D.W. Griffith's photo

D.W. Griffith

Born: 1875-01-22 in LaGrange, Kentucky, USA

Died: 1948-07-23

Known For: Directing

Biography

David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance (1916). Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera and narrative techniques, and its immense popularity set the stage for the dominance of the feature-length film. It also proved extremely controversial at the time and ever since for its negative depiction of Black Americans and their supporters, and its positive portrayal of slavery and the Ku Klux Klan. Griffith responded to his critics with his next film, Intolerance, intended to show the dangers of prejudiced thought and behavior. The film was not the financial success that its predecessor had been, but was received warmly by critics. Several of his later films were also successful, but high production, promotional, and roadshow costs often made his ventures commercial failures. Even so, he is generally considered one of the most important figures of early cinema.

Filmography

2024

Hollywood Black as Self (archive footage)

2023

Mary Pickford a Blessing and a Curse as Self

2020

Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty as archive footage

2014

Flashback: The First World War as Self (archive footage)

2008

Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies as Self (archive footage)

2007

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema as Self (archive footage)

2002

D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913 ... (Writer)
The Tramp and the Dictator as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

1998

Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists as Self (archive footage)

1993

The Making of 'The Birth of a Nation' as Self (Archive footage)

1988

American Experience as Self

1961

The Legend of Rudolph Valentino as Self (archive footage)

1951

Footlight Varieties ... (Writer)

1936

San Francisco as Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)

1931

The Struggle ... (Director)

1930

Abraham Lincoln ... (Director)
1930 Prelude to "The Birth of a Nation" as Self

1929

Lady of the Pavements ... (Director)

1928

The Battle of the Sexes ... (Director)
Drums of Love ... (Director)

1927

The King of Kings ... (Assistant Director)

1926

The Sorrows of Satan ... (Director)

1925

Sally of the Sawdust ... (Director)
That Royle Girl ... (Director)

1924

America ... (Director)
Isn't Life Wonderful ... (Director)

1923

The White Rose ... (Director)

1922

One Exciting Night ... (Producer)

1921

Orphans of the Storm ... (Director)
Dream Street ... (Director)
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20) as Himself

1920

Way Down East ... (Director)
The Idol Dancer ... (Director)
Remodeling Her Husband ... (Director)
The Love Flower ... (Writer)

1919

Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl ... (Producer)
The Girl Who Stayed at Home ... (Writer)
The Fall of Babylon ... (Director)
The Mother and the Law ... (Story)
Scarlet Days ... (Director)
True Heart Susie ... (Director)
A Romance of Happy Valley ... (Director)
The Greatest Question ... (Director)

1918

Hearts of the World ... (Director)
The Greatest Thing in Life ... (Producer)
The Hun Within ... (Writer)
The Great Love ... (Director)
Lillian Gish in a Liberty Loan Appeal ... (Writer)

1917

Betsy's Burglar ... (Supervising Producer)
A Girl of the Timber Claims ... (Supervising Producer)

1916

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages ... (Director)
The Half-Breed ... (Producer)
Hoodoo Ann ... (Writer)
Don Quixote ... (Supervisor of Production Resources)
The Missing Links ... (Production Supervisor)
Betty of Greystone ... (Story)
Macbeth ... (Producer)
Let Katie Do it ... (Story)
An Innocent Magdalene ... (Story)
The Social Secretary ... (Producer)
Daphne and the Pirate ... (Writer)
Susan Rocks the Boat ... (Producer)
Diane of the Follies ... (Writer)
The Marriage of Molly-O ... (Writer)
Fifty-Fifty ... (Producer)
The Children of the Feud ... (Producer)
The Wood Nymph ... (Story)

1915

The Birth of a Nation ... (Writer)
Old Heidelberg ... (Supervising Producer)
Double Trouble ... (Production Supervisor)
The Lily and the Rose ... (Producer)
Ghosts ... (Producer)
Enoch Arden as Mr. Ray
The Lamb ... (Story)

1914

Home, Sweet Home ... (Director)
The Escape ... (Director)
The Avenging Conscience ... (Writer)
The Life of General Villa ... (Supervising Producer)
Judith of Bethulia ... (Director)
The Odalisque ... (Supervising Producer)
Brute Force ... (Director)
Waifs ... (Director)
The Battle of the Sexes ... (Director)

