Elmer Clifton
Known for: Directing
Born: March 12, 1890
Died: October 15, 1949
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.
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Filmography
133 movies · 0 TV shows, newest first
NR
I Am Not a Racist
2019
9.0
Outcasts of Black Mesa
1950
9.0
The Silver Bandit
1950
7.0
The Kid from Gower Gulch
1950
9.0
Red Rock Outlaw
1949
6.8
Not Wanted
1949
5.5
The Judge
1949
6.5
Quick on the Trigger
1948
5.3
Sunset Carson Rides Again
1948
10.0
West to Glory
1947
9.0
Rainbow Over the Rockies
1947
8.0
Song of the Sierras
1946
6.3
Outlaws of the Plains
1946
9.0
Swing, Cowboy, Swing
1946
10.0
Lightning Raiders
1946
7.0
Frontier Fugitives
1945
9.0
Three in the Saddle
1945
5.0
Marked for Murder
1945
6.0
The Whispering Skull
1944
5.0
Dead or Alive
1944
5.2
Youth Aflame
1944
4.3
Gangsters of the Frontier
1944
4.5
Gunsmoke Mesa
1944
6.0
Seven Doors to Death
1944
7.0
Brand of the Devil
19447.0
Teen Age
1944
7.0
Spook Town
1944
7.0
The Pinto Bandit
1944
6.0
Guns of the Law
1944
10.0
Outlaw Roundup
1944
5.3
Captain America
1944
6.7
Boss of Rawhide
1943
7.0
The Return of the Rangers
1943
8.0
Frontier Law
1943
7.0
Raiders of San Joaquin
1943
7.0
Cheyenne Roundup
1943
10.0
Days of Old Cheyenne
1943
7.0
The Blocked Trail
1943
8.0
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
1943
9.0
The Sundown Kid
1942
7.0
The Rangers Take Over
1942
7.7
The Old Chisholm Trail
1942
7.5
Deep in the Heart of Texas
1942
5.0
Swamp Woman
1941
5.7
Hard Guy
1941
7.5
I'll Sell My Life
1941
4.7
City of Missing Girls
1941
6.0
The Trail of the Silver Spurs
1941
5.3
West of Pinto Basin
1940
5.7
Isle Of Destiny
1940
7.5
Crashing Thru
1939
9.0
California Frontier
1938
8.0
Law of the Texan
1938
6.0
The Stranger from Arizona
1938
9.0
Paroled from the Big House
1938
4.5
The Secret of Treasure Island
1938
2.9
Assassin of Youth
1938
3.1
Slaves in Bondage
1937
7.0
Mile a Minute Love
1937
5.5
Ten Laps to Go
1936
6.3
Pilot X
1936
3.8
Gambling with Souls
1936
6.0
Wildcat Trooper
1936
6.0
Wolves of the Sea
1936
8.0
Custer's Last Stand
19365.3
Custer's Last Stand
1936
5.8
Skull and Crown
1935
9.0
Rip Roaring Riley
1935
4.8
Captured in Chinatown
1935
9.0
Rough Riding Ranger
1935
6.3
Fighting Caballero
1935
5.8
Cyclone of the Saddle
1935
7.0
Pals of the Range
19359.0
Maid to Order
1931NR
The Fallen Empire
1931NR
Light of India
1929
7.0
The Devil's Apple Tree
1929
8.0
Tropical Nights
1928
3.3
Virgin Lips
1928
NR
Beautiful But Dumb
1928
7.0
Let 'Er Go Gallegher
19288.0
The Bride of the Colorado
1928
10.0
The Wreck of the Hesperus
1927
10.0
Daughters of the Night
1924
8.0
The Warrens of Virginia
1924
10.0
Six Cylinder Love
1923
5.7
Down to the Sea in Ships
1922
10.0
Mary Ellen Comes to Town
1920
10.0
Turning the Tables
1919
8.0
Nobody Home
1919
7.0
Nugget Nell
1919
8.0
I'll Get Him Yet
1919
8.0
Peppy Polly
1919
4.0
Boots
1919
8.0
The Hope Chest
1918
NR
Kiss or Kill
1918
NR
Battling Jane
1918
NR
Winner Takes All
1918
NR
The Eagle
1918
NR
Smashing Through
1918
NR
The Guilt of Silence
1918
NR
The Two-Soul Woman
1918
NR
Brace Up
1918
2.0
The Flash of Fate
1918
NR
The High Sign
1917
NR
The Man Trap
1917
NR
Flirting with Death
1917
NR
A Stormy Knight
1917
NR
The Midnight Man
1917
NR
High Speed
1917
5.5
The Flame of Youth
1917
NR
Her Official Fathers
1917
NR
Nina, the Flower Girl
1917
NR
The Old Folks at Home
1916
7.1
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
191610.0
The Little School Ma'am
1916NR
Acquitted
1916
NR
The Missing Links
1916
NR
The Sable Lorcha
1915
NR
The Lily and the Rose
1915NR
The Fox Woman
1915
NR
The Lost House
1915
5.9
The Birth of a Nation
191510.0
A Lucky Disappointment
1914
NR
The Sisters
19149.0
The Folly of Anne
1914
NR
Burning Daylight: The Adventures of 'Burning Daylight' in Alaska
1914
NR
Martin Eden
1914NR
John Barleycorn
19149.0
A Duel for Love
191410.0
Wives at Auction
—9.0
The Truth About Men
—10.0
The Virgin Wife
—