William Clifford (1878 – December 23, 1941) was an American actor and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

of the

silent era A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...

. He appeared in 170 films between 1910 and 1929. He also wrote for 30 films between 1913 and 1919. Clifford was born in New Orleans in 1878, and he was educated in voice and music in Toronto, Canada. Early in his career, Clifford acted on stage as a supporting player for 18 years before he formed his own repertory company that toured the United States. He also was the leading man in Earnest Shipman's ''Prisoner of Zenda'' company. He died in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

Selected filmography

* ''

The Immortal Alamo ''The Immortal Alamo'' is an American silent film released on May 25, 1911. ''The Immortal Alamo'' is the earliest film version of the events surrounding the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. The film was directed by William F. Haddock, and produced by ...

'' (1911) * ''

When Lincoln Paid ''When Lincoln Paid'' is a 1913 American short silent historical drama film written by William Clifford and directed by Francis Ford, who also appears in the film as Abraham Lincoln. Ford portrayed Lincoln in at least seven silent films; all ...

'' (1913 - wrote) * '' The Werewolf'' (1913) * '' The Battle of Bull Run'' (1913) * '' Threads of Destiny'' (1914) * ''

The Second in Command ''The Second in Command'' is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by William J. Bowman and starring Francis X. Bushman and Marguerite Snow. The film is based on a 1901 Broadway play of the same name by Robert Marshall. Cast * Francis X. ...

'' (1915) * '' The Silent Voice'' (1915) * '' Nearly a King'' (1916) (screenplay) * ''

A Corner in Cotton ''A Corner in Cotton'' is a five-reel silent film melodrama produced in 1916 by Quality Pictures and distributed by Metro Pictures. The movie was filmed at studios in New York and California and on locations near Savannah, Georgia. ''A Corner in ...

'' (1916) * ''

My Lady Incog ''My Lady Incog'' is a 1916 American silent film produced by Famous Players Film Company and distributed by Paramount. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Hazel Dawn in the leading role. Cast *Hazel Dawn - Nell Carroll *George Majeroni - Ren ...

'' (1916), wrote * ''

The Island of Desire ''The Island of Desire'' is a lost 1917 silent film adventure directed by Otis Turner, produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation and starring George Walsh. Cast *George Walsh - Bruce Chalmers *Patricia Palmer - Leila Denham * Anna Luther ...

'' (1917) * ''

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the ...

'' (1917) * ''

Pay Me! ''Pay Me!'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and starring Lon Chaney, Dorothy Phillips and William Stowell. In the United States, the film is also known as ''The Vengeance of the West''. The screenplay was written ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Avenging Trail ''The Avenging Trail'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Francis Ford and starring Harold Lockwood, Sally Crute, and Joseph Dailey. It was released on December 31, 1917. Plot Gaston Olaf returns home from college and finds out ...

'' (1917) * '' The Square Deceiver'' (1917) * '' Broadway Bill'' (1918) * ''

The Landloper ''The Landloper'' is a 1918 American silent romance adventure film directed by George Irving and starring Harold Lockwood, Pauline Curley, Stanton Heck, William Clifford, Bert Starkey, and Gertrude Maloney. It is based on the 1915 novel of the s ...

'' (1918) * ''

Gambling in Souls ''Gambling in Souls'' is a 1919 American silent crime drama film directed by Harry F. Millarde and starring Madlaine Traverse, Herbert Heyes, Murdock MacQuarrie, Lew Zehring, Mary McIvor, and Henry A. Barrows. The film was released by Fox Film ...

'' (1919) * ''

The U.P. Trail ''The U.P. Trail'' is a 1920 American silent Western film directed by Jack Conway and starring Kathlyn Williams, Roy Stewart, and Marguerite De La Motte Marguerite De La Motte (June 22, 1902 – March 10, 1950) was an American film ac ...

'' (1920) * '' The Confession'' (1920) * '' Riders of the Dawn'' (1920) * ''

The Sagebrusher ''The Sagebrusher'' is a 1920 American silent Western film directed by Edward Sloman and starring Roy Stewart, Marguerite De La Motte and Noah Beery.Goble p.229 Cast * Roy Stewart as Dr. Barnes * Marguerite De La Motte as Mary Warren * ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Notorious Miss Lisle ''The Notorious Miss Lisle'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by James Young and starring Katherine MacDonald, Nigel Barrie, and Margaret Campbell.Monaco p.290 The film's sets were designed by the art director Milton Menasco. Cas ...

'' (1920) * '' The Dwelling Place of Light'' (1920) * ''

The Money Changers ''The Money Changers'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Jack Conway and starring Robert McKim, Claire Adams, and Roy Stewart. It is based on a 1908 novel by Upton Sinclair. Cast * Robert McKim as Hugh Gordon * Claire Adams ...

'' (1920) * '' The Turning Point'' (1920) * ''

The Man of the Forest ''Man of the Forest'' is a 1921 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Howard Hickman and starring Carl Gantvoort, Claire Adams and Robert McKim (actor), Robert McKim.Munden, p. 484. Plot Cast * Carl Gantvoort ...

'' (1921) * '' Sowing the Wind'' (1921) * '' The Mask'' (1921) * ''

The Isle of Love ''The Isle of Love'' is a 1922 recut of a 1920 American silent drama film ''Over the Rhine'' aka ''An Adventuress'' starring female impersonator Julian Eltinge. The film also contained two actors unknown during filming: Virginia Rappe and Rudo ...

'' (1922) * ''

Ashes of Vengeance ''Ashes of Vengeance'' is a 1923 American drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Norma Talmadge and Wallace Beery. Plot At the ball celebrating the wedding of Henry of Navarre on August 23, 1572, the evil Queen Mother Catherine de' Me ...

'' (1923) * ''

Stepping Lively ''Stepping Lively'' is a 1924 American silent action film directed by James W. Horne and starring Richard Talmadge, Mildred Harris and Norval MacGregor.Munden p.765 Plot Cast * Richard Talmadge as Dave Allen * Mildred Harris as Evelyn Pendr ...

'' (1924) * '' See You in Jail'' (1927)

References

External links

* * 1877 births 1941 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors American male screenwriters Male actors from Louisiana 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters {{US-film-actor-1870s-stub