Elmer Clifton
No stranger to portraying human emotion, Elmer Clifton built a career as a compelling director for audiences everywhere. Early in his directing career, Clifton worked on a variety of independent films, including such titles as "The Hope Chest" (1918), "Battling Jane" (1918) and "I'll Get Him Yet" (1919). He also appeared in "The Devil's Apple Tree" (1929). In addition to directing, Clifton appeared on the big screen as an actor in "Birth of a Nation" (1915) and the Lillian Gish period drama "Intolerance" (1916). He continued to work in film in the thirties, directing motion pictures like "Slaves in Bondage" (1937), the crime flick "Paroled From the Big House" (1938) with Jean Carmen and "The Stranger From Arizona" (1938) with Buck Jones. He also appeared in "Crashing Thru" (1939). In the latter half of his career, Clifton wrote "Gunsmoke Mesa" (1944), "Outlaw Roundup" (1944) and "Brand of the Devil" (1944). Clifton more recently directed the Milburn Stone crime picture "The Judge" (1949). Clifton passed away in October 1949 at the age of 59.