Raymond Griffith
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Raymond Griffith | |
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Born | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | January 23, 1895
Died | November 25, 1957 Los Angeles, California, United States | (aged 62)
Cause of death | Asphyxia due to partially masticated food |
Occupation | actor |
Spouse | Bertha Mann (1928–1957) |
Children | Patricia Stout (adopted) |
Raymond Griffith (January 23, 1895 – November 25, 1957) was a 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.
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 |
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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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 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