Elmer Clifton
Personal Info
Known For Director
Gender Male
Birthday 1890-03-12
Deathday 1949-10-15 (59 years old)
Place of Birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Also Known As Elmer Clifford, Elmer S. Pond, Elmer Pond, Elmer Clifton Forsyth
Elmer Clifton
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.
Known For
Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as Director
as First Assistant Director
as Assistant Director
Writer
as Story
as Screenplay
as Story
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Writer
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Original Story
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Story
as Writer
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Story
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Story
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Writer
as Screenplay
as Story
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Story
as Screenplay
as Story
as Screenplay
as Writer
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Story
as Story
as Story
as Screenplay
as Screenplay
as Story
as Writer
as Writer
as Screenplay
as Writer
as Writer
as Story
as Writer
Actor
as Phil
as Phil Mewman, elder Sigma
as Jimmie
as The Rhapsode (Babylonian Story)
as Ned Fowler
as Horace Gaylord
as Phillip Clyde - Evelyn's Fiancé
as Allison Edwards
as Marashida
as Cuthbert
as Stoneman's Elder Son Phil
as Jack Holt
as Frank (Carol's country lover)
as The Sympathtic Publisher
as Charley Bates
as Cub Reporter
as Jack, 3rd period
Producer
as Producer