1913

The Enemy's Baby ... (Director)
The Battle at Elderbush Gulch ... (Director)
The Sheriff's Baby ... (Director)
Near To Earth ... (Director)
Love in an Apartment Hotel ... (Director)
The Little Tease ... (Director)
The Adopted Brother ... (Director)
The Unwelcome Guest ... (Director)
The Perfidy of Mary ... (Director)
The Hero of Little Italy ... (Director)
Two Men of the Desert ... (Screenplay)
The Telephone Girl and the Lady ... (Director)
Three Friends ... (Director)
An Adventure in the Autumn Woods ... (Director)
The Reformers ... (Director)
Death's Marathon ... (Director)
Broken Ways ... (Director)
If We Only Knew ... (Director)
The Sorrowful Shore ... (Director)
The Left-Handed Man ... (Director)
The Lady and the Mouse ... (Writer)
The Ranchero's Revenge ... (Director)
The Mothering Heart ... (Director)
Her Mother's Oath ... (Writer)
Madonna of the Storm ... (Director)
The House of Darkness ... (Director)
The Wanderer ... (Director)
Oil and Water ... (Director)
A Timely Interception ... (Director)
The Conscience of Hassan Bey ... (Director)
A Misappropriated Turkey ... (Director)
His Mother's Son ... (Director)
A Misunderstood Boy ... (Director)
Brothers ... (Director)
The Coming of Angelo ... (Director)
A Chance Deception ... (Director)
Fate ... (Director)
The Yaqui Cur ... (Director)
The Tender Hearted Boy ... (Director)
His Mother's Son ... (Director)
The Stolen Loaf ... (Director)
Just Gold ... (Writer)

1912

The Musketeers of Pig Alley ... (Writer)
So Near, Yet So Far ... (Director)
The Sunbeam ... (Director)
An Unseen Enemy ... (Director)
The Lesser Evil ... (Director)
The Burglar’s Dilemma ... (Director)
A String of Pearls ... (Director)
Home Folks ... (Director)
Two Daughters of Eve as At Stage Door
A Feud in the Kentucky Hills ... (Director)
A Beast at Bay ... (Director)
Brutality ... (Writer)
A Temporary Truce ... (Director)
The Massacre ... (Director)
The New York Hat ... (Director)
A Cry for Help ... (Director)
The Root of Evil ... (Director)
The Mender of Nets ... (Director)
Man's Genesis ... (Director)
The One She Loved ... (Director)
A Pueblo Legend ... (Director)
The Informer ... (Director)
Friends ... (Director)
My Baby ... (Director)
My Hero ... (Writer)
The Old Actor ... (Director)
The Chief's Blanket ... (Director)
The School Teacher and the Waif ... (Director)
One Is Business, the Other Crime ... (Director)
Under Burning Skies ... (Director)
Heredity ... (Director)
Just Like a Woman ... (Director)
When Kings Were the Law ... (Director)
The Narrow Road ... (Director)
A Lodging for the Night ... (Director)
Lena and the Geese ... (Director)
The Painted Lady ... (Director)
The Female of the Species ... (Director)
In the Aisles of the Wild ... (Director)
Gold and Glitter ... (Director)
The Inner Circle ... (Director)
The God Within ... (Director)
The Goddess of Sagebrush Gulch ... (Producer)
Iola's Promise ... (Director)
Billy's Stratagem ... (Director)
A Siren of Impulse ... (Director)
The Sands of Dee ... (Director)
For His Son ... (Director)
The Baby and the Stork ... (Director)
Fate's Interception ... (Director)
The Eternal Mother ... (Director)
Blind Love ... (Director)
The Girl and Her Trust ... (Director)
His Lesson ... (Director)
An Indian Summer ... (Director)
The Transformation of Mike ... (Director)

