# Ralph Graves

Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949.

## Biography

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had already been cast in 46 films, half of them produced by Mack Sennett, before he wrote, directed, and starred in Swell Hogan in 1926. That film was produced by Howard Hughes, whose father had once supported the young actor in the early stages of his career by placing him on the payroll of the Hughes Tool Company between screen assignments, even though Graves never actually worked there.
Graves and the younger Hughes met on the Wilshire Country Club golf course, and over lunch the actor pitched a film about a Bowery bum who adopts a baby. The plot intrigued Hughes, who had a strong interest in Hollywood, and he invested $40,000 in the project. During filming he sat on the sidelines in order to familiarize himself with the technical aspects of production. The budget eventually doubled, and after seeing the completed film numerous times, Hughes hired Dorothy Arzner to help him re-edit it, but there was little they could do to salvage it.
When asked his opinion of it, Hughes' uncle, novelist and film director Rupert Hughes, said, "It's nothing. No plot. No build up. No character development. The acting stinks. Destroy the film. If anybody sees it, you and that homo Graves will be the laughing stock of Hollywood." Hughes took his uncle's advice and ordered the screening room projectionist to burn the sole copy. Graves later claimed he and Hughes had engaged in a sexual relationship while collaborating on Swell Hogan.
Despite this temporary setback, Graves directed four more films in 1927 and contributed the story or wrote the screenplay for 12 additional films, but most of his career was spent acting. While working for Sennett, Graves met director Frank Capra, who later cast him in several films, which include the 1929 release Flight, based on a story by Graves, as well as a series of adventure films with fellow actor Jack Holt.
Graves became engaged to actress Ann May after meeting her at the studio of D.W. Griffith.
Graves retired from films in 1949. He died in Santa Barbara, California, aged 77.

