D.W. Griffith

Known for: Directing
Born: January 22, 1875, LaGrange, Kentucky, USA
Died: July 23, 1948
Movies: 544

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.

Upcoming D.W. Griffith Movies

Biograph Shorts Special Edition: 1909-1913

Release date TBA

A Griffith Biograph Collection Featuring Mary Pickford: Volume One

Release date TBA

Best-Known Movies

5.9

The Birth of a Nation

1915

7.1

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

1916

6.9

Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl

1919

6.9

Way Down East

1920

6.2

A Corner in Wheat

1909

6.8

Orphans of the Storm

1921

6.1

The Musketeers of Pig Alley

1912

6.6

San Francisco

1936

6.0

The Lonely Villa

1909

6.1

Those Awful Hats

1909

Filmography

2023	Mary Pickford a Blessing and a Curse	Self
2020	Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty	archive footage
2014	Flashback: The First World War	Self (archive footage)
2008	Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies	Self (archive footage)
2007	Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema	Self (archive footage)
2002	The Tramp and the Dictator	Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1998	Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists	Self (archive footage)
1995	The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies	Self (archive footage)
1993	The Making of 'The Birth of a Nation'	Self (Archive footage)
1988	Lillian Gish: The Actor's Life for Me	Self (archive footage)
1975	D.W. Griffith: An American Genius	Self (archive)
1961	The Legend of Rudolph Valentino	Self (archive footage)
1936	San Francisco	Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)
1930	1930 Prelude to "The Birth of a Nation"	Self
1921	Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)	Himself
1915	Enoch Arden	Mr. Ray
1912	Two Daughters of Eve	At Stage Door
1911	The Adventures of Billy	On Bench
1909	1776, or The Hessian Renegades
1909	At the Altar
1909	The Politician's Love Story	Man - First Couple
1909	The Girls and Daddy	At Black & Tan Ball
1908	The Heart of O Yama	Footman
1908	The Red Girl	Man on Footpath
1908	Balked at the Altar
1908	The Fatal Hour	Policeman
1908	A Calamitous Elopement	Policeman
1908	Deceived Slumming Party	Reginald O.C. Wittington
1908	The Black Viper	Rescuer
1908	The Stage Rustler	Phil Bowen
1908	The Kentuckian
1908	At the Crossroads of Life	Suitor
1908	At the French Ball	Husband
1908	The Man in the Box	Station Agent
1908	The Invisible Fluid	Mailman
1908	'Ostler Joe	Lover
1908	When Knights Were Bold
1908	The Sculptor's Nightmare
1908	The Music Master
1908	The King's Messenger	Messenger
1908	Hulda's Lovers	Handy Hank
1908	King of the Cannibal Islands	Cannibal in top hat
1908	A Famous Escape	Prisoner
1908	Old Isaacs, the Pawnbroker	Doctor, Charity worker
1908	Caught by Wireless	Policeman
1908	Her First Adventure	Father
1908	The Yellow Peril	Mr. Phlipp
1908	Cupid’s Pranks	Extra at ball
1908	The Princess in the Vase	Lover
1908	Classmates	Extra
1908	Rescued from an Eagle's Nest	Father
1908	Falsely Accused!	Cop in Court
1908	Professional Jealousy	Extra on stage

