Will Geer & The Theatricum Botanicum: How a Blacklisted Actor Built an American Cultural Sanctuary

In the story of American theater, few figures are as delightfully unexpected as Will Geer. Most people know him as Grandpa Zeb Walton from The Waltons, the wise, warm, mountain patriarch who became a national treasure in the 1970s. But behind that iconic role was a life far more complex, rebellious, and beautifully intertwined with art, activism, and nature. His legacy lives on today in one of California’s most magical cultural spaces: the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. We were privileged to go see Treasure Island at the Will Geer Theater last weekend.

This is the story of the man, the land, and the theater that grew—quite literally—from the soil of Topanga Canyon.

A Childhood Rooted in Nature

Will Geer was born William Aughe Ghere on March 9, 1902, in Frankfort, Indiana. His early life was shaped by his mother, Katherine, a schoolteacher, and his grandfather, who taught him the Latin names of plants. That childhood curiosity blossomed into a lifelong passion: Geer earned a master’s degree in botany from the University of Chicago, a detail that would later become central to his artistic legacy.

Before he was an actor, he was a botanist. Before he was a celebrity, he was a lover of the land.

A Performer With a Cause

Geer’s early career was eclectic and adventurous. He performed on riverboats, in traveling tent shows, and eventually on Broadway. His stage work included The Cradle Will Rock, Tobacco Road, and Of Mice and Men, productions that often aligned with his progressive political beliefs.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Geer became deeply involved in labor activism. He toured Civilian Conservation Corps camps with Woody Guthrie and Burl Ives, singing folk songs and advocating for workers’ rights. His political commitments were not casual—they were central to his identity.

That commitment would come at a cost.

Blacklisted, Rooted, and Reborn

In the early 1950s, during the height of McCarthyism, Geer refused to name fellow Communist Party members before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. His refusal resulted in a Hollywood blacklist that nearly ended his film career.

But Will Geer was not a man who wilted under pressure. Instead, he turned to the land.

He sold his Santa Monica home and moved to Topanga Canyon, where he began growing vegetables and herbs to support his family. His property quickly became a refuge for blacklisted artists, musicians, and activists. Guthrie even lived in a small shack on the land while recovering from Huntington’s disease.

Geer named the space Theatricum Botanicum, inspired by a 1640 botanical text—an homage to his botanical roots and theatrical soul.

It was part farm, part commune, part performance space. It was radical, earthy, and alive.

The Waltons and a New Beginning

Geer’s career revived in the 1960s, and in 1972 he landed the role that would make him beloved across America: Grandpa Walton. His portrayal was warm, mischievous, and deeply human. The role brought him fame, financial stability, and the opportunity to expand the theater he had nurtured for decades.

In 1973, he officially founded the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, transforming his land into a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to Shakespeare, folk plays, and music. He insisted that every plant mentioned in Shakespeare’s works be grown on the property—a botanical tribute woven into the theater’s identity.

The Theatricum became a gathering place for artists such as Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Burl Ives, and Della Reese. It was a home for creativity, activism, and community.

A Legacy Carried Forward

When Geer passed away in 1978, his ashes were buried in the Shakespeare garden he had cultivated. His former wife, actress Herta Ware, and their children—especially Ellen Geer—took up the mantle, expanding the theater into a professional repertory company.

The community rallied around the space. When the Santa Monica Pier collapsed in 1983, locals salvaged planks to help build the theater’s main stage. Volunteers, artists, and neighbors contributed labor, materials, and love.

Today, the Theatricum Botanicum is a thriving cultural landmark:

• A 299‑seat outdoor amphitheater
• A celebrated Shakespeare repertory company
• A home for concerts, children’s theater, and educational programs
• A partner of the Folger Shakespeare Library
• A recipient of numerous arts awards

Under Artistic Director Ellen Geer, the theater continues to honor Will’s vision: art rooted in nature, community, and social consciousness.

A Living Sanctuary

Walking into the Theatricum Botanicum today feels like stepping into another world. The stage is nestled among oaks and sycamores. The air carries the scent of herbs and wildflowers. The hillside seating invites audiences to lean back and watch Shakespeare unfold under the sky.

It is not just a theater. It is a living organism—part garden, part performance space, part historical monument.

It is Will Geer’s spirit made tangible.

My Most Recent Visit to the Will Geer Theater

My most recent visit to Theatricum Botanicum was last weekend to see a great production of "Treasure Island," directed by Ellen Greer, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. My wife, Kim, and I attended the performance with The Spectrum Group. This group of Autistic young adults meets several times a month for fun social activities. The attendees are between 20 and 35 years old. This week's activity was attending the play "Treasure Island" at the Will Geer Theater at Theatricum Botanicum. This theater is tucked away in the mountains; my sister from Northern California calls them "hills. There were about 20 members of the Spectrum League there and about 8 parents. The group was really well organized; these young people had a blast. The Spectrum is a goup that provides a healthy social environment for autistic young adults.

The Man Who Grew a Theater

Will Geer’s life defies easy categorization. He was a botanist, actor, activist, folk singer, and community builder. He was blacklisted, celebrated, and ultimately immortalized through the land he loved.

The Theatricum Botanicum stands today as a testament to resilience, creativity, and the belief that art and nature belong together. It is a place where Shakespeare blooms, music echoes through the canyon, and audiences gather in the same spirit of joy and rebellion that defined Geer’s life.

His legacy is not just remembered—it grows.