## Selected filmography

| Year | Film | Role | Director |
| 1918 | Men Who Have Made Love to Me | The Callow Youth | Arthur Berthelet |
| 1918 | Tinsel | Bobby Woodward | Oscar Apfel |
| 1918 | The Sporting Life | John, Earl of Woodstock | Maurice Tourneur |
| 1918 | The Yellow Dog | Tom Blakely | Colin Campbell |
| 1919 | The Scarlet Shadow | Van Presby | Robert Z. Leonard |
| 1919 | What Am I Bid? | Ralph McGibbon | |
| 1919 | The White Heather | Alec McClintock | Maurice Tourneur |
| 1919 | The Home Town Girl | John Stanley | Robert G. Vignola |
| 1919 | I'll Get Him Yet | Harold Packard | Elmer Clifton Leigh R. Smith (assistant) |
| 1919 | Nobody Home | Malcolm Dale | Elmer Clifton |
| 1919 | Her Kingdom of Dreams | Billy Dayne | Marshall Neilan |
| 1919 | Scarlet Days | John Randolph aka Sir Whiteheart | D. W. Griffith |
| 1919 | The Greatest Question | John Hilton Jr. | D. W. Griffith |
| 1920 | Mary Ellen Comes to Town | Bob Fairacres | Elmer Clifton |
| 1920 | Little Miss Rebellion | Sgt. Richard Ellis | George Fawcett |
| 1920 | Polly With a Past | Rex Van Zile | Leander de Cordova |
| 1921 | Dream Street | James 'Spike' McFadden | D. W. Griffith |
| 1922 | Kindred of the Dust | Donald McKaye | Raoul Walsh |
| 1922 | Come on Over | Shane O'Mealia | Alfred E. Green |
| 1922 | The Long Chance | Bob McGraw | Jack Conway |
| 1922 | The Jilt | Sandy Sanderson | Irving Cummings |
| 1923 | Mind Over Motor | Jasper McCutcheon | Ward Lascelle |
| 1923 | The Ghost Patrol | Terry Rafferty | |
| 1923 | Just Like a Woman | James Landon | Hugh McClung |
| 1923 | Prodigal Daughters | Roger Corbin | Sam Wood |
| 1923 | The Extra Girl | Dave Giddings | F. Richard Jones |
| 1924 | Off His Trolley | The Boy | |
| 1924 | Daughters of Today | Ralph Adams | Rollin S. Sturgeon |
| 1924 | Yolanda | Maximillian of Styria | Robert G. Vignola |
| 1926 | Womanpower | Johnny White Bromley | Harry Beaumont |
| 1926 | Blarney | James Carabine | Marcel De Sano |
| 1926 | The Country Beyond | Roger McKay | Irving Cummings |
| 1926 | Swell Hogan | | |
| 1927 | The Kid Sister | | Ralph Graves |
| 1927 | Rich Men's Sons | Arnold Treadway | Ralph Graves |
| 1927 | Alias the Deacon | Jim Adams | Edward Sloman |
| 1927 | The Swell-Head | Lefty Malone | Ralph Graves |
| 1927 | A Reno Divorce | David | Ralph Graves |
| 1928 | That Certain Thing | Andy B. Charles, Jr. | Frank Capra |
| 1928 | The Cheer Leader | Jimmy Grant | Alan James |
| 1928 | Bachelor's Paradise | Joe Wallace | George Archainbaud |
| 1928 | Submarine | Bob Mason | Frank Capra |
| 1928 | Bitter Sweets | Ralph Horton | Charles Hutchison |
| 1928 | The Sideshow | Gentleman Ted Rogers | Erle C. Kenton |
| 1929 | The Flying Fleet | Steve Randall | George W. Hill |
| 1929 | The Fatal Warning | Russell Thorne | Richard Thorpe |
| 1929 | The Eternal Woman | Hartley Forbes | John P. McCarthy |
| 1929 | Glad Rag Doll | John Fairchild | Michael Curtiz |
| 1929 | The College Coquette | | George Archainbaud |
| 1929 | Flight | 'Lefty' Phelps | Frank Capra |
| 1929 | Song of Love | Tom Gibson | Erle C. Kenton |
| 1930 | Ladies of Leisure | Jerry Strong | Frank Capra |
| 1930 | Vengeance | | Archie Mayo |
| 1930 | Sisters | | James Flood |
| 1930 | Hell's Island | Griff | Edward Sloman |
| 1931 | Dirigible | 'Frisky' Pierce | Frank Capra |
| 1931 | Hell Divers | | George W. Hill (uncredited) |
| 1931 | Salvation Nell | Jim Platt | James Cruze |
| 1931 | A Dangerous Affair | Wally Cook | Edward Sedgwick |
| 1931 | West of Broadway | | Harry Beaumont |
| 1932 | When a Feller Needs a Friend | Mr. Tom Randall | Harry A. Pollard |
| 1932 | Huddle | Coach Malcolm Gale | Sam Wood |
| 1932 | Scandal for Sale | | Russell Mack |
| 1932 | War Correspondent | Franklyn Bennett | Paul Sloane |
| 1934 | Ticket to a Crime | Clay Holt | Lewis D. Collins |
| 1934 | Born to Be Bad | | Lowell Sherman |
| 1935 | Speed Limited | Jerry Paley | Albert Herman |
| 1936 | The Black Coin | Walter Prescott | |
| 1937 | Outlaws of the Orient | | Ernest B. Schoedsack |
| 1939 | The Flying Irishman | First Man Grounding Doug in New York (uncredited) | Leigh Jason |
| 1939 | Street of Missing Men | Mike Reardon | Sidney Salkow |
| 1939 | Three Texas Steers | George Ward | George Sherman |
| 1939 | Eternally Yours | Mr. Morrisey | Charles Kerr (assistant) |
| 1944 | Double Exposure | | William Berke |
| 1947 | The Spirit of West Point | Burt (uncredited) | Ralph Murphy |
| 1949 | Amazon Quest | Anna's Attorney | Steve Sekely |
| 1949 | Batman and Robin | Winslow Harrison [Chs. 7–8] | Spencer Gordon Bennet |
| 1949 | Alimony | George W. Griswold / Curtis P. Carter | Alfred Zeisler |
| 1949 | Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch | Dr. Colman | |