Raymond Griffith

Acting Jan 22, 1895 Nov 25, 1957 (aged 62) Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Raymond Griffith was one of the great silent movie comedians. Later in his career, he worked behind the camera as writer and producer. 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, Griffith is almost totally forgotten today. 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.

35 Acting Credits

35 Crew Credits

Raymond Griffith

Acting

All Quiet on the Western Front

Souls for Sale

White Tiger

Paths to Paradise

Hands Up!

You'd Be Surprised

Miss Bluebeard

Open All Night

A Scoundrel's Toll

His Foothill Folly

Fools First

Changing Husbands

Poisoned Paradise

The Crossroads of New York

Trent's Last Case

The Eternal Three

The Day of Faith

Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak Model

Red Lights

Lily of the Dust

The Night Club

Time to Love

He's a Prince!

How Stars are Made

Crew

Gold Diggers of 1933

Baby Face

Drums Along the Mohawk

Three on a Match

Ladies They Talk About

Picture Snatcher

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

Born to Be Bad

The House of Rothschild

Poor Little Rich Girl

Parachute Jumper

Day-time Wife