The Washington times., 1916-04-09
Greatest "Movie" Director Has
Fifty Chapeaux and Wears
II All Every Day.
INTERESTING PERSONALITY
Doesn't Like to Talk About Him
self, But His History Is Real
"Human interest"

The official biographer Of David WarK
c,r,fnth. the producer of the motion
ricture. "ThO Birth Of Nation,
asked for some data and got the answer
th.t che was born in Kentucky, that
he grew up in a house like most boys
started out after his school ana cohese
days 10 find his place in the world ana
that since he went into the business Oh
producing motion pictures he mas nVeu
most Of the time under his hat.
Deapite his reticence the creator OF
.The Birth OF a Nation lwhen one
knows him and there are put lew wiz wiz
dor has one of the most interesting per
aonalities in the world. -.
Eew men owe more TO their parents
than the motion picture director aoes t3
Brig. Gen. Jacob Wark Grinth anu
Mrs. Mary Perkins Griffith:
The father sehir.rn held G,s'imgysnea npmy. He died
when his son was but lad, put neverN
theiess the boy retained the sixtn se.,ss
OF military strategy that ne hneaI rIes
and a vivid recollection OF the onareI
os civil war campaigns 'ha'
Griffith hsed to tell
Mother His Best Friend.
Mrs. Griffith, the mother. who hveo
10 see her son complete his great WORK.
was ever David's best friend. She gave
him n good education and schooleo MN
IN the old-fashioned chivalry OF Ken
lucky.
Young Griffith wanted to be an actor
or a drapatist. he didn't quite kno"
stock company director named oc-
car VI Eagle gave him his first job In
I,ouisyille. from which post he driited
10 New York and alternated between
piaying parts and writing plays
~ In "
10 hoe. and so after one of his early
nartly successful attempts young Grif-
fth attached himself as utility actor at
1 a day to the Biograph studio.
Soon thsy we're taking small scenarios
from him, and one day when one or tne
directors was III they allowed Griffith
TO make n one-reel picture. Soon ne was
n full-1edged director. ;,
His new ideas of the closeup.
"fade-out.'' 'switch-back;" and paTaiI,
lei action revolutionized the technlcal
side of picture making.
His selection of talent in this Held
was likewise almost uncanny. In nVe
years he developed hundreds OF motion
picture actors and actresses who are
Justly the stars of today.
Keen Literary Sense.
Furthermore he had a keen sense OF
literary values and besides using the
stock dramatic material of the routine
motion picture director he invaded the
realms of poetry, fiction, ana other
standard literature for his subjects
The union of those three diverse talents
together with marvellous executive abil-
ity, made him the greatest motion pic
ture director in the world.
Griffith Is so busy a man that he has
no time for the ordinary diversions.
While at work In Los Angeles he Is up
at o'clock every morning. His work.
ing day is from o'clock until midnight.
Immense as his plant is, he supervises
every part OF II. reviews all scenarios,
inspects every player and every costume.
and passes upon all properties and
scenes. He directs every foot OF all
films that bear his name and supervises
that done by his other directors.
"Tives under his hat" Is a true ex-
preston. Griffith has n hat In every
studio. He wears fifty hats a day. but
his favorites ere the enormous Canarlas
that guard aRuisnt the excessive heat
OF the Los Angeles sun.
Always in Working Trim.
He always keeps in working trim. is
hard as nails Physically. and while Gl-