Raymond Griffith was one of the grand silent movie comedians. He lost his voice at an early age, causing him to speak for relax of his life in a hoarse whisper. He claimed that it was the effect of his having to scream at the top of his lungs each night in a stage melodrama as a child actor others have stated that a childhood sickness was more likely the cause. Although some comedy films of his are considered classics he is almost completely forgotten today. His film debut was for the L-KO Kompany. Many of his starring feature films have extended since been lost, but probably the best recognized of his films today is Hands Up!.
A 1926 Civil War comedy feature directed by Clarence G. Badger, and co-starring Mack Swain, which was goes into the National Film Registry in 2005. Also measured a classic is Badger's Paths to Paradise, a caper film that is in all circulating prints missing its final reel. Like several silent comedians, he had a traditional dress; his was a top hat, white tie and tails, often augmented by a cape and walking stick. The coming of sound finished Griffith's acting career, but he did have one excellent 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 producing and writing career at Twentieth Century Fox.
Date Of Birth | January 23, 1895 |
Place Of Birth | Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
Occupation | Actor |
Spouse | Bertha Mann |
Date Of Died | November 25, 1957 |
Place Of Died | Los Angeles, California, USA |
