Name: Will Geer
Date of Birth: 9 March 1902 Father of Kate Geer, Thad Geer, and Ellen Geer Had a most unusual hobby of raising all the plants mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. Member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Geer was an early boyfriend of Harry Hay, the Los Angeles Communist and radical who founded America's first large-scale gay activist organization, the Mattachine Society. His fervant, active interest in liberal politics resulted in his Hollywood blacklisting in 1951. He built the Will Geer Theatrical Botanicum during those hard times in order to find an acting haven for himself and his many blacklisted friends. ... Changed his last name from Ghere to Geer because it was simpler to spell. Was a member of Orson Welles' and John Houseman's Project 891 theatre company...sponsored by the Federal Theatre Project. Received a 1964 Tony nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in "110 In The Shade", a musical version of the film The Rainmaker (1956). The leading lady in the musical was Inga Swenson, who was also nominated. Claimed that he was cast as "Slim" in the Broadway play version of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men (1939)" by Steinbeck himself because he showed up to the audition in bluejeans and Steinbeck thought he looked the part. Steinbeck was sitting outside the stage door on a chair when he made the decision as Geer filed past him. Had a degree in horticulture. Later became a vegetarian. Was briefly considered for the part of Amos McCoy for "The Real McCoys" when original choice, Walter Brennan was unavailable. However since show creator Irving Pincus created the part with Walter Brennan in mind, he decided to wait until Brennan was available. Read more Will Geer movies (actor)User Comments |
