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Charley Grapewin

Charley Grapewin

Actor · Died February 2, 1956, aged 86 · Xenia, Ohio, USA

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. ​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 20, 1869
Died
February 2, 1956 (aged 86)
From
Xenia, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 102 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 57% in 30 days

What are Charley Grapewin's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Morality
28%
Self
22%
Survival
8%
Society
5%
Power
3%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 18 · Serious 6 · Dark 6

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 20 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 14 · Charged 13 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 19 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 18 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 29 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 13 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 13
Mentor
4 of 13
Herald
2 of 13
Trickster
2 of 13
Shadow
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Warm
10
Joyful
11
Melancholic
9
Romantic
8
Other
23

How their films linger

Feel-good16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy19
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Charley Grapewin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Charley Grapewin's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

102 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Dark Side of the Rainbow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Uncle Henry (archive footage)

  • Going Hollywood: The '30s(1984)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Big Parade of Comedy(1964)

    as Mr. Bane in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • When I Grow Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Grandpa Reed

  • Sand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Doug

  • The Enchanted Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Grandpa

  • Gunfighters(1947)

    as Rancher Inskip

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Atlantic City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Jake Taylor

  • The Impatient Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy

  • Follow the Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Nick West

  • Crash Dive(1943)

    as Pop

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Inspector Richard Queen

  • A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Insp. Queen

  • A Close Call for Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Insp. Queen

  • They Died with Their Boots On(1941)

    as California Joe

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Insp. Queen

  • Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Insp. Queen

  • Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery(1941)

    as Insp. Queen

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Tobacco Road(1941)

    as Jeeter Lester

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Texas Rangers Ride Again(1940)

    as Ben Caldwalder

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Ellery Queen, Master Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Insp. Queen

  • Rhythm on the River(1940)

    as Uncle Caleb

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Earthbound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Mr. Whimser

  • Johnny Apollo(1940)

    as Judge Emmett T. Brennan

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Grapes of Wrath(1940)

    as Grandpa Joad

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Sabotage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Major Matt Grayson

  • Hero for a Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Uncle Frank "Lucky" Higgins

  • Dust Be My Destiny(1939)

    as Pop

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Wizard of Oz(1939)

    as Uncle Henry

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Dared (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Ulysses Porterfield

  • Sudden Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Grandpa Casey Patterson

  • Burn 'Em Up O'Connor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Doc Heath

  • Stand Up and Fight(1939)

    as 'Old Puff'

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Artists and Models Abroad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as James Harper

  • Listen, Darling(1938)

    as Joe Higgins

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Three Loves Has Nancy(1938)

    as Grandpa Briggs

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Three Comrades(1938)

    as Local Doctor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Girl of the Golden West(1938)

    as Uncle Davy

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Of Human Hearts(1938)

    as Jim Meeker

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Bad Man of Brimstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Barney Lane

  • Big City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Robert, the Mayor

  • Bad Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dan Gray

  • Broadway Melody of 1938(1937)

    as James K. Blakeley

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Between Two Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dr. Webster

  • Captains Courageous(1937)

    as Uncle Salters

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Good Earth(1937)

    as Old Father

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • A Family Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Frank Redmond

  • Sinner Take All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Aaron Lampier

  • Without Orders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as J.P. Kendrick

  • Libeled Lady(1936)

    as Mr. Bane

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Small Town Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Dr. Ned Fabre

  • The Voice of Bugle Ann (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Cal Royster

  • The Petrified Forest(1936)

    as Gramp Maple

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Ah Wilderness!(1935)

    as Dave McComber

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Super Speed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Terry Devlin

  • Rendezvous(1935)

    as Prof. Martin

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • King Solomon of Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Uncle Winchester

  • Alice Adams(1935)

    as J. A. Lamb

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Shanghai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Truesdale

  • One Frightened Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Jasper Whyte

  • Party Wire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Will Oliver

  • Eight Bells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Grayson

  • In Spite of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Pop Sullivan

  • Caravan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Notary

  • Anne of Green Gables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Dr. Tatum

  • The President Vanishes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Richard Norton

  • Judge Priest(1934)

    as Sergeant Jimmy Bagby

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Return of the Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Jessup

  • The Loudspeaker(1934)

    as Pop Calloway

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • She Made Her Bed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Joe Olesen

  • The Quitter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Ed Tilford

  • Two Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Sandy Roberts

  • Hell and High Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Peck Wealin

  • Female(1933)

    as Drunk at Hamburger Stand (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Wild Boys of the Road(1933)

    as Mr. Cadman (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Torch Singer(1933)

    as Andrew 'Juddy' Judson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Beauty for Sale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Freddy Gordon

  • Turn Back the Clock(1933)

    as Dr. Henderson (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Pilgrimage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Dad Saunders

  • Don't Bet on Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Patrick McCaffrey

  • Midnight Mary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Clerk

  • Heroes for Sale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Pa Dennis

  • The Kiss Before the Mirror(1933)

    as Schultz

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Hello, Everybody! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Jed

  • No Man of Her Own(1932)

    as Clerk

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Wild Horse Mesa(1932)

    as Sam Bass

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Night of June 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as "Grandpop" Strawn (as Charles Grapewin)

  • American Madness(1932)

    as Mr. Jones (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Washington Masquerade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Senator Simmons (uncredited)

  • The Woman in Room 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Andy

  • Huddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Doctor (uncredited)

  • Are You Listening? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Pierce

  • The Big Timer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Pop Baldwin

  • Hell's House(1932)

    as Henry Clark

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • For the Love of Fanny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Professor

  • Heaven on Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Doc Boax

  • Gold Dust Gertie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Nicholas Hautrey

  • The Millionaire(1931)

    as Ed Powers

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Only Saps Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Simeon Tanner

  • The Shannons of Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Swanzey

  • Above the Limit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1900)

    as Chimmie Hicks

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 102 titles from 1900 to 2000.

Biggest box office

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

$26M worldwide

Highest rated

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Film career

Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting102 of 102: 102 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

1900s1 · acting1920s1 · acting1930s74 · acting1940s21 · acting1950s1 · acting1960s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s1 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 5% of 21 roles
3237

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Charley Grapewin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 40; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Wild Horse Mesa (1932)

82nd percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Charley Grapewin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Charley Grapewin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; William Axt shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers