Elmer Clifton
Directing
Born 1890-03-12
Died 1949-10-15
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
133 credits
Read biography
Born in Chicago, he was an actor in touring stock companies before making his screen debut in 1912. Joining D.W. Griffith's Fine Arts Studio in 1914, he was cast as Union officer Phil Stoneman in "The Birth of a Nation" (1915) and as The Rhapsodie in the Babylonian story of "Intolerance" (1916). He was also a second-unit director for those films. Promoted to director in 1917, Clifton supervised several successful Fine Arts comedies starring Dorothy Gish while continuing to serve as Griffith's assistant. Their association culminated with the blockbuster "Way Down East" (1920). Clifton shot much of its famous "Rescue from the ice" sequence and doubled for star Richard Barthelmess in the riskier scenes. He then left Griffith to form his own production company and had a smash hit with "Down to the Sea in Ships" (1922), a colorful whaling saga made on location in New England. It made a star of future "It Girl" Clara Bow, who appeared as a cross-dressing stowaway. In 1923 Clifton signed a lucrative seven-year contract with Fox and was poised to become one of Hollywood's major directors. Then tragedy struck. He was filming "The Warrens of Virginia" in Texas when his lead actress died from burns in an accident on the set. Although Clifton was blameless in the incident, he was fired by Fox and his career never regained its momentum.
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Filmography
— top 60 of 133
Directing
43 credits
Captain America
Battling Jane
Isle Of Destiny
Hard Guy
Virgin Lips
Swamp Woman
Not Wanted
Boots
Pilot X
Nobody Home
Peppy Polly
High Speed
Beautiful But Dumb
Nugget Nell
The Old Chisholm Trail
Maid to Order
Wolves of the Sea
Seven Doors to Death
Assassin of Youth
Slaves in Bondage
The Guilt of Silence
Frontier Law
The Bride of the Colorado
Wildcat Trooper
The Judge
Tropical Nights
Rough Riding Ranger
The Man Trap
City of Missing Girls
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Daughters of the Night
Custer's Last Stand
The Blocked Trail
Paroled from the Big House
Captured in Chinatown
Gangsters of the Frontier
Six Cylinder Love
Smashing Through
Ten Laps to Go
Kiss or Kill
The Secret of Treasure Island
Custer's Last Stand
I'll Get Him Yet
Writing
21 credits
Three in the Saddle
Teen Age
The Old Chisholm Trail
The Trail of the Silver Spurs
Wolves of the Sea
Seven Doors to Death
Assassin of Youth
West of Pinto Basin
Frontier Law
The Judge
Frontier Fugitives
Raiders of San Joaquin
Rough Riding Ranger
Cheyenne Roundup
The Silver Bandit
The Rangers Take Over
Captured in Chinatown
Gangsters of the Frontier
West to Glory
Kiss or Kill
The Secret of Treasure Island
Acting
6 credits
The Birth of a Nation
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Martin Eden
The Sisters
The Old Folks at Home
The Sable Lorcha
Other credits
3 credits
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