Elmer Clifton
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.
93 directing credits · 19 acting credits
Directing · 93
Captain America
1944
Not Wanted
1949
Tropical Nights
1928
Isle Of Destiny
1940
The Hope Chest
1918
The Judge
1949
Swamp Woman
1941
Pilot X
1936
Frontier Law
1943
Boss of Rawhide
1943
Seven Doors to Death
1944
Spook Town
1944
Beautiful But Dumb
1928
Wildcat Trooper
1936
The Devil's Apple Tree
1929
Crashing Thru
1939
Maid to Order
1931
The Wreck of the Hesperus
1927
Custer's Last Stand
1936
The Eagle
1918
The Sundown Kid
1942
Peppy Polly
1919
Assassin of Youth
1938
Gambling with Souls
1936
Slaves in Bondage
1937
Wives at Auction
—
Boots
1919
The Return of the Rangers
1943
The Virgin Wife
—
Law of the Texan
1938
The Truth About Men
—
The Whispering Skull
1944
California Frontier
1938
Six Cylinder Love
1923
City of Missing Girls
1941
The Secret of Treasure Island
1938
Custer's Last Stand
1936
The Flash of Fate
1918
Guns of the Law
1944
The Two-Soul Woman
1918
Red Rock Outlaw
1949
The Flame of Youth
1917
Ten Laps to Go
1936
Smashing Through
1918
Fighting Caballero
1935
Cyclone of the Saddle
1935
The Stranger from Arizona
1938
Nugget Nell
1919
Youth Aflame
1944
Hard Guy
1941
Captured in Chinatown
1935
Rip Roaring Riley
1935
Battling Jane
1918
The Blocked Trail
1943
Marked for Murder
1945
Mile a Minute Love
1937
Nobody Home
1919
Brace Up
1918
Virgin Lips
1928
Days of Old Cheyenne
1943
Rough Riding Ranger
1935
Dead or Alive
1944
Deep in the Heart of Texas
1942
The Midnight Man
1917
The Pinto Bandit
1944
The Silver Bandit
1950
Skull and Crown
1935
Mary Ellen Comes to Town
1920
The Old Chisholm Trail
1942
The High Sign
1917
I'll Get Him Yet
1919
A Stormy Knight
1917
Daughters of the Night
1924
Light of India
1929
The Fallen Empire
1931
Wolves of the Sea
1936
Gangsters of the Frontier
1944
The Bride of the Colorado
1928
Paroled from the Big House
1938
The Warrens of Virginia
1924
Her Official Fathers
1917
I'll Sell My Life
1941
The Man Trap
1917
Pals of the Range
1935
Flirting with Death
1917
Winner Takes All
1918
Swing, Cowboy, Swing
1946
The Guilt of Silence
1918
Kiss or Kill
1918
Down to the Sea in Ships
1922
Turning the Tables
1919
Let 'Er Go Gallegher
1928
High Speed
1917
Acting · 19
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
1916
The Birth of a Nation
1915
The Sisters
1914
John Barleycorn
1914
Martin Eden
1914
The Lily and the Rose
1915
The Sable Lorcha
1915
Burning Daylight: The Adventures of 'Burning Daylight' in Alaska
1914
The Lost House
1915
Nina, the Flower Girl
1917
Acquitted
1916
I Am Not a Racist
2019
The Old Folks at Home
1916
The Folly of Anne
1914
The Missing Links
1916
A Duel for Love
1914
The Fox Woman
1915
A Lucky Disappointment
1914
The Little School Ma'am
1916