@thestorytellersband: This man, Will Geer, was much more than Grandpa Walton. He was - as a singer, actor and social activist - a pivotal figure in American folk music. His known to have collaborated closely with his close friend, folk icon Woody Guthrie. It was Geer who introduced Guthrie to Pete Seeger, and who organized progressive benefit concerts as early as 1940. 🌹 Since Geer identified as a communist, he was blacklisted in the early 1950s for refusing to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. As a result, Geer founded the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, CA in 1951. This theater’s productions featured similarly blacklisted actors and folk singer like Guthrie, Seeger, Burl Ives and Della Reese. Starting in 1952, Guthrie, suffering from Huntington’s disease, lived in a small building on Geer’s Theatricum property for several years, where, though he had ceased performing, he continued to write songs. We actually performed in front of the Woody Guthrie “shack” at Theatricum twice, both 4th of July Celebrations. Pretty cool! 🤠 @Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum @Woody Guthrie Center®️

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2026-04-17 05:43:16

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