yancy | 1919-11-17 |
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Oh, Johnny! | Adele's Father | 1918-12-22 |
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Riders of the Night | Sally's Grandfather | 1918-10-15 |
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Breakers Ahead | Captain Scudder | 1918-03-25 |
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The Border Legion | Overland Bradley | 1918-07-28 |
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The Uphill Path | James Lawton | 1918-10-01 |
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A Weaver of Dreams | Martin Chandler | 1918-03-02 |
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The Challenge Accepted | Uncle Zeke Sawyer | 1918-12-29 |
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Blue Jeans | Jacob Tutwiler | 1917-12-10 |
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The Barrier | John Gaylord / John Tale | 1917-02-25 |
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The Food Gamblers | Samuel Sloane | 1917-08-05 |
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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 |