1911

Fighting Blood ... (Director)
The Making of a Man ... (Director)
The Long Road ... (Director)
The Battle ... (Director)
Through Darkening Vales ... (Director)
The Lonedale Operator ... (Producer)
Italian Blood ... (Director)
The Miser's Heart ... (Director)
His Trust Fulfilled ... (Director)
Bobby the Coward ... (Director)
Three Sisters ... (Director)
Heart Beats of Long Ago ... (Director)
The Revenue Man and His Girl ... (Director)
His Trust ... (Director)
Enoch Arden ... (Director)
Madame Rex ... (Director)
When a Man Loves ... (Director)
The Adventures of Billy as On Bench
The Unveiling ... (Director)
The Last Drop of Water ... (Director)
The Primal Call ... (Director)
The Voice of the Child ... (Director)
Enoch Arden: Part II ... (Director)
Love in the Hills ... (Director)
Swords and Hearts ... (Director)
A Knight of the Road ... (Director)
The Blind Princess and the Poet ... (Director)
The Broken Cross ... (Director)
His Daughter ... (Director)
The New Dress ... (Director)
What Shall We Do with Our Old? ... (Director)
Fate's Turning ... (Director)
Enoch Arden: Part I ... (Director)
Saved from Himself ... (Director)
A Woman Scorned ... (Director)
The Diamond Star ... (Director)
The Trail of Books ... (Director)
Her Awakening ... (Director)
A Country Cupid ... (Director)
The Indian Brothers ... (Director)
The Italian Barber ... (Director)
The Two Paths ... (Director)
Conscience ... (Director)
The Squaw's Love ... (Director)
Fisher Folks ... (Director)
The Rose of Kentucky ... (Director)
Teaching Dad to Like Her ... (Director)
A Decree of Destiny ... (Director)
The Spanish Gypsy ... (Director)
How She Triumphed ... (Director)
Her Sacrifice ... (Director)
The Failure ... (Director)
A Terrible Discovery ... (Director)
The Lily of the Tenements ... (Director)
The Thief and the Girl ... (Director)
The Sorrowful Example ... (Director)
A Wreath of Orange Blossoms ... (Director)

1910

Ramona ... (Director)
The Unchanging Sea ... (Director)
When We Were in Our 'Teens ... (Producer)
Examination Day at School ... (Director)
The Oath and the Man ... (Director)
The Gold Seekers ... (Director)
The Rocky Road ... (Director)
The Way of the World ... (Director)
The Fugitive ... (Director)
The Englishman and the Girl ... (Director)
The Cloister’s Touch ... (Director)
The Honor of His Family ... (Director)
In the Season of Buds ... (Director)
The Converts ... (Director)
The Newlyweds ... (Director)
The Sorrows of the Unfaithful ... (Director)
An Arcadian Maid ... (Director)
What the Daisy Said ... (Director)
In the Border States ... (Director)
Wilful Peggy ... (Director)
A Victim of Jealousy ... (Director)
The Call to Arms ... (Director)
The Song of the Wildwood Flute ... (Director)
A Child's Impulse ... (Director)
Love Among the Roses ... (Director)
A Gold Necklace ... (Producer)
The Thread of Destiny ... (Story)
The Golden Supper ... (Director)
A Midnight Cupid ... (Director)
A Summer Idyll ... (Director)
On the Reef ... (Director)
All on Account of the Milk ... (Producer)
In Life's Cycle ... (Director)
The Iconoclast ... (Director)
A Child of the Ghetto ... (Director)
Little Angels of Luck ... (Director)
His Last Burglary ... (Director)
Serious Sixteen ... (Director)
That Chink at Golden Gulch ... (Director)
The Call ... (Writer)
A Romance of the Western Hills ... (Director)
The Last Deal ... (Director)
Over Silent Paths ... (Director)
The Twisted Trail ... (Director)
Rose o' Salem Town ... (Director)
A Plain Song ... (Director)
Faithful ... (Director)
Taming a Husband ... (Director)
Sunshine Sue ... (Director)
May and December ... (Producer)
The House with Closed Shutters ... (Director)
The Modern Prodigal ... (Director)
The Usurer ... (Director)
A Salutary Lesson ... (Director)
A Mohawk's Way ... (Director)
Unexpected Help ... (Director)
As It Is in Life ... (Director)
The Purgation ... (Director)
The Two Brothers ... (Director)
The Broken Doll ... (Director)
His Sister-In-Law ... (Director)
Muggsy's First Sweetheart ... (Director)
In Old California ... (Director)
The Face at the Window ... (Director)
Waiter No. 5 ... (Director)
Thou Shalt Not ... (Director)
Simple Charity ... (Director)
The Tenderfoot's Triumph ... (Producer)
A Flash of Light ... (Director)
The Marked Time-Table ... (Director)
The Impalement ... (Director)
Gold Is Not All ... (Director)
The Woman from Mellon's ... (Director)
Bill Sharkey's Last Game ... (Director)
After the Ball ... (Producer)
The Troublesome Baby ... (Producer)
Two Little Waifs ... (Director)
The Lesson ... (Director)
A Rich Revenge ... (Director)
The Message of the Violin ... (Writer)
Her Father's Pride ... (Director)
Winning Back His Love ... (Director)
The Banker's Daughters ... (Director)
As the Bells Rang Out! ... (Director)
The Man ... (Director)
The Duke’s Plan ... (Writer)
The Refuge ... (Director)
His Last Dollar ... (Director)
A Child's Stratagem ... (Director)
Her Terrible Ordeal ... (Director)
A Child's Faith ... (Director)
The Final Settlement ... (Director)

