Known For
Directing
Born
Mar 12, 1890
Died
Oct 15, 1949
Place of Birth
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Credits
133 titles
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
Filmography
I Am Not a Racist
Phil (archive footage) (uncredited)
Outcasts of Black Mesa
Story
The Silver Bandit
Director
The Kid from Gower Gulch
Screenplay
Red Rock Outlaw
Director
Not Wanted
Director
The Judge
Director
Quick on the Trigger
Screenplay
Sunset Carson Rides Again
Writer
West to Glory
Screenplay
Rainbow Over the Rockies
Screenplay
Song of the Sierras
Screenplay
Outlaws of the Plains
Story
Swing, Cowboy, Swing
Director
Lightning Raiders
Original Story
Frontier Fugitives
Screenplay
Three in the Saddle
Screenplay
Marked for Murder
Director
The Whispering Skull
Director
Dead or Alive
Director
Youth Aflame
Director
Gangsters of the Frontier
Director
Gunsmoke Mesa
Screenplay
Seven Doors to Death
Director
Brand of the Devil
Screenplay
Teen Age
Screenplay
Spook Town
Director
The Pinto Bandit
Director
Guns of the Law
Director
Outlaw Roundup
Screenplay
Captain America
Director
Boss of Rawhide
Director
The Return of the Rangers
Director
Frontier Law
Director
Raiders of San Joaquin
Screenplay
Cheyenne Roundup
Screenplay
Days of Old Cheyenne
Director
The Blocked Trail
Director
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
Writer
The Sundown Kid
Director
The Rangers Take Over
Writer
The Old Chisholm Trail
Director
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Director
Swamp Woman
Director
Hard Guy
Director
I'll Sell My Life
Director
City of Missing Girls
Director
The Trail of the Silver Spurs
Story
West of Pinto Basin
Story
Isle Of Destiny
Director