Raymond Griffith
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Raymond Griffith | |
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![]() Griffith in 1924 | |
Born | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | January 23, 1895
Died | November 25, 1957 Los Angeles, California, United States | (aged 62)
Occupation | Actor |
Spouse(s) | Bertha Mann (1928–1957) |
Children | 1 (adopted) |
Raymond Griffith (January 23, 1895 – November 25, 1957) was an American silent movie comedian. Later in his career, he worked behind the camera as writer and producer.
Biography[]
Griffith was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He lost his voice at an early age, causing him to speak for the rest of his life in a hoarse whisper. Griffith claimed that it was the result of his having to scream at the top of his lungs every night in a stage melodrama as a child actor—others have stated that a childhood disease was more likely the cause.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Lily_of_the_Dust_lobby_card.jpg/220px-Lily_of_the_Dust_lobby_card.jpg)
Although a few comedy films of his are considered classics he is almost totally forgotten today. His film debut was for the L-KO Kompany. Many of his starring feature films have long since been lost, but probably the best known of his films today is Hands Up! (1926), a Civil War comedy feature directed by Clarence G. Badger, and co-starring Mack Swain, which was entered into the National Film Registry in 2005. Also considered a classic is Badger's Paths to Paradise, a caper film that is in all circulating prints missing its final reel. Like many silent comedians, he had a traditional costume; his was a top hat, white tie and tails, often augmented by a cape and/or walking stick.
The coming of sound ended Griffith's acting career, but he did have one memorable role in a motion picture before retiring from the screen, playing a French soldier killed by Lew Ayres in the 1930 Lewis Milestone film All Quiet on the Western Front. He then segued into a writing/producing career at Twentieth Century Fox.
Griffith choked to death at the Masquers Club in Los Angeles, California, aged 62, on November 25, 1957.
Filmography[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1918 | The Red-Haired Cupid | Albert Jones | |
1919 | The Follies Girl | Fredric | |
1920 | Love, Honor and Behave | Man with Married Girlfriend | |
1920 | Down on the Farm | Writer | |
1922 | The Crossroads of New York | Wall Street 'Wolf' | |
1922 | Fools First | Tony | |
1922 | Minnie | Chewing Gum Salesman | |
1923 | Red Lights | Sheridan Scott | |
1923 | The Eternal Three | Leonard Foster | |
1923 | The Day of Faith | Tom Barnett | |
1923 | White Tiger | Roy Donovan | |
1923 | Souls for Sale | Himself | |
1924 | Poisoned Paradise: The Forbidden Story of Monte Carlo | Martel aka The Rat | |
1924 | The Dawn of a Tomorrow | The Dandy | |
1924 | Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak Model | Shorty Burchell | |
1924 | The Yankee Consul | Writer | |
1924 | Lily of the Dust | Karl Dehnecke | |
1924 | Open All Night | Igor | |
1925 | The Night Club | Robert White | |
1925 | Miss Bluebeard | The Honorable Bertie Bird | |
1925 | Forty Winks | Lord Chumley | |
1925 | Paths to Paradise | The Dude from Duluth | |
1925 | Fine Clothes | Oscar | |
1925 | A Regular Fellow | The Prince | |
1925 | When Winter Went | Bookworm | |
1926 | Hands Up! | Jack - a Confederate Spy | |
1926 | Wet Paint | He | |
1926 | You'd Be Surprised | Mr. Green - The Coroner | |
1926 | The Waiter from the Ritz | ||
1927 | Wedding Bills | Algernon Schuyler Van Twidder | |
1927 | Time to Love | Alfred Sava-Goiu | |
1929 | Trent's Last Case | Philip Trent | |
1930 | All Quiet on the Western Front | Gerard Duval | Uncredited, (final film role) |
1933 | Ladies They Talk About | Producer | |
1933 | Broadway Through a Keyhole | Co-producer | |
1936 | Private Number | Producer | |
1939 | Hotel for Women | Producer |
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Raymond Griffith. |
- 1895 births
- 1957 deaths
- Silent film comedians
- American male comedians
- American male silent film actors
- Male actors from Boston
- Male actors from Los Angeles
- Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
- 20th-century American male actors
- Deaths from choking
- American male child actors
- Comedians from California
- 20th-century American comedians
- American male comedy actors