---
name: "Will Geer"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/will-geer"
fi1m_id: "will-geer"
imdb_id: "nm0002095"
tmdb_id: 70990
wikidata_id: "Q1279389"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 March 1902"
died: "22 April 1978"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-25T06:52:15.528724+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Will Geer

## Identity

Will Geer

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/will-geer
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** will-geer
- **IMDb ID:** nm0002095
- **TMDB ID:** 70990
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1279389
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Geer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1279389, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002095/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/70990

Actor. Born 9 March 1902 in Frankfort, Indiana, USA. Died 22 April 1978.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 March 1902, Frankfort, Indiana, USA
- **Died:** 22 April 1978
- **Active:** 1950–1954
- **Also known as:** High Ghere, William Aughe Ghere, Уилл Гир
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 78, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Geer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1279389, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002095/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/70990

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Winchester '73*](https://film.one/film/winchester-73.md) (81), [*Salt of the Earth*](https://film.one/film/salt-of-the-earth.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## 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*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Salt of the Earth* (1954), Fi1m 76, as Sheriff — [page](https://film.one/film/salt-of-the-earth.md)
- *Winchester '73* (1950), Fi1m 81, as Wyatt Earp — [page](https://film.one/film/winchester-73.md)

## Complete filmography (100)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Will Geer: America's Grandpa* (2019), Actor
- *Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970* (2019), as Narrator
- *Mysterious Miracles: World Beyond Death* (2005), as Host
- *The Man Who Loved Bears* (1979), as Narrator
- *A Woman Called Moses* (1978), series, as Thomas Garrett
- *Rip Van Winkle* (1978), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Mafu Cage* (1978), as Zom
- *Unknown Powers* (1978), as Host
- *The Billion Dollar Hobo* (1977), as Choo-Choo Trayne
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Franklyn Bootherstone
- *Eight Is Enough* (1977), series, Actor
- *Bunco* (1977), Actor
- *Moving Violation* (1976), as Rockfield
- *Law and Order* (1976), as Pat Crowley
- *The Blue Bird* (1976), as Grandfather
- *The Night That Panicked America* (1975), as Reverend Davis
- *Starsky & Hutch* (1975), series, as Commodore Atwater
- *The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery* (1975), as Dr. Simpson
- *The Lives of Benjamin Franklin* (1974), series, Actor
- *Hurricane* (1974), as Dr. McCutcheon
- *Memory of Us* (1974), as Motel Manager
- *Silence* (1974), as Crazy Jack
- *Honky Tonk* (1974), as Judge Cotton
- *The Hanged Man* (1974), as Nameless
- *Executive Action* (1973), as Ferguson
- *Doc Elliot* (1973), series, as Paul Bartlett
- *Isn't It Shocking?* (1973), as Lemuel Lovell
- *A Gift of Terror* (1973), as Ben
- *Savage!* (1973), as Joel Ryker
- *Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On* (1973), as Len McNeil
- *Brock's Last Case* (1973), as J. Smiley Krenshaw
- *The ABC Afternoon Playbreak* (1972), series, as Ben
- *Kung Fu* (1972), series, as Judge Emmitt Marcus
- *The Waltons* (1972), series, as Grandfather Walton
- *Jeremiah Johnson* (1972), as Bear Claw
- *Napoleon and Samantha* (1972), as Grandpa
- *The Rowdyman* (1972), as Stan
- *Dear Dead Delilah* (1972), as Roy Jurroe
- *The Sixth Sense* (1972), series, Actor
- *Scarecrow* (1972), as Justice Gilead Merton
- *Columbo* (1971), series, as Edmund Hidemann — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md)
- *Brother John* (1971), as Doc Thomas
- *Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?* (1971), as Simon Anderson
- *Alias Smith and Jones* (1971), series, as Seth
- *Pieces of Dreams* (1970), as The Bishop
- *The Brotherhood of the Bell* (1970), as Mike Patterson
- *The Bold Ones: The Senator* (1970), series, as Senator Homer Bryant Wydell
- *The Moonshine War* (1970), as Mr. Baylor
- *The Reivers* (1969), as Boss
- *Medical Center* (1969), series, Actor
- *The Courtship of Eddie's Father* (1969), series, as Harry I. Madison
- *Then Came Bronson* (1969), series, as Oliver Hidemann
- *The Bill Cosby Show* (1969), series, as Mr. Kane
- *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Professor Harold Lochner
- *Mayberry R.F.D.* (1968), series, as Captain Charles Wolford
- *Certain Honorable Men* (1968), as Malcolm Stoddard
- *Bandolero!* (1968), as Pop Chaney
- *Of Mice and Men* (1968), as Candy
- *The President's Analyst* (1967), as Dr. Lee-Evan
- *In Cold Blood* (1967), as Prosecutor
- *Garrison's Gorillas* (1967), series, Actor
- *The Crucible* (1967), as Giles Corey
- *The Invaders* (1967), series, as Hank Willis
- *Seconds* (1966), as Old Man
- *Mission: Impossible* (1966), series, as Doc — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/mission-impossible-1966.md)
- *The Trials of O'Brien* (1965), series, as Judge Lindemann
- *Run for Your Life* (1965), series, as Judge David P. Andrews
- *Daniel Boone* (1964), series, as Adam Jarrett
- *Bewitched* (1964), series, as George Washington
- *Black Like Me* (1964), as Truckdriver
- *Advise & Consent* (1962), as Senate Minority Leader
- *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Zach Randolph, Ferris Callahan, Calvin Butler
- *Mobs, Inc.* (1956), as Harry Robinson
- *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Slocum
- *Salt of the Earth* (1954), as Sheriff — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/salt-of-the-earth.md)
- *The Barefoot Mailman* (1951), as Dan Paget - Miami Mayor / Postmaster
- *The Tall Target* (1951), as Homer Crowley
- *Bright Victory* (1951), as Mr. Nevins
- *Racket Squad* (1951), series, Actor
- *Double Crossbones* (1951), as Tom Botts
- *To Please a Lady* (1950), as Jack Mackay
- *Convicted* (1950), as Convict Mapes
- *Broken Arrow* (1950), as Ben Slade
- *Winchester '73* (1950), as Wyatt Earp — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/winchester-73.md)
- *It's a Small World* (1950), as William Musk - Father
- *Comanche Territory* (1950), as Dan'l Seeger
- *The Kid from Texas* (1950), as O'Fallon
- *Intruder in the Dust* (1949), as Sheriff Hampton
- *Anna Lucasta* (1949), as Noah
- *Lust for Gold* (1949), as Deputy Ray Covin
- *Johnny Allegro* (1949), as Schultzy
- *Deep Waters* (1948), as Nick Driver
- *Men and Dust* (1940), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Fight for Life* (1940), as Ballou
- *Union Pacific* (1939), as Foreman (uncredited)
- *Becky Sharp* (1935), as Spectator (uncredited)
- *The Mystery of Edwin Drood* (1935), as Village Lamplighter (uncredited)
- *Wild Gold* (1934), as Poker Player (uncredited)
- *Spitfire* (1934), as West Fry
- *The Misleading Lady* (1932), as McMahon - Asylum Guard