Directing, Writing & Producing

2002	D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913	Writer
1951	Footlight Varieties	Director, Writer
1931	The Struggle	Director, Producer, Screenplay
1930	Abraham Lincoln	Director
1930	1930 Prelude to "The Birth of a Nation"	Director
1929	Lady of the Pavements	Director
1928	The Battle of the Sexes	Director, Producer
1928	Drums of Love	Director
1926	The Sorrows of Satan	Director, Producer
1925	That Royle Girl	Director
1925	Sally of the Sawdust	Director
1924	Isn't Life Wonderful	Director, Writer, Producer
1924	America	Director, Producer
1923	The White Rose	Director, Writer, Producer
1922	One Exciting Night	Director, Producer
1921	Orphans of the Storm	Director, Producer, Screenplay
1921	Dream Street	Director, Producer, Writer
1920	Way Down East	Director, Producer, Writer
1920	The Love Flower	Director, Writer, Producer
1920	Remodeling Her Husband	Director
1920	The Idol Dancer	Director
1919	The Greatest Question	Director, Producer
1919	Scarlet Days	Director, Producer
1919	The Mother and the Law	Director, Screenplay, Producer
1919	The Fall of Babylon	Writer, Director, Producer
1919	True Heart Susie	Director, Producer
1919	Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl	Director, Producer, Writer
1919	The Girl Who Stayed at Home	Producer, Writer, Director
1919	A Romance of Happy Valley	Director, Producer
1918	The Greatest Thing in Life	Producer, Director, Writer
1918	Lillian Gish in a Liberty Loan Appeal	Writer, Director, Producer
1918	The Hun Within	Writer
1918	The Great Love	Producer, Director, Writer
1918	Hearts of the World	Director, Writer, Producer
1916	The Children of the Feud	Producer
1916	Fifty-Fifty	Producer
1916	Diane of the Follies	Writer
1916	The Social Secretary	Producer
1916	Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages	Director
1916	The Marriage of Molly-O	Writer
1916	The Half-Breed	Producer
1916	Macbeth	Producer
1916	Susan Rocks the Boat	Producer
1916	Hoodoo Ann	Writer
1916	Daphne and the Pirate	Writer
1916	The Missing Links	Writer
1915	Martyrs of the Alamo	Producer
1915	The Lily and the Rose	Writer, Producer
1915	Ghosts	Producer
1915	Enoch Arden	Writer
1915	The Birth of a Nation	Producer, Writer, Director
1914	The Avenging Conscience	Director, Writer, Producer
1914	The Escape	Director
1914	Home, Sweet Home	Director, Writer
1914	Brute Force	Director
1914	The Battle of the Sexes	Director
1914	Judith of Bethulia	Director
1914	Waifs	Director
1913	The Conscience of Hassan Bey	Director
1913	The Battle at Elderbush Gulch	Director, Writer
1913	Madonna of the Storm	Director
1913	The Adopted Brother	Director
1913	Two Men of the Desert	Screenplay, Director
1913	A Misappropriated Turkey	Director
1913	The Mistake	Director
1913	The Enemy's Baby	Director
1913	The Reformers	Director
1913	Her Mother's Oath	Director, Writer
1913	The Mothering Heart	Director, Producer
1913	Death's Marathon	Director
1913	A Timely Interception	Director
1913	The Sorrowful Shore	Director
1913	The Ranchero's Revenge	Director
1913	His Mother's Son	Director
1913	His Mother's Son	Director
1913	Just Gold	Writer, Director
1913	The Yaqui Cur	Director
1913	The Stolen Loaf	Director
1913	The House of Darkness	Director
1913	The Wanderer	Director, Writer
1913	If We Only Knew	Director
1913	The Lady and the Mouse	Writer, Director
1913	The Left-Handed Man	Director
1913	A Misunderstood Boy	Director
1913	The Little Tease	Writer, Director
1913	The Perfidy of Mary	Director
1913	The Hero of Little Italy	Director
1913	The Sheriff's Baby	Director
1913	Fate	Director
1913	Near To Earth	Director
1913	The Unwelcome Guest	Director
