Elmer Clifton

Known for DirectingBorn 1890-03-12Died 1949-10-15Toronto, 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.Read more

Movies & web series

West to Glory

Lightning Raiders

Outlaw Roundup

Days of Old Cheyenne

The Wreck of the Hesperus

Daughters of the Night

Six Cylinder Love

Mary Ellen Comes to Town

Turning the Tables

The Little School Ma'am

A Lucky Disappointment

Outcasts of Black Mesa

The Silver Bandit

Red Rock Outlaw

Rainbow Over the Rockies

Swing, Cowboy, Swing

Three in the Saddle

The Sundown Kid

Paroled from the Big House

California Frontier

Rough Riding Ranger

Rip Roaring Riley

Maid to Order

The Folly of Anne

A Duel for Love

Song of the Sierras

Bad Men of Thunder Gap

Frontier Law

Law of the Texan

Custer's Last Stand

Tropical Nights

The Bride of the Colorado

The Warrens of Virginia

Peppy Polly

I'll Get Him Yet

Nobody Home

The Hope Chest

The Old Chisholm Trail

Deep in the Heart of Texas

I'll Sell My Life

Crashing Thru

The Kid from Gower Gulch

Frontier Fugitives

Spook Town

The Pinto Bandit

Teen Age

Brand of the Devil

The Blocked Trail