1909

The Mountaineer's Honor ... (Director)
A Corner in Wheat ... (Director)
The Sealed Room ... (Director)
The Cord of Life ... (Director)
The Cricket on the Hearth ... (Director)
The Cardinal's Conspiracy ... (Director)
The Road to the Heart ... (Writer)
A Wreath in Time ... (Writer)
A Change of Heart ... (Director)
Edgar Allan Poe ... (Director)
Two Memories ... (Writer)
Resurrection ... (Director)
A Trap for Santa Claus ... (Director)
Her First Biscuits ... (Director)
The Way of Man ... (Director)
The Peachbasket Hat ... (Director)
The Welcome Burglar ... (Director)
The Voice of the Violin ... (Director)
Lines of White on a Sullen Sea ... (Writer)
The Curtain Pole ... (Writer)
Mr. Jones Has a Card Party ... (Director)
Getting Even ... (Director)
A Strange Meeting ... (Director)
The Medicine Bottle ... (Director)
At the Altar
The Death Disc: A Story of the Cromwellian Period ... (Director)
The Renunciation ... (Director)
The Necklace ... (Director)
The Wooden Leg ... (Director)
The Salvation Army Lass ... (Director)
Mrs. Jones' Lover or, I Want My Hat ... (Writer)
Confidence ... (Writer)
The Little Darling ... (Director)
The Mexican Sweethearts ... (Director)
The Faded Lilies ... (Director)
The Criminal Hypnotist ... (Director)
One Touch of Nature ... (Director)
The Suicide Club ... (Director)
The Maniac Cook ... (Writer)
The Gibson Goddess ... (Director)
Mr. Jones’ Burglar ... (Director)
The Heart of an Outlaw ... (Director)
The Joneses Have Amateur Theatricals ... (Director)
The Seventh Day ... (Director)
The Indian Runner's Romance ... (Director)
Sweet and Twenty ... (Director)
The Deception ... (Director)
The Lonely Villa ... (Director)
The Son's Return ... (Director)
The Redman's View ... (Director)
Tragic Love ... (Director)
The Country Doctor ... (Director)
The Violin Maker of Cremona ... (Director)
The Light That Came ... (Director)
What's Your Hurry? ... (Director)
A Sweet Revenge ... (Writer)
The Day After ... (Producer)
The Restoration ... (Director)
The Fascinating Mrs. Francis ... (Director)
Pranks ... (Director)
The Mended Lute ... (Director)
Leather Stocking ... (Director)
I Did It ... (Director)
His Lost Love ... (Director)
Lucky Jim ... (Director)
To Save Her Soul ... (Director)
The Politician's Love Story as Man - First Couple
His Duty ... (Director)
Through the Breakers ... (Director)
1776, or The Hessian Renegades
The Slave ... (Director)
Jones and the Lady Book Agent ... (Writer)
Lady Helen's Escapade ... (Director)
Trying to Get Arrested ... (Director)
A Fool's Revenge ... (Director)
Those Awful Hats ... (Director)
A Midnight Adventure ... (Director)
Twin Brothers ... (Director)
A Baby's Shoe ... (Writer)
Jones and His New Neighbors ... (Director)
A Drunkard's Reformation ... (Writer)
The Broken Locket ... (Writer)
Pippa Passes ... (Director)
What Drink Did ... (Writer)
The Trick that Failed ... (Director)
A Troublesome Satchel ... (Director)
His Wife's Visitor ... (Director)
Love Finds a Way ... (Writer)
The Mills of the Gods ... (Director)
Oh, Uncle! ... (Director)
Those Boys! ... (Writer)
Nursing a Viper ... (Director)
The Note in the Shoe ... (Writer)
The Sacrifice ... (Director)
The Awakening ... (Director)
The Winning Coat ... (Writer)
Mrs. Jones Entertains ... (Director)
And a Little Child Shall Lead Them ... (Director)
Tender Hearts ... (Director)
The Lure of the Gown ... (Writer)
Wanted, a Child ... (Director)
The Test ... (Director)
The Honor of Thieves ... (Director)
The Jilt ... (Writer)
Drive for a Life ... (Writer)
The Little Teacher ... (Director)
The Expiation ... (Writer)
The Brahma Diamond ... (Director)
Fools of Fate ... (Director)
In Old Kentucky ... (Director)
They Would Elope ... (Director)
Tis an Ill Wind That Blows No Good ... (Director)
In the Watches of the Night ... (Director)
In Little Italy ... (Director)
In the Window Recess ... (Director)
His Ward's Love ... (Writer)
Eloping with Auntie ... (Director)
Eradicating Aunty ... (Director)
The French Duel ... (Director)
Jealousy and the Man ... (Writer)
The Golden Louis ... (Director)
The Roue’s Heart ... (Writer)
A New Trick ... (Director)
A Rural Elopement ... (Director)
Comata, the Sioux ... (Director)
The Children's Friend ... (Director)
Schneider’s Anti-Noise Crusade ... (Writer)
The Prussian Spy ... (Writer)
A Rude Hostess ... (Writer)
A Burglar’s Mistake ... (Director)
The Eavesdropper ... (Director)
The Girls and Daddy as At Black & Tan Ball
The Hindoo Dagger ... (Director)
His Wife's Mother ... (Writer)