1913	Broken Ways	Director
1913	Love in an Apartment Hotel	Director
1913	A Chance Deception	Director
1913	Oil and Water	Director
1913	Brothers	Director
1913	The Tender Hearted Boy	Director
1913	An Adventure in the Autumn Woods	Director
1913	The Telephone Girl and the Lady	Director
1913	Three Friends	Director
1913	The Coming of Angelo	Director
1912	The God Within	Director
1912	A Cry for Help	Director
1912	The Massacre	Director, Writer
1912	The Burglar’s Dilemma	Director
1912	My Hero	Director, Writer
1912	The New York Hat	Director
1912	Brutality	Writer, Director
1912	The Informer	Director
1912	My Baby	Director
1912	Gold and Glitter	Director
1912	Heredity	Director
1912	The Musketeers of Pig Alley	Writer, Director
1912	The Painted Lady	Director, Writer
1912	The One She Loved	Director
1912	In the Aisles of the Wild	Director
1912	The Chief's Blanket	Director
1912	A Feud in the Kentucky Hills	Director, Writer
1912	So Near, Yet So Far	Director
1912	Friends	Director, Writer
1912	Two Daughters of Eve	Director
1912	Blind Love	Director
1912	An Unseen Enemy	Director
1912	A Pueblo Legend	Director, Writer
1912	The Inner Circle	Director
1912	The Narrow Road	Director
1912	Man's Genesis	Director, Writer
1912	An Indian Summer	Director
1912	The School Teacher and the Waif	Director
1912	Lena and the Geese	Director, Producer
1912	A Temporary Truce	Director
1912	Home Folks	Director
1912	A Beast at Bay	Director
1912	When Kings Were the Law	Director
1912	A Lodging for the Night	Director
1912	The Old Actor	Director
1912	His Lesson	Director
1912	The Lesser Evil	Director
1912	One Is Business, the Other Crime	Director
1912	Just Like a Woman	Director
1912	The Female of the Species	Director
1912	A Siren of Impulse	Director
1912	Fate's Interception	Director
1912	The Girl and Her Trust	Director
1912	The Goddess of Sagebrush Gulch	Producer, Director
1912	The Root of Evil	Director
1912	Iola's Promise	Director
1912	A String of Pearls	Director
1912	The Sunbeam	Director
1912	Under Burning Skies	Director
1912	The Sands of Dee	Director
1912	The Mender of Nets	Director, Writer
1912	Billy's Stratagem	Director
1912	The Transformation of Mike	Director
1912	For His Son	Director
1912	The Eternal Mother	Director
1912	The Baby and the Stork	Director
1911	The Voice of the Child	Director
1911	A Terrible Discovery	Director
1911	Saved from Himself	Director
1911	The Failure	Director
1911	A Woman Scorned	Director
1911	The Miser's Heart	Director
1911	Through Darkening Vales	Director
1911	The Trail of Books	Director
1911	The Battle	Director
1911	Love in the Hills	Director
1911	The Long Road	Director
1911	The Adventures of Billy	Director
1911	The Unveiling	Director
1911	Italian Blood	Director
1911	The Making of a Man	Director
1911	Her Awakening	Director
1911	The Revenue Man and His Girl	Director
1911	The Squaw's Love	Director
1911	Swords and Hearts	Director
1911	The Rose of Kentucky	Director
1911	The Blind Princess and the Poet	Director
1911	The Sorrowful Example	Director
1911	The Last Drop of Water	Director
1911	A Country Cupid	Director
1911	The Indian Brothers	Director
1911	Bobby the Coward	Director
1911	The Thief and the Girl	Director
1911	Fighting Blood	Director
1911	Her Sacrifice	Director
1911	The Primal Call	Director
1911	Enoch Arden: Part II	Director
1911	Enoch Arden	Director
1911	Enoch Arden: Part I	Director
1911	The New Dress	Director
1911	How She Triumphed	Director
1911	A Knight of the Road	Director
1911	Madame Rex	Director
1911	The Broken Cross	Director
1911	The Spanish Gypsy	Director
1911	The Lonedale Operator	Producer, Director
1911	Teaching Dad to Like Her	Director
