Charley Grapewin

Biography

Charley Grapewin was an American actor who began as a circus acrobat, working as an aerialist and trapeze artist after leaving Xenia, Ohio. He later moved into theater and was part of the 1903 Broadway cast of The Wizard of Oz, then spent the following three decades acting on stage, starting with stock companies and writing plays for himself. His screen work started around 1900 with two short films, and he went on to appear in more than one hundred pictures, often as a character actor under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the 1930s. He was best remembered as Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz (1939), Grandpa Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), and Jeeter Lester in Tobacco Road (1941), with other roles including Captains Courageous (1937), The Petrified Forest (1936), The Good Earth (1937), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941). In the early 1940s he played Inspector Queen in the Ellery Queen series.

86years old at death

Born December 20, 1869Xenia
Died February 2, 1956Corona
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Also credited as Charles Ellsworth Grapewin

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 15 years1932 to 1947

Genres

Drama78%, 18 films
Romance39%, 9 films
Comedy26%, 6 films
Crime13%, 3 films
Adventure9%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Frederick S. Armitage made Grapewin's first two films, the "moving image shorts" Chimmie Hicks at the Races and Chimmie Hicks and the Rum Omelet. Shooting took place in September and October 1900, and both came out that November.

Charley Grapewin movies on Netflix

Gunfighters1947IMDb rating 6.3as Rancher Inskip
They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2as California Joe
Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3as Jeeter Lester
Johnny Apollo1940IMDb rating 6.9as Judge Emmett T. Brennan
Rhythm on the River1940IMDb rating 6.8as Uncle Caleb
The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1as Grandpa
Dust Be My Destiny1939IMDb rating 6.8as Pop
The Wizard of Oz1939IMDb rating 8.1as Uncle Henry
Of Human Hearts1938IMDb rating 6.8as Jim Meeker
Three Comrades1938IMDb rating 7.1as Local Doctor
A Family Affair1937IMDb rating 6.7as Frank Redmond
Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9as Uncle Salters
The Good Earth1937IMDb rating 7.4as Old Father
Libeled Lady1936IMDb rating 7.8as Mr. Bane
The Petrified Forest1936IMDb rating 7.5as Gramp Maple
Alice Adams1935IMDb rating 6.8as J. A. Lamb
Judge Priest1934IMDb rating 6.2as Sergeant Jimmy Bagby
Heroes for Sale1933IMDb rating 7.3as Pa Dennis
Midnight Mary1933IMDb rating 7.0as Clerk
Wild Boys of the Road1933IMDb rating 7.5as Mr. Cadman
American Madness1932IMDb rating 7.4as Mr. Jones
Hell's House1932IMDb rating 5.8as Henry Clark(Charles Grapewin)
No Man of Her Own1932IMDb rating 6.6as Clerk

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Wizard of Oz1939 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Uncle Henry
IMDb rating 8.1473K votes
The Grapes of Wrath1940 Dramaas Grandpa
IMDb rating 8.1108K votes
Captains Courageous1937as Uncle Salters
IMDb rating 7.912K votes
They Died with Their Boots On1941as California Joe
IMDb rating 7.27.6K votes
The Petrified Forest1936as Gramp Maple
IMDb rating 7.516K votes
Tobacco Road1941as Jeeter Lester
IMDb rating 6.32.8K votes
Libeled Lady1936as Mr. Bane
IMDb rating 7.89.8K votes
The Good Earth1937as Old Father
IMDb rating 7.45.8K votes

Most often with

John Ford directed three of these films, William A. Wellman three and Victor Fleming two. Grant Mitchell appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Grant Mitchell

Ward Bond

Hattie McDaniel

John Carradine

George Chandler

Spencer Charters

John FordDirector, 3 films

William A. WellmanDirector, 3 films Victor FlemingDirector, 2 films

Films together

Grant Mitchell5 films together, 1932 to 1941
Grant Mitchell's page
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Grapewin as Jeeter LesterMitchell as George Payne
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Grapewin as GrandpaMitchell as Caretaker
- Heroes for Sale1933IMDb rating 7.3Grapewin as Pa DennisMitchell as George Gibson
- Wild Boys of the Road1933IMDb rating 7.5Grapewin as Mr. CadmanMitchell as James Smith
- No Man of Her Own1932IMDb rating 6.6Grapewin as ClerkMitchell as Vane
Ward Bond4 films together, 1933 to 1941
Ward Bond's page
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Grapewin as Jeeter LesterBond as Lov Bensey
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Grapewin as GrandpaBond as Policeman
- Of Human Hearts1938IMDb rating 6.8Grapewin as Jim MeekerBond as Lout Laughing in Church
- Wild Boys of the Road1933IMDb rating 7.5Grapewin as Mr. CadmanBond as Red the Brakeman
Hattie McDaniel4 films together, 1934 to 1941
Hattie McDaniel's page
- They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2Grapewin as California JoeMcDaniel as Callie
- Libeled Lady1936IMDb rating 7.8Grapewin as Mr. BaneMcDaniel as Scrubwoman in Grand Plaza Hall
- Alice Adams1935IMDb rating 6.8Grapewin as J. A. LambMcDaniel as Malena Burns - Maid Serving Dinner
- Judge Priest1934IMDb rating 6.2Grapewin as Sergeant Jimmy BagbyMcDaniel as Aunt Dilsey
John Carradine3 films together, 1937 to 1940
John Carradine's page
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Grapewin as GrandpaCarradine as Jim Casy
- Of Human Hearts1938IMDb rating 6.8Grapewin as Jim MeekerCarradine as President Lincoln
- Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9Grapewin as Uncle SaltersCarradine as 'Long Jack'
George Chandler3 films together, 1936 to 1941
George Chandler's page
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Grapewin as Jeeter LesterChandler as Hotel Desk Clark
- Three Comrades1938IMDb rating 7.1Grapewin as Local DoctorChandler as First comic with singer
- Libeled Lady1936IMDb rating 7.8Grapewin as Mr. BaneChandler as Bell Hop
Spencer Charters3 films together, 1936 to 1941
Spencer Charters's page
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Grapewin as Jeeter LesterCharters as County Clerk
- Three Comrades1938IMDb rating 7.1Grapewin as Local DoctorCharters as Herr Schultz
- Libeled Lady1936IMDb rating 7.8Grapewin as Mr. BaneCharters as Magistrate
John FordDirector, 3 films, 1934 to 1941
All films by John Ford
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Grapewin as Jeeter Lester
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Grapewin as Grandpa
- Judge Priest1934IMDb rating 6.2Grapewin as Sergeant Jimmy Bagby
William A. WellmanDirector, 3 films, 1933
All films by William A. Wellman
- Heroes for Sale1933IMDb rating 7.3Grapewin as Pa Dennis
- Midnight Mary1933IMDb rating 7.0Grapewin as Clerk
- Wild Boys of the Road1933IMDb rating 7.5Grapewin as Mr. Cadman
Victor FlemingDirector, 2 films, 1937 to 1939
All films by Victor Fleming
- The Wizard of Oz1939IMDb rating 8.1Grapewin as Uncle Henry
- Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9Grapewin as Uncle Salters
Also three films together3 more actors
- Sterling HollowayOf Human Hearts (1938), Wild Boys of the Road (1933) and American Madness (1932)
- Berton ChurchillJudge Priest (1934), Heroes for Sale (1933) and American Madness (1932)
- Zeffie TilburyTobacco Road (1941), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and Alice Adams (1935)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.