D. W. Griffith Biography
David Wark Griffith, born on January 22, 1875, and passed away on July 23, 1948, was a big shot in making movies. He changed the way movies were made, especially how they were put together and told stories.
You might know him best for a movie he made in 1915 called “The Birth of a Nation.” This movie was a huge hit, making tons of money for the people who invested in it. But it caused a lot of trouble too because it showed black people in a really bad light, made the Ku Klux Klan look good, and supported the side of the Civil War that wanted to keep slavery. People got really upset about it and there were riots in different cities. The NAACP even tried to get it banned.
Griffith wasn’t happy with all the fuss, so he made another movie called “Intolerance” the next year to show people he wasn’t racist. In 1919, he joined up with some other famous actors and directors to create a studio called United Artists. Their idea was to give actors and directors more control over the movies they made.
| Popular As | David Wark Griffith |
| Occupation | director,writer,producer |
| Age | 73 years old |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Born | 22 January, 1875 |
| Birthday | 22 January |
| Birthplace | Oldham County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Date of death | July 23, 1948 |
| Died Place | Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | KY |
Griffith made a bunch more movies after that, like “Broken Blossoms” in 1919, “Way Down East” in 1920, and “Orphans of the Storm” in 1921. Some did well, but others didn’t because they cost a lot to make and promote.
By the time he made his last big movie, “The Struggle,” in 1931, he had made around 500 movies, but most of them were silent films.
D.W. Griffith’s Height, Weight, and Physical Condition
DW Griffith’s physical condition cannot be assessed as he passed away on July 23, 1948. Information regarding his height and weight is not available.
DW Griffith’s Height: Not Known
DW Griffith’s Weight: –
Unfortunately, specific details about his height and weight are unavailable for inclusion in the table.
D. W. Griffith Early life
David Wark Griffith was born on January 22, 1875, on a farm in Kentucky. His dad, Jacob Wark, was a big deal in the Civil War and later got into politics. David’s mom was Mary Perkins. They were Methodist and didn’t have a lot of money. David’s dad died when he was young, so things were tough for the family.
When David was 14, his mom took them to Louisville, hoping for a better life. But things didn’t go well, and they struggled to make ends meet. David had to quit school to help out, working in stores to support his family. He tried writing plays but didn’t have much luck. Only one play of his ever got performed.
In 1907, he went to New York City to sell a script, but the producer turned him down. Instead, he got a small acting job in a movie. That got him interested in acting, and he appeared in lots of movies as an extra after that.
D. W. Griffith Film Career
In 1908, David Griffith got a job as an extra in a stage play for a company called American Mutoscope and Biograph. That’s where he met a guy named Billy Bitzer, who worked the camera. When the main director there got sick, Griffith stepped in and started directing. He made a bunch of short movies for them that year.
One of the films he did in 1909 was based on a story by Charles Dickens called “The Cricket on the Hearth.” Griffith liked the way Dickens told stories, so he used a technique called cross-cutting, where you see two stories happening at the same time. When someone criticized him for using this technique, Griffith said, “Well, doesn’t Dickens write that way?”
In 1910, he made a movie called “In Old California,” which was the first movie ever shot in Hollywood. Four years later, he made his first big movie called “Judith of Bethulia.” It was one of the first long movies made in the US. At first, the company he worked for didn’t think people would like long movies, but Griffith proved them wrong.
Then, in 1915, Griffith directed and produced a movie called “The Clansman,” which later became known as “The Birth of a Nation.” This movie caused a lot of controversy because it showed slavery in a positive light and made the Ku Klux Klan look like heroes. Some people tried to stop the movie from being shown, but it became really popular and made a ton of money.
After that, Griffith made a movie called “Intolerance” in 1916, which was about how intolerance causes problems throughout history. Even though it was an important movie, it didn’t make much money, and Griffith ended up losing a lot of money because he spent so much on making it.
Griffith left the company he was working for and started his own studio with some other people. They made some successful movies, but Griffith struggled to keep making hits. He made a few more movies, but none were as successful as his early ones.
Griffith’s career eventually faded away, but he was still respected in the movie industry. He got a special Oscar for his contributions to film, and he even helped out on a few movies, like “Of Mice and Men” in 1939. But he never had the same success he did with his early movies.
D. W. Griffith Legacy
Griffith’s legacy is full of controversy. While many praised him during his lifetime and still do today for his filmmaking skills, especially in early cinema, others criticize him for promoting white supremacist ideas, especially through his film “The Birth of a Nation.” Some even say this movie played a role in reviving the Ku Klux Klan.