1911	Conscience	Director
1911	A Decree of Destiny	Director
1911	The Lily of the Tenements	Director
1911	His Daughter	Director
1911	The Diamond Star	Director
1911	Fisher Folks	Director
1911	What Shall We Do with Our Old?	Director
1911	Heart Beats of Long Ago	Director
1911	Three Sisters	Director
1911	A Wreath of Orange Blossoms	Director
1911	Fate's Turning	Director
1911	His Trust Fulfilled	Director
1911	His Trust	Director
1911	The Italian Barber	Director
1911	When a Man Loves	Director
1911	The Two Paths	Director
1910	After the Ball	Producer
1910	Winning Back His Love	Director
1910	The Refuge	Director
1910	The Lesson	Director
1910	His Sister-In-Law	Director, Producer
1910	The Golden Supper	Director
1910	A Plain Song	Director
1910	The Song of the Wildwood Flute	Director
1910	The Troublesome Baby	Producer
1910	Sunshine Sue	Director
1910	Simple Charity	Director
1910	The Fugitive	Director
1910	Waiter No. 5	Director
1910	Two Little Waifs	Director
1910	The Message of the Violin	Writer, Director
1910	The Banker's Daughters	Director
1910	The Broken Doll	Director
1910	That Chink at Golden Gulch	Director
1910	A Gold Necklace	Producer
1910	A Child's Stratagem	Director
1910	The Iconoclast	Director
1910	Examination Day at School	Director
1910	Rose o' Salem Town	Director
1910	The Oath and the Man	Director
1910	In Life's Cycle	Director
1910	A Mohawk's Way	Director
1910	Little Angels of Luck	Director
1910	A Summer Idyll	Director
1910	The Modern Prodigal	Director
1910	Wilful Peggy	Director
1910	The Sorrows of the Unfaithful	Director
1910	The Usurer	Director
1910	A Salutary Lesson	Director
1910	The House with Closed Shutters	Director
1910	Her Father's Pride	Director
1910	An Arcadian Maid	Director
1910	Unexpected Help	Director
1910	The Call to Arms	Director
1910	As the Bells Rang Out!	Director
1910	Serious Sixteen	Director
1910	A Flash of Light	Director
1910	A Child's Faith	Director
1910	What the Daisy Said	Director
1910	A Midnight Cupid	Director
1910	The Purgation	Director
1910	Muggsy's First Sweetheart	Director
1910	A Child's Impulse	Director
1910	The Marked Time-Table	Director
1910	The Face at the Window	Director
1910	In the Border States	Director
1910	A Victim of Jealousy	Director
1910	A Child of the Ghetto	Director
1910	In the Season of Buds	Director
1910	The Impalement	Director
1910	Bill Sharkey's Last Game	Director
1910	Ramona	Director
1910	Over Silent Paths	Director
1910	The Two Brothers	Director
1910	Love Among the Roses	Director
1910	The Unchanging Sea	Director
1910	The Gold Seekers	Director
1910	The Way of the World	Director
1910	Thou Shalt Not	Director
1910	A Romance of the Western Hills	Director
1910	A Rich Revenge	Director
1910	As It Is in Life	Director
1910	His Last Dollar	Director
1910	Gold Is Not All	Director
1910	The Twisted Trail	Director
1910	Faithful	Director
1910	The Converts	Director
1910	In Old California	Director
1910	The Thread of Destiny	Director
1910	The Newlyweds	Director, Writer
1910	The Final Settlement	Director
1910	Taming a Husband	Director
1910	His Last Burglary	Director
1910	The Englishman and the Girl	Director
1910	The Duke’s Plan	Director, Writer
1910	The Man	Director
1910	The Woman from Mellon's	Director
1910	The Cloister’s Touch	Director
1910	The Last Deal	Writer, Director
1910	The Honor of His Family	Director
1910	The Call	Writer, Director
1910	On the Reef	Writer, Director
1910	Her Terrible Ordeal	Director, Writer
1910	The Rocky Road	Director, Writer
1909	The Heart of an Outlaw	Director
1909	The Day After	Director, Producer
1909	To Save Her Soul	Director, Writer
1909	In Little Italy	Director
1909	A Trap for Santa Claus	Director
