NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Gordon Griffith

Gordon Griffith or Gordon S. Griffith (July 4, 1907, Chicago – October 12, 1958) was an American assistant director, film producer, and one of the first child actors. Griffith worked in the film industry for five decades, acting in over sixty films, and surviving the transition from silent films to talkies—films with sound. During his acting career, he worked with Charlie Chaplin, and was the first actor to portray both Tom Sawyer^[1] and Tarzan on film.^[2]^[3] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1528x1591, 607 KB) A screen shot of Gordon Griffith in the 1918 film Tarzan of the Apes. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1528x1591, 607 KB) A screen shot of Gordon Griffith in the 1918 film Tarzan of the Apes. ... For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, The City of Big Shoulders The 312 Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook Incorporated March 4, 1837 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Assistant director (AD) is a filmmaking role. ... The term child actor is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion the latter is also called a former child actor. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... A sound film (or talkie) is a motion picture with synchronized sound, as opposed to a silent movie. ... Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr. ... Tom Sawyer is the title character of the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. ... James H. Pierce and Joan Burroughs Pierce starred in the 1932-34 Tarzan radio series Tarzan, a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1914 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in twenty-three sequels. ...

Griffith was born on July 4, 1907 in Chicago, Illinois, to actors Harry Sutherland^[4] Griffith and Katherine Kiemar^[5] Griffith. He had two siblings, an older sister Gertrude, and a younger brother^[6] Graham—also an actor. Griffith was already an experienced actor when, at age seven, he got his first acting role as a regular character in the Little Billy serials. Mack Sennett of Keystone Studios cast Griffith in many of his slapstick features, where he eventually earned supporting roles in Charlie Chaplin films, including Tillie's Punctured Romance (Milton Berle spuriously claimed in his later years to have played this role). For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 606. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area Ranked 25th - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 390 miles (629 km) - % water 4. ... The Little Billy films are a series of short films revolving around the character of a small boy Little Billy, portrayed by Billy Jacobs. ... Mack Sennett (1880 - 1960) Mack Sennett (January 17, 1880 â€“ November 5, 1960) was an innovator of slapstick comedy in film. ... The Keystone / Mack Sennett studios Keystone Studios was an early movie studio founded in Glendale, California in 1912 as the Keystone Pictures Studio by Mack Sennett with backing from Adam Kessel and Charles O. Bauman, owners of the New York Motion Picture Company. ... Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated physical violence. ... Title card for the beginning of the film Cast Description of Charlie Chaplins character Description of Marie Dresslers character The moving picture Chaplin and his girlfriend see, labeled a farce comedy but shown as a morality play. ... Milton Berle This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...

His big break came with the role of young Tarzan, in the 1918 film Tarzan of the Apes. He was required to do his own stunts, such as climbing trees, swinging from vines, and interacting closely with a chimpanzee. Griffith also has several nude scenes in the first half of the film, making him one of the first pre-teens to appear on screen naked. Griffith appears before the actor portraying the adult Tarzan—Elmo Lincoln—making him the first actor to portray Tarzan in film. After seeing the film, a critic described Griffith as "a youthful actor of uncommon gifts."^[3] James H. Pierce and Joan Burroughs Pierce starred in the 1932-34 Tarzan radio series Tarzan, a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1914 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in twenty-three sequels. ... Tarzan of the Apes (1918) is a silent black and white action adventure film directed by Scott Sidney starring Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey, George B. French and Gordon Griffith. ... Type Species Simia troglodytes Blumenbach, 1775 Species Pan troglodytes Pan paniscus Chimpanzee, often shortened to chimp, is the common name for the two extant species in the genus Pan. ... Photograph of Audrey Munson from The American Film Company c1916. ... Elmo Lincoln is best known in his silent movie role of Tarzan. ...

