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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.
The roles that explain the career.
70 credits across 1 departments.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Wizard of Oz at Sphere | Uncle Henry (archive footage) | Film |
| 1949 | Sand | Doug | Film |
| 1947 | Gunfighters | Rancher Inskip | Film |
| 1944 | Atlantic City | Jake Taylor | Film |
| 1944 | Follow the Boys | Nick West | Film |
| 1944 | The Impatient Years | Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy | Film |
| 1943 | Crash Dive | Pop | Film |
| 1942 | Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen | Inspector Richard Queen | Film |
| 1942 | A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen | Insp. Queen | Film |
| 1942 | A Close Call for Ellery Queen | Insp. Queen | Film |
| 1941 | Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring | Insp. Queen | Film |
| 1941 | Tobacco Road | Jeeter Lester | Film |
| 1941 | Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery | Insp. Queen | Film |
| 1941 | Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime | Insp. Queen | Film |
| 1941 | They Died with Their Boots On | California Joe | Film |
| 1940 | Ellery Queen, Master Detective | Insp. Queen | Film |
| 1940 | Johnny Apollo | Judge Emmett T. Brennan | Film |
| 1940 | Rhythm on the River | Uncle Caleb | Film |
| 1940 | The Grapes of Wrath | Grandpa Joad | Film |
| 1939 | Stand Up and Fight | 'Old Puff' | Film |
| 1939 | Dust Be My Destiny | Pop | Film |
| 1939 | The Wizard of Oz | Uncle Henry | Film |
| 1938 | The Girl of the Golden West | Uncle Davy | Film |
| 1938 | Of Human Hearts | Jim Meeker | Film |
| 1938 | Artists and Models Abroad | James Harper | Film |
| 1938 | Three Loves Has Nancy | Grandpa Briggs | Film |
| 1938 | Three Comrades | Local Doctor | Film |
| 1938 | Listen, Darling | Joe Higgins | Film |
| 1937 | The Good Earth | Old Father | Film |
| 1937 | Big City | Robert, the Mayor | Film |
| 1937 | A Family Affair | Frank Redmond | Film |
| 1937 | Broadway Melody of 1938 | James K. Blakeley | Film |
| 1937 | Captains Courageous | Uncle Salters | Film |
| 1937 | Between Two Women | Dr. Webster | Film |
| 1936 | Sinner Take All | Aaron Lampier | Film |
| 1936 | Small Town Girl | Dr. Ned Fabre | Film |
| 1936 | The Petrified Forest | Gramp Maple | Film |
| 1936 | Libeled Lady | Mr. Bane | Film |
| 1936 | The Voice of Bugle Ann | Cal Royster | Film |
| 1936 | Breakdowns of 1936 | Self | Film |
| 1935 | Shanghai | Truesdale | Film |
| 1935 | Alice Adams | J. A. Lamb | Film |
| 1935 | Party Wire | Will Oliver | Film |
| 1935 | Ah, Wilderness! | Dave McComber | Film |
| 1935 | Rendezvous | Prof. Martin | Film |
| 1935 | One Frightened Night | Jasper Whyte | Film |
| 1934 | Judge Priest | Sergeant Jimmy Bagby | Film |
| 1934 | Anne of Green Gables | Dr. Tatum | Film |
| 1934 | Caravan | Notary | Film |
| 1934 | The Loudspeaker | Pop Calloway | Film |
| 1933 | Pilgrimage | Dad Saunders | Film |
| 1933 | Wild Boys of the Road | Mr. Cadman (uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | Female | Drunk at Hamburger Stand (Uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | Midnight Mary | Clerk | Film |
| 1933 | Turn Back the Clock | Dr. Henderson (uncredited) | Film |
| 1933 | Heroes for Sale | Pa Dennis | Film |
| 1933 | Torch Singer | Andrew 'Juddy' Judson | Film |
| 1933 | Don't Bet on Love | Patrick McCaffrey | Film |
| 1933 | The Kiss Before the Mirror | Schultz | Film |
| 1933 | Hello, Everybody! | Jed | Film |
| 1933 | Beauty for Sale | Freddy Gordon | Film |
| 1932 | No Man of Her Own | Clerk | Film |
| 1932 | Wild Horse Mesa | Sam Bass | Film |
| 1932 | Are You Listening? | Pierce | Film |
| 1932 | American Madness | Mr. Jones (uncredited) | Film |
| 1932 | Hell's House | Henry Clark | Film |
| 1932 | Huddle | Doctor (uncredited) | Film |
| 1931 | The Millionaire | Ed Powers | Film |
| 1930 | Only Saps Work | Simeon Tanner | Film |
| 1900 | Above the Limit | Chimmie Hicks | Film |
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