Elmer Clifton
Directing
Born March 12, 1890 · Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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.
Directed (92)
The Silver Bandit
1950
Red Rock Outlaw
1949
Not Wanted
1949
The Judge
1949
Swing, Cowboy, Swing
1946
Marked for Murder
1945
The Whispering Skull
1944
Dead or Alive
1944
Youth Aflame
1944
Gangsters of the Frontier
1944
Seven Doors to Death
1944
Spook Town
1944
The Pinto Bandit
1944
Guns of the Law
1944
Captain America
1944
Boss of Rawhide
1943
The Return of the Rangers
1943
Frontier Law
1943
Days of Old Cheyenne
1943
The Blocked Trail
1943
The Sundown Kid
1942
The Old Chisholm Trail
1942
Deep in the Heart of Texas
1942
Swamp Woman
1941
Hard Guy
1941
I'll Sell My Life
1941
City of Missing Girls
1941
Isle Of Destiny
1940
Crashing Thru
1939
California Frontier
1938
Law of the Texan
1938
The Stranger from Arizona
1938
Paroled from the Big House
1938
The Secret of Treasure Island
1938
Assassin of Youth
1938
Slaves in Bondage
1937
Mile a Minute Love
1937
Ten Laps to Go
1936
Pilot X
1936
Gambling with Souls
1936
Wildcat Trooper
1936
Wolves of the Sea
1936
Custer's Last Stand
1936
Custer's Last Stand
1936
Skull and Crown
1935
Rip Roaring Riley
1935
Captured in Chinatown
1935
Rough Riding Ranger
1935
Fighting Caballero
1935
Pals of the Range
1935
Cyclone of the Saddle
1935
Maid to Order
1931
The Fallen Empire
1931
Light of India
1929
The Devil's Apple Tree
1929
Tropical Nights
1928
Virgin Lips
1928
Beautiful But Dumb
1928
Let 'Er Go Gallegher
1928
The Bride of the Colorado
1928
The Wreck of the Hesperus
1927
Daughters of the Night
1924
The Warrens of Virginia
1924
Six Cylinder Love
1923
Down to the Sea in Ships
1922
Mary Ellen Comes to Town
1920
Turning the Tables
1919
Nobody Home
1919
Nugget Nell
1919
I'll Get Him Yet
1919
Peppy Polly
1919
Boots
1919
The Hope Chest
1918
Kiss or Kill
1918
Battling Jane
1918
Winner Takes All
1918
The Eagle
1918
Smashing Through
1918
The Guilt of Silence
1918
The Two-Soul Woman
1918
Brace Up
1918
The Flash of Fate
1918
The High Sign
1917
The Man Trap
1917
Flirting with Death
1917
A Stormy Knight
1917
The Midnight Man
1917
The Flame of Youth
1917
Her Official Fathers
1917
Wives at Auction
The Truth About Men
The Virgin Wife
Acting (19)
I Am Not a Racist
2019
Nina, the Flower Girl
1917
The Old Folks at Home
1916
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
1916
The Little School Ma'am
1916
Acquitted
1916
The Missing Links
1916
The Sable Lorcha
1915
The Lily and the Rose
1915
The Fox Woman
1915
The Lost House
1915
The Birth of a Nation
1915
A Lucky Disappointment
1914
The Sisters
1914
The Folly of Anne
1914
Burning Daylight: The Adventures of 'Burning Daylight' in Alaska
1914
Martin Eden
1914
John Barleycorn
1914
A Duel for Love
1914