1908

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest as Father
The Taming of the Shrew ... (Director)
The Heart of O Yama as Footman
The Call of the Wild ... (Director)
The Pirate's Gold ... (Director)
A Smoked Husband ... (Director)
The Tavern Keeper’s Daughter ... (Director)
At the Crossroads of Life as Suitor
The King of the Cannibal Islands as Cannibal in Top Hat
Over the Hills to the Poor House ... (Writer)
The Man in the Box as Station Agent
The Christmas Burglars ... (Writer)
Falsely Accused! as Cop in Court
The Outlaw ... (Author)
Money Mad ... (Director)
The Black Viper as Rescuer
The Bandit's Waterloo: The Outwitting of an Andalusian Brigand by a Pretty Senora ... (Writer)
The Fatal Hour as Policeman
The Song of the Shirt ... (Director)
Betrayed by a Handprint ... (Director)
Where the Breakers Roar ... (Director)
Yellow Peril as Mr. Phlipp
A Calamitous Elopement as Policeman
The Adventures of Dollie ... (Director)
A Famous Escape as Prisoner
The Princess in the Vase as Lover
Classmates as Extra
The Planter's Wife ... (Director)
The Test of Friendship ... (Director)
The Clubman and the Tramp ... (Director)
The Vaquero's Vow ... (Director)
The Ingrate ... (Director)
The Kentuckian
Ingomar, the Barbarian ... (Director)
Cupid’s Pranks
Balked at the Altar
Professional Jealousy as Extra on stage
An Awful Moment ... (Writer)
The Greaser's Gauntlet ... (Writer)
Behind the Scenes: Where All Is Not Gold That Glitters ... (Director)
'Ostler Joe as Lover
At the French Ball as Husband
When Knights Were Bold
The Man and the Woman ... (Director)
After Many Years ... (Director)
The Guerrilla ... (Director)
The Red Girl as Man on Footpath
The Helping Hand ... (Director)
The Valet's Wife ... (Director)
The Feud and the Turkey ... (Director)
The Stolen Jewels ... (Director)
For a Wife's Honor ... (Director)
For Love of Gold ... (Director)
The Sculptor's Nightmare
Mr. Jones at the Ball ... (Director)
The Invisible Fluid as Mailman
Monday Morning in a Coney Island Police Court ... (Director)
Old Isaacs, the Pawnbroker as Doctor, Charity Worker
The Fight for Freedom ... (Director)
Father Gets in the Game ... (Director)
The Devil ... (Director)
Romance of a Jewess ... (Director)
The Girl and the Outlaw ... (Director)
The Zulu's Heart ... (Writer)
The Redman and the Child ... (Writer)
The King's Messenger as Messenger
The Stage Rustler as Phil Bowen
The Reckoning ... (Director)
Caught by Wireless as Paddy
Concealing a Burglar ... (Director)
Hulda's Lovers
A Woman's Way ... (Writer)
Deceived Slumming Party as Reginald O.C. Wittington
Mixed Babies ... (Writer)
The Music Master
Her First Adventure as Father