1909	The Test	Director
1909	A Corner in Wheat	Director, Producer, Writer
1909	The Redman's View	Director
1909	Through the Breakers	Director
1909	The Death Disc: A Story of the Cromwellian Period	Director
1909	The Trick that Failed	Director
1909	In the Window Recess	Director
1909	The Mountaineer's Honor	Director, Writer
1909	Sweet Revenge	Writer, Director
1909	A Midnight Adventure	Director
1909	The Light That Came	Director, Writer
1909	The Restoration	Director, Writer
1909	Nursing a Viper	Director, Writer
1909	The Gibson Goddess	Director, Writer
1909	What's Your Hurry?	Director, Writer
1909	Lines of White on a Sullen Sea	Writer, Director
1909	In the Watches of the Night	Director
1909	The Expiation	Writer, Director
1909	His Lost Love	Director, Writer
1909	A Change of Heart	Director
1909	The Little Teacher	Director
1909	Fools of Fate	Director
1909	Pippa Passes	Director, Writer
1909	Wanted, a Child	Director
1909	The Awakening	Director
1909	Leather Stocking	Director, Producer
1909	In Old Kentucky	Director
1909	The Broken Locket	Writer, Director
1909	Getting Even	Director, Writer
1909	The Children's Friend	Director
1909	Comata, the Sioux	Director
1909	1776, or The Hessian Renegades	Director, Writer
1909	The Sealed Room	Director
1909	The Little Darling	Director, Writer
1909	Pranks	Director
1909	The Mills of the Gods	Director, Writer
1909	The Seventh Day	Director
1909	Oh, Uncle!	Director, Writer
1909	The Indian Runner's Romance	Director
1909	His Wife's Visitor	Director
1909	Mrs. Jones' Lover or, I Want My Hat	Director, Writer
1909	They Would Elope	Director
1909	Mr. Jones' Burglar	Director, Writer
1909	The Mended Lute	Director
1909	A Strange Meeting	Director, Writer
1909	The Slave	Director, Writer
1909	Sweet and Twenty	Director
1909	Jealousy and the Man	Director, Writer
1909	The Renunciation	Director, Writer
1909	Tender Hearts	Director, Writer
1909	The Cardinal's Conspiracy	Director
1909	The Country Doctor	Director, Writer
1909	The Necklace	Director
1909	The Way of Man	Director, Writer
1909	The Peachbasket Hat	Director, Writer
1909	The Mexican Sweethearts	Director
1909	Her First Biscuits	Director
1909	The Faded Lilies	Director, Writer
1909	The Son's Return	Screenplay, Director
1909	The Lonely Villa	Director
1909	A New Trick	Director, Writer
1909	The Violin Maker of Cremona	Director
1909	His Duty	Director
1909	Eradicating Aunty	Director, Writer
1909	What Drink Did	Writer, Director
1909	The Cricket on the Hearth	Director
1909	Two Memories	Director, Writer
1909	Eloping with Auntie	Director, Writer
1909	Resurrection	Director
1909	The Jilt	Writer, Director
1909	A Baby's Shoe	Director, Writer
1909	Jones and the Lady Book Agent	Director, Writer
1909	The French Duel	Director
1909	The Note in the Shoe	Writer, Director
1909	The Suicide Club	Director
1909	The Eavesdropper	Writer, Director
1909	Tis an Ill Wind That Blows No Good	Writer, Director
1909	Lucky Jim	Director
1909	Twin Brothers	Director
1909	Drive for a Life	Writer, Director
1909	Lady Helen's Escapade	Director
1909	A Troublesome Satchel	Director
1909	Confidence	Writer, Director
1909	The Winning Coat	Writer, Director
1909	Schneider’s Anti-Noise Crusade	Director, Writer
1909	A Rude Hostess	Director, Writer
1909	Trying to Get Arrested	Director
1909	The Road to the Heart	Writer, Director
1909	A Drunkard's Reformation	Writer, Director
1909	Jones and His New Neighbors	Director, Writer
1909	The Medicine Bottle	Writer, Director
1909	A Burglar’s Mistake	Writer, Director
1909	The Deception	Director
1909	And a Little Child Shall Lead Them	Writer, Director
1909	The Voice of the Violin	Director, Writer
