Biography
Will Geer (born William Aughe Ghere) was an American actor and social activist. He was born on 9 March 1902 in Frankfort, Indiana, and died on 22 April 1978 in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for playing Grandpa Zebulon Walton in the television series The Waltons (1972–1978).
Geer made his Broadway debut as Pistol in a 1928 production of Much Ado About Nothing. He created the role of Mr. Mister in Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock and played Candy in the stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. From the late 1940s he appeared in films including Winchester '73 (1950) as Wyatt Earp, Broken Arrow (1950) and Bright Victory (1951). He was a member of the Communist Party from 1934 and was blacklisted in Hollywood during the 1950s.
In 1951 Geer founded the Theatricum Botanicum repertory theatre in Topanga Canyon, California. His later television work included roles in Columbo, Bewitched, Bonanza and Mission: Impossible.
