Elmer Clifton
Known For: Directing
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: March 12, 1890
Day of Death: October 15, 1949 (60 years old)
Place of Birth: 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.
1950
1949
1948
1947
1946
1945
1944
Director
Captain America
Director
Gangsters of the Frontier
Screenplay
Gangsters of the Frontier
Director
Seven Doors to Death
Director
Youth Aflame
Screenplay
Youth Aflame
Director
Spook Town
Director
Guns of the Law
Director
The Whispering Skull
Director
The Pinto Bandit
Screenplay
The Pinto Bandit
Screenplay
Guns of the Law
Screenplay
Teen Age
Story
Teen Age
Screenplay
Seven Doors to Death
Story
The Pinto Bandit
Screenplay
Brand of the Devil
Director
Dead or Alive
Screenplay
Gunsmoke Mesa
Screenplay
Outlaw Roundup
Screenplay
Spook Town
1943
Director
Days of Old Cheyenne
Writer
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
Director
Boss of Rawhide
Director
The Blocked Trail
Screenplay
Raiders of San Joaquin
Story
Boss of Rawhide
Screenplay
Boss of Rawhide
Screenplay
Cheyenne Roundup
Story
Cheyenne Roundup
Director
Frontier Law
Screenplay
Frontier Law
Director
The Return of the Rangers
Story
The Return of the Rangers
Screenplay
The Return of the Rangers