Despite the mixed opinions, famous people like Charlie Chaplin and Alfred Hitchcock admired Griffith’s work. They saw him as a pioneer in filmmaking, someone who understood how to use camera angles and lighting to create powerful emotions in movies.
In 1953, the Directors Guild of America gave Griffith a big award, but later they changed its name because they felt “The Birth of a Nation” promoted harmful stereotypes. However, Griffith still got recognition, like a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and even a postage stamp with his face on it.
Some places and events are named after Griffith, like a middle school in Los Angeles and a special screening of his films in 2008 for the 100th anniversary of his film career. In Kentucky, there’s even a theater dedicated to showing his movies.
D. W. Griffith Achievements
D.W. Griffith is often called the “father of film grammar.” While some scholars argue that his ideas weren’t entirely new, Griffith played a huge role in establishing the basic rules of how movies are made. He helped create a set of codes that are now the foundation of filmmaking worldwide.
One of Griffith’s big contributions was popularizing “cross-cutting,” which is when scenes switch back and forth to create tension. He also used techniques from earlier, more basic filmmaking styles, like having actors face the camera directly, making big gestures, and keeping the camera still. Some even say he came up with the close-up shot.
But Griffith didn’t do it all alone. He worked closely with his cameraman, Billy Bitzer, who helped bring his ideas to life on screen. Griffith also credited the actress Lillian Gish for bringing a new kind of acting to the movies.
D. W. Griffith Influence
David Wark Griffith came into the world on January 22, 1875, born on the family farm, Lofty Green, near Crestwood, Kentucky. His dad, known as “Roaring Jake” Griffith, had been a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, under General John C. Breckinridge. But life wasn’t easy after the war. The family farm got hit hard, and they never really recovered.
Despite growing up in the South, Griffith’s family didn’t have a big plantation, and they didn’t own many slaves. Kentucky, where they lived, was a Border State, meaning it was divided during the war, and more people there fought for the Union than the Confederacy. So, the conditions of Reconstruction that Griffith later showed in his famous movie “The Birth of a Nation” didn’t match what his family experienced.
Griffith’s dad wasn’t much help either. He liked to drink, gamble, and tell war stories, leaving the family struggling. After his dad died in 1885, they were deep in debt and had to move to Louisville. There, Griffith’s mom ran boarding houses, and David had to work odd jobs to help out.
But despite his rough start, Griffith found solace in books and theater. He worked at a bookstore and soaked up literature, while also enjoying the vibrant theater scene in Louisville. Eventually, he decided to dive into acting, despite it being looked down upon at the time.
D.W. Griffith Net Worth
As of 2022-2023, D.W. Griffith’s wealth has seen a notable increase. At the age of 73, his net worth is considerable. Primarily deriving from his successful career as a director, Griffith’s income comes from various sources. Originally from Kentucky, we have made an estimation of D.W. Griffith’s total net worth, including his earnings, salary, income, and assets.
| Rescued from an Eagle’s Nest (1908) | $5 /day |
| Old Isaacs, the Pawnbroker (1908) | $15 |
| The Music Master (1908) | $15 |
| ‘Ostler Joe (1908) | $15 |
| At the Crossroads of Life (1908) | $15 |
| The Stage Rustler (1908) | $35 |
| When Knighthood Was in Flower (1908) | $35 |
| Her First Biscuits (1909) | $52 .50 |
| The Birth of a Nation (1915) | $300 per week plus 37.5% of net profits |
FAQs About D.W. Griffith
When did D.W. Griffith pass away?
- D.W. Griffith died on July 23, 1948.
How did D.W. Griffith pass away?
- D.W. Griffith passed away due to a cerebral hemorrhage.
How old was D.W. Griffith when he passed away?
- D.W. Griffith was 73 years old at the time of his passing.
Where did D.W. Griffith pass away?
- D.W. Griffith passed away in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.
When was D.W. Griffith born?
- D.W. Griffith was born on January 22, 1875.
Where was D.W. Griffith born?
- D.W. Griffith was born in LaGrange, Kentucky, USA.
What was D.W. Griffith’s birth name?
- D.W. Griffith’s birth name was David Llewelyn Wark Griffith.
How tall was D.W. Griffith?
- D.W. Griffith was 5 feet 11 inches tall, or 1.80 meters.