Behind The Scenes Secrets: The Wizard Of Oz

Charley Grapewin: Uncle Henry

Charley Grapewin was the actor who played Aunt Em’s husband Uncle Henry. He first began his career as a circus trapeze artist, he later made his way to Vaudeville, then Broadway, silent film, and finally to sound film. He also played the integral character Grandpa Joad in the 1940 film version of John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. Although he appeared in over one hundred films in his long-spanning career he is probably best known for his role as Uncle Henry. Charley died in 1956, the same year The Wizard of Oz was shown on television at the age of eighty-six.