Charley Grapewin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charles Ellsworth Grapewin (December 20, 1869 – February 2, 1956) was an American vaudeville performer, writer and a stage and silent and sound actor, and comedian who was best known for portraying Aunt Em's husband, Uncle Henry in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's The Wizard of Oz (1939) as well as Grandpa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and Jeeter Lester in Tobacco Road (1941). He usually portrayed elderly folksy-type characters in a rustic setting, in all appearing in over 100 films. He was the oldest cast member of The Wizard of Oz. Born in Xenia, Ohio, Charles Ellsworth 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 appear 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 married actress Anna Chance (1875–1943) in 1896, and they remained a devoted couple until her death some 47 years later. Two years after his first wife's death, Grapewin married Loretta McGowan Becker on Jan 10, 1945. 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 (also known as Above the Limit) 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 Grapes of Wrath, Tobacco Road, and in what is probably his best-remembered role: Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz. He also had a recurring role as Inspector Queen in the Ellery Queen film series of the early 1940s. Grapewin died of natural causes in Corona, California at age 86, and his ashes are interred with his wife's in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, at the Great Mausoleum's Columbarium of Inspiration.
Filmography
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere
as Uncle Henry (archive footage)
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere
as Uncle Henry (archive footage)
The Dark Side of the Rainbow
as Uncle Henry (archive footage)
The Dark Side of the Rainbow
as Uncle Henry (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Mr. Bane in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Mr. Bane in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage) (uncredited)
When I Grow Up
as Grandpa Reed
When I Grow Up
as Grandpa Reed
Sand
as Doug
Sand
as Doug
The Enchanted Valley
as Grandpa
The Enchanted Valley
as Grandpa
Gunfighters
as Rancher Inskip
Gunfighters
as Rancher Inskip
Atlantic City
as Jake Taylor
Atlantic City
as Jake Taylor
The Impatient Years
as Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy
The Impatient Years
as Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy
Follow the Boys
as Nick West
Follow the Boys
as Nick West
Crash Dive
as Pop
Crash Dive
as Pop
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
as Inspector Richard Queen
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
as Inspector Richard Queen
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Insp. Queen
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Insp. Queen
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
as Insp. Queen
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
as Insp. Queen
They Died with Their Boots On
as California Joe
They Died with Their Boots On
as California Joe
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
as Insp. Queen
Tobacco Road
as Jeeter Lester
Tobacco Road
as Jeeter Lester
The Texas Rangers Ride Again
as Ben Caldwalder
The Texas Rangers Ride Again
as Ben Caldwalder
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Insp. Queen
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Insp. Queen
Rhythm on the River
as Uncle Caleb
Rhythm on the River
as Uncle Caleb
Earthbound
as Mr. Whimser
Earthbound
as Mr. Whimser
Johnny Apollo
as Judge Emmett T. Brennan
Johnny Apollo
as Judge Emmett T. Brennan
The Grapes of Wrath
as Grandpa Joad
The Grapes of Wrath
as Grandpa Joad
Sabotage
as Major Matt Grayson
Sabotage
as Major Matt Grayson
Hero for a Day
as Uncle Frank "Lucky" Higgins
Hero for a Day
as Uncle Frank "Lucky" Higgins
Dust Be My Destiny
as Pop
Dust Be My Destiny
as Pop
The Wizard of Oz
as Uncle Henry
The Wizard of Oz
as Uncle Henry
The Man Who Dared
as Ulysses Porterfield
The Man Who Dared
as Ulysses Porterfield
Sudden Money
as Grandpa Casey Patterson
Sudden Money
as Grandpa Casey Patterson
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
as Doc Heath
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
as Doc Heath
Stand Up and Fight
as 'Old Puff'
Stand Up and Fight
as 'Old Puff'
Artists and Models Abroad
as James Harper
Artists and Models Abroad
as James Harper
Listen, Darling
as Joe Higgins
Listen, Darling
as Joe Higgins
Three Loves Has Nancy
as Grandpa Briggs
Three Loves Has Nancy
as Grandpa Briggs
Three Comrades
as Local Doctor
Three Comrades
as Local Doctor
The Girl of the Golden West
as Uncle Davy
The Girl of the Golden West
as Uncle Davy
Of Human Hearts
as Jim Meeker
Of Human Hearts
as Jim Meeker
The Bad Man of Brimstone
as Barney Lane
The Bad Man of Brimstone
as Barney Lane
Big City
as Robert, the Mayor
Big City
as Robert, the Mayor
Bad Guy
as Dan Gray
Bad Guy
as Dan Gray
Broadway Melody of 1938
as James K. Blakeley
Broadway Melody of 1938
as James K. Blakeley
Between Two Women
as Dr. Webster
Between Two Women
as Dr. Webster
Captains Courageous
as Uncle Salters
Captains Courageous
as Uncle Salters
The Good Earth
as Old Father
The Good Earth
as Old Father
A Family Affair
as Frank Redmond
A Family Affair
as Frank Redmond
Breakdowns of 1936
as Self
Breakdowns of 1936
as Self
Sinner Take All
as Aaron Lampier
Sinner Take All
as Aaron Lampier
Without Orders
as J.P. Kendrick
Without Orders
as J.P. Kendrick
Libeled Lady
as Mr. Bane
Libeled Lady
as Mr. Bane
Small Town Girl
as Dr. Ned Fabre
Small Town Girl
as Dr. Ned Fabre
The Voice of Bugle Ann
as Cal Royster
The Voice of Bugle Ann
as Cal Royster
The Petrified Forest
as Gramp Maple
The Petrified Forest
as Gramp Maple
Ah, Wilderness!
