Charley Grapewin
Charles Ellsworth Grapewin was an American vaudeville and circus performer, writer, and stage and film actor.
As a character actor, he worked in over one-hundred motion pictures during the silent and sound eras, mostly as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player during the 1930s and is best known to modern audiences for portraying Uncle Henry in MGM's film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, "Grandpa" William James Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, Jeeter Lester in Tobacco Road, Uncle Salters in Captains Courageous , Gramp Maple in The Petrified Forest, Wang's Father in The Good Earth, and California Joe in They Died With Their Boots On.
Biography
Born in Xenia, Ohio, Grapewin ran away from home to be a circus acrobat which led him to work as an aerialist and trapeze artist in a traveling circus before turning to acting. He traveled all over the world with the famous P. T. Barnum circus. Grapewin also appeared in the original 1903 Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz, 36 years before he would be featured in the famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film version.
After this he continued in theatre, on and offstage, for the next thirty years, starting with various stock companies, and wrote stage plays as a vehicle for himself. His sole Broadway theatre credit was the short-lived play It's Up to You John Henry in 1905.
Grapewin began in silent films at the turn of the twentieth century. His very first films were two "moving image shorts" made by Frederick S. Armitage and released in November 1900; Chimmie Hicks at the Races and Chimmie Hicks and the Rum Omelet, both shot in September and October 1900 and released in November of that year. During his long career, Grapewin appeared in more than one hundred films, including The Good Earth, The Petrified Forest, The Grapes of Wrath, Tobacco Road, and in what is probably his best-remembered role: Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz. Prior to being cast in that film, Grapewin performed in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Broadway Melody of 1938 with Judy Garland and Buddy Ebsen. He also performed with Garland in Listen, Darling. Later, in the early 1940s, he had a recurring role as Inspector Queen in the Ellery Queen film series.
Personal life
Grapewin married actress Anna Chance in 1896, and they remained together until her death in 1943.
Selected filmography
The Shannons of Broadway as Swanzey Only Saps Work as Simeon TannerThe Millionaire as Ed PowersGold Dust Gertie as Nicholas HautreyHeaven on Earth as Doc BoaxHell's House as Henry ClarkThe Big Timer as Pop BaldwinDisorderly Conduct as LimpyAre You Listening? as Pierce Huddle as Doctor The Woman in Room 13 as AndyThe Washington Masquerade as Senator Simmons Lady and Gent as GrocerAmerican Madness as Mr. Jones The Night of June 13 as "Grandpop" Jeptha StrawnWild Horse Mesa as Sam BassNo Man of Her Own as George, the ClerkHello, Everybody! as JedThe Kiss Before the Mirror as SchultzHeroes for Sale as Pa DennisMidnight Mary as ClerkDon't Bet on Love as Pop McCafferyPilgrimage as Dad SaundersTurn Back the Clock as Dr. Henderson Beauty for Sale as Freddy GordonTorch Singer as JudsonWild Boys of the Road as Mr. Cadman Female as Drunk at Hamburger Stand Hell and High Water as Peck WealinTwo Alone as Sandy RobertsCaravan as NotaryThe Quitter as Ed TilfordShe Made Her Bed as Joe OlesenThe Loudspeaker as Pop CallowayReturn of the Terror as JessupJudge Priest as Sergeant Jimmy BagbyThe President Vanishes as Richard NortonAnne of Green Gables as Dr. TatumIn Spite of Danger as Pop SullivanEight Bells as GraysonParty Wire as Will OliverOne Frightened Night as Jasper WhyteShanghai as TruesdaleAlice Adams as J. A. LambKing Solomon of Broadway as Uncle WinchesterRendezvous as MartinSuper Speed as Terry DevlinAh, Wilderness! as Dave McComberThe Petrified Forest as Gramp MapleThe Voice of Bugle Ann as Cal RoysterSmall Town Girl as Dr. Ned FabreLibeled Lady as Mr. BaneWithout Orders as J.P. KendrickSinner Take All as AaronThe Good Earth as Old FatherA Family Affair as Frank RedmondCaptains Courageous as Uncle SaltersBetween Two Women as Dr. WebsterBroadway Melody of 1938 as James K. BlakeleyBad Guy as Dan GrayBig City as The MayorThe Bad Man of Brimstone as Barney LaneOf Human Hearts as Jim MeekerThe Girl of the Golden West as Uncle DavyThree Comrades as Local DoctorThree Loves Has Nancy as Grandpa BriggsListen, Darling as Uncle JoeArtists and Models Abroad as James HarperStand Up and Fight as 'Old Puff'Burn 'Em Up O'Connor as 'Doc' HeathSudden Money as Grandpa Casey PattersonThe Man Who Dared as Ulysses PorterfieldThe Wizard of Oz as Uncle HenryDust Be My Destiny as PopHero for a Day as Uncle Frank 'Lucky' HigginsSabotage as Major Matt GraysonThe Grapes of Wrath as William James "Grandpa" JoadJohnny Apollo as Judge Emmett T. BrennanEarthbound as Mr. WhimserRhythm on the River as Uncle CalebEllery Queen, Master Detective as Insp. QueenTexas Rangers Ride Again as Ranger Ben CaldwalderTobacco Road as JeeterEllery Queen's Penthouse Mystery as Inspector Richard QueenEllery Queen and the Perfect Crime as Insp. QueenEllery Queen and the Murder Ring as Insp. QueenThey Died with Their Boots On as California JoeA Close Call for Ellery Queen as Inspector QueenA Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen as Insp. QueenEnemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen as Inspector Richard QueenCrash Dive as Pop Follow the Boys as Nick WestAtlantic City as Jake TaylorThe Impatient Years as Benjamin L. Pidgeon, BellboyGunfighters as Inskip - RancherThe Enchanted Valley as GrandpaSand as DougWhen I Grow Up as Grandpa Reed