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Raymond Griffith (January 23, 1895 – November 25, 1957) was an American
''
Notré Cinema: Movies and Stars Images. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
The Silent Film Still Archive. Retrieved July 13, 2022. He was later drafted for service in
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
Classic Images article on Raymond Griffith
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Raymond 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 Los Angeles 20th-century American comedians Comedians from Boston
silent movie
''Silent Movie'' is a 1976 American satirical silent comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in summer 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, and S ...
actor and comedian. Later in his career, he worked behind the camera as writer and producer.
Biography
Griffith was born inBoston, Massachusetts
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. 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. Lying about his age, Griffith enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 15 and served for three years.Raymond Griffith''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''. Retrieved July 13, 2022.Raymond Griffith atNotré Cinema: Movies and Stars Images. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
The Silent Film Still Archive. Retrieved July 13, 2022. He was later drafted for service in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
but was not inducted because of his vocal problems.
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
Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film ''All Quiet on the Western Fro ...
in the 1930 Lewis Milestone
Lewis Milestone (born Leib Milstein (Russian: Лейб Мильштейн); September 30, 1895 – September 25, 1980) was an American film director. Milestone directed '' Two Arabian Knights'' (1927) and '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1 ...
film '' All Quiet on the Western Front.'' He then segued into a writing/producing career at Twentieth Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
.
As of 1929, Griffith was a Socialist
Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
.
Griffith choked to death at the Masquers Club in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, aged 62, on November 25, 1957.
Filmography
References
External links
*Classic Images article on Raymond Griffith
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Raymond 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 Los Angeles 20th-century American comedians Comedians from Boston