1909	The Lure of the Gown	Writer, Director
1909	I Did It, Mamma	Director
1909	The Salvation Army Lass	Director, Writer
1909	The Roue’s Heart	Writer, Director
1909	The Wooden Leg	Director, Writer
1909	A Fool's Revenge	Director, Writer
1909	The Prussian Spy	Director, Writer
1909	His Wife's Mother	Director, Writer
1909	At the Altar	Director, Writer
1909	The Golden Louis	Director, Writer
1909	The Politician's Love Story	Writer, Director
1909	The Joneses Have Amateur Theatricals	Director, Writer
1909	The Hindoo Dagger	Director, Writer
1909	The Curtain Pole	Writer, Director
1909	His Ward's Love	Director, Writer
1909	Tragic Love	Writer, Director
1909	Edgar Allen Poe	Director, Writer
1909	A Wreath in Time	Writer, Director
1909	The Brahma Diamond	Director, Writer
1909	The Girls and Daddy	Director, Writer
1909	The Cord of Life	Director, Writer
1909	Those Awful Hats	Director, Writer
1909	The Welcome Burglar	Director, Writer
1909	Mr. Jones Has a Card Party	Writer, Director
1909	The Fascinating Mrs. Francis	Director, Writer
1909	The Criminal Hypnotist	Writer, Director
1909	Those Boys!	Writer, Director
1909	The Sacrifice	Director, Writer
1909	A Rural Elopement	Director, Writer
1909	Love Finds a Way	Director, Writer
1909	The Honor of Thieves	Director, Writer
1909	Mrs. Jones Entertains	Director
1909	The Maniac Cook	Writer, Director
1909	One Touch of Nature	Director
1908	The Helping Hand	Director, Writer
1908	Mr. Jones at the Ball	Writer, Director
1908	The Christmas Burglars	Writer, Director
1908	An Awful Moment	Writer, Director
1908	The Test of Friendship	Director
1908	The Reckoning	Director
1908	The Feud and the Turkey	Director, Writer
1908	Money Mad	Director, Writer
1908	The Valet's Wife	Director
1908	The Clubman and the Tramp	Director
1908	A Woman's Way	Director, Writer
1908	The Ingrate	Director, Writer
1908	The Song of the Shirt	Director, Writer
1908	The Guerrilla	Director
1908	The Taming of the Shrew	Director, Writer
1908	The Pirate's Gold	Director
1908	After Many Years	Director
1908	Concealing a Burglar	Director
1908	The Call of the Wild	Director, Writer
1908	Romance of a Jewess	Director, Writer
1908	The Planter's Wife	Director, Writer
1908	The Vaquero's Vow	Director
1908	Ingomar, the Barbarian	Director
1908	Father Gets in the Game	Director
1908	The Zulu's Heart	Director, Writer
1908	The Devil	Director
1908	The Stolen Jewels	Director, Writer
1908	A Smoked Husband	Director
1908	Where the Breakers Roar	Director, Writer
1908	The Heart of O Yama	Director
1908	The Red Girl	Director
1908	Behind the Scenes: Where All Is Not Gold That Glitters	Director
1908	The Girl and the Outlaw	Director
1908	Monday Morning in a Coney Island Police Court	Director
1908	Betrayed by a Handprint	Director, Writer
1908	For a Wife's Honor	Director
1908	Balked at the Altar	Director, Writer
1908	For Love of Gold	Director
1908	The Fatal Hour	Director
1908	The Man and the Woman	Director
1908	The Greaser's Gauntlet	Director, Writer
1908	A Calamitous Elopement	Director, Writer
1908	The Bandit's Waterloo: The Outwitting of an Andalusian Brigand by a Pretty Senora	Director, Writer
1908	Deceived Slumming Party	Director
1908	The Redman and the Child	Director, Writer
1908	The Tavern Keeper’s Daughter	Director
1908	The Black Viper	Director
1908	The Fight for Freedom	Director
1908	The Adventures of Dollie	Director
1908	At the Crossroads of Life	Writer
1908	Over the Hills to the Poor House	Writer
1908	Mixed Babies	Writer
1908	When Knights Were Bold	Writer
1908	The Music Master	Writer
1908	When Knighthood Was in Flower	Writer

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