## Gallery

- ![Cast photograph of Will Geer, playing the role of Mr. Mister in the Federal Theatre Project production of The Cradle Will Rock at Maxine Elliott's Theatre and o (1937)](https://film.one/media/person/3728729/gallery-76c3bbbcc339.jpg) Cast photograph of Will Geer, playing the role of Mr. Mister in the Federal Theatre Project production of The Cradle Will Rock at Maxine Elliott's Theatre and o (1937) — Federal Theatre Project, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Cradle_Will_Rock_Will_Geer_412-5.jpg/1280px-Cradle_Will_Rock_Will_Geer_412-5.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Cast photograph of Will Geer, playing the role of Mr. Mister in the Federal Theatre Project production of The Cradle Will Rock at Maxine Elliott's Theatre and o (1937)](https://film.one/media/person/3728729/gallery-2ae45d0e81d4.jpg) Cast photograph of Will Geer, playing the role of Mr. Mister in the Federal Theatre Project production of The Cradle Will Rock at Maxine Elliott's Theatre and o (1937) — Federal Theatre Project, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Cradle_Will_Rock_Will_Geer_412-6.jpg/1280px-Cradle_Will_Rock_Will_Geer_412-6.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Will Geer](https://film.one/media/person/3728729/gallery-0f8358722698.jpg) Will Geer — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/The_Waltons_1974.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Will Geer](https://film.one/media/person/3728729/gallery-75bc626d03d0.jpg) Will Geer — Image via TMDB
- ![Will Geer](https://film.one/media/person/3728729/gallery-1be71c2bb4bf.jpg) Will Geer — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 1975: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (won), for *The Waltons*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/will-geer