as Dave McComber
Ah, Wilderness!
as Dave McComber
Super Speed
as Terry Devlin
Super Speed
as Terry Devlin
Rendezvous
as Prof. Martin
Rendezvous
as Prof. Martin
King Solomon of Broadway
as Uncle Winchester
King Solomon of Broadway
as Uncle Winchester
Alice Adams
as J. A. Lamb
Alice Adams
as J. A. Lamb
Shanghai
as Truesdale
Shanghai
as Truesdale
One Frightened Night
as Jasper Whyte
One Frightened Night
as Jasper Whyte
Party Wire
as Will Oliver
Party Wire
as Will Oliver
Eight Bells
as Grayson
Eight Bells
as Grayson
In Spite of Danger
as Pop Sullivan
In Spite of Danger
as Pop Sullivan
Caravan
as Notary
Caravan
as Notary
Anne of Green Gables
as Dr. Tatum
Anne of Green Gables
as Dr. Tatum
The President Vanishes
as Richard Norton
The President Vanishes
as Richard Norton
Judge Priest
as Sergeant Jimmy Bagby
Judge Priest
as Sergeant Jimmy Bagby
Return of the Terror
as Jessup
Return of the Terror
as Jessup
The Loudspeaker
as Pop Calloway
The Loudspeaker
as Pop Calloway
She Made Her Bed
as Joe Olesen
She Made Her Bed
as Joe Olesen
The Quitter
as Ed Tilford
The Quitter
as Ed Tilford
Two Alone
as Sandy Roberts
Two Alone
as Sandy Roberts
Hell and High Water
as Peck Wealin
Hell and High Water
as Peck Wealin
Female
as Drunk at Hamburger Stand (Uncredited)
Female
as Drunk at Hamburger Stand (Uncredited)
Wild Boys of the Road
as Mr. Cadman (uncredited)
Wild Boys of the Road
as Mr. Cadman (uncredited)
Torch Singer
as Andrew 'Juddy' Judson
Torch Singer
as Andrew 'Juddy' Judson
Beauty for Sale
as Freddy Gordon
Beauty for Sale
as Freddy Gordon
Turn Back the Clock
as Dr. Henderson (uncredited)
Turn Back the Clock
as Dr. Henderson (uncredited)
Pilgrimage
as Dad Saunders
Pilgrimage
as Dad Saunders
Midnight Mary
as Clerk
Midnight Mary
as Clerk
Don't Bet on Love
as Patrick McCaffrey
Don't Bet on Love
as Patrick McCaffrey
Heroes for Sale
as Pa Dennis
Heroes for Sale
as Pa Dennis
The Kiss Before the Mirror
as Schultz
The Kiss Before the Mirror
as Schultz
Hello, Everybody!
as Jed
Hello, Everybody!
as Jed
No Man of Her Own
as Clerk
No Man of Her Own
as Clerk
Wild Horse Mesa
as Sam Bass
Wild Horse Mesa
as Sam Bass
The Night of June 13
as "Grandpop" Strawn (as Charles Grapewin)
The Night of June 13
as "Grandpop" Strawn (as Charles Grapewin)
American Madness
as Mr. Jones (uncredited)
American Madness
as Mr. Jones (uncredited)
The Washington Masquerade
as Senator Simmons (uncredited)
The Washington Masquerade
as Senator Simmons (uncredited)
The Woman in Room 13
as Andy
The Woman in Room 13
as Andy
Huddle
as Doctor (uncredited)
Huddle
as Doctor (uncredited)
Are You Listening?
as Pierce
Are You Listening?
as Pierce
The Big Timer
as Pop Baldwin
The Big Timer
as Pop Baldwin
Hell's House
as Henry Clark
Hell's House
as Henry Clark
For the Love of Fanny
as Professor
For the Love of Fanny
as Professor
Heaven on Earth
as Doc Boax
Heaven on Earth
as Doc Boax
Gold Dust Gertie
as Nicholas Hautrey
Gold Dust Gertie
as Nicholas Hautrey
The Millionaire
as Ed Powers
The Millionaire
as Ed Powers
Only Saps Work
as Simeon Tanner
Only Saps Work
as Simeon Tanner
The Shannons of Broadway
as Swanzey
The Shannons of Broadway
as Swanzey
Above the Limit
as Chimmie Hicks
Above the Limit
as Chimmie Hicks