Griffith received the role of Tom Sawyer in the 1920 film Huckleberry Finn. Later he was again cast in the first Tarzan serial as Tarzan's son, Korak, a role that has been described as "anticipating John Sheffield's 'boy' roles [in later Tarzan films]."^[2] Both of his parents died in the 1920s—his mother in 1921^[5] and his father in 1926.^[4] At the time of the 1930 census, he and his brother were living with his sister and her family in Pasadena, California.^[7] Image File history File links Penrod_publicity_pic_(detail). ... Image File history File links Penrod_publicity_pic_(detail). ... Johnny Sheffield in Tarzans New York Adventure Johnny Sheffield (born April 11, 1931) is an American former child actor. ... Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ...

Although his career survived the transition from silent films to sound, Griffith received smaller and smaller roles—occasionally not even being credited for his performances. As his acting career cooled, Griffith moved into other areas of the film industry. At the age of twenty-three he got his first job as an assistant director.^[8] His final acting credit came six years later in 1936's Bars of Hate.^[8]

Griffith continued to work in the film industry until his death, working as an assistant director at Monogram Pictures, an associate producer under Robert Sherwood, and as a director and then as an associate producer for Gregory Ratoff Productions. In 1941, Griffith became production manager at Columbia Pictures, and later served as an associate producer for RKO, eventually becoming a producer for films such as 1956's Alexander the Great. In 1958, Griffith died of a heart attack in Hollywood, and was survived by his sister. ^[2] This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Robert Emmet Sherwood (4 April 1896–14 November 1955) American playwright, editor, and screenwriter. ... Gregory Ratoff was an American film director, actor and producer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... RKO could stand for: RKO Pictures The R.K.O. - finishing manoever (and initials) of WWE professional wrestler Randy Orton. ... Alexander the Great was a 1956 movie starring Richard Burton, who played as Alexander the Great. ... ...

Selected filmography

The Little Billy films are a series of short films revolving around the character of a small boy Little Billy, portrayed by Billy Jacobs. ... The Little Billy films are a series of short films revolving around the character of a small boy Little Billy, portrayed by Billy Jacobs. ... The Little Billy films are a series of short films revolving around the character of a small boy Little Billy, portrayed by Billy Jacobs. ... Tillies Punctured Romance is the name of two early comedy films made in 1914 and 1928: Tillies Punctured Romance (1914 film), starring Charlie Chaplin Tillies Punctured Romance (1928 film), starring W. C. Fields This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Kid Auto Races At Venice is 1914 Charlie Chaplin film in which his Tramp character makes a first appearance. ... The Little Billy films are a series of short films revolving around the character of a small boy Little Billy, portrayed by Billy Jacobs. ... Tarzan of the Apes (1918) is a silent black and white action adventure film directed by Scott Sidney starring Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey, George B. French and Gordon Griffith. ... Little Annie Rooney was a Comic strip about a young orphaned girl, with a dog as a companion. ...

References and sources

^ Huckleberry Finn (1920) at the Internet Movie Database
^ ^a ^b ^c IMDb Gordon Griffith mini-biography by Ed Stephan
^ ^a ^b New York Times citing Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
^ ^a ^b Harry Griffith at the Internet Movie Database
^ ^a ^b Katherine Griffith at the Internet Movie Database
^ ancestry.com citing the: 1920 United States Federal Census, Los Angeles Assembly District 63, Los Angeles California; Roll: T625_106; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 169; Image: 1019.
^ ancestry.com citing the: 1930 United States Federal Census, Pasadena Los Angeles California; Roll: 169; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 1246; Image: 241.0.
^ ^a ^b Gordon Griffith at the Internet Movie Database

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... Ancestry. ... Ancestry. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ...

External links

Categories: 1907 births | Year of birth unknown | 1958 deaths | American child actors | American film actors | American silent film actors | American film producers The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... James H. Pierce and Joan Burroughs Pierce starred in the 1932-34 Tarzan radio series Tarzan, a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1914 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in twenty-three sequels. ... Gene Pollar (16 September 1892-20 October 1971) was the stage name of New York City fireman Joseph Pohler. ...

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References and sources

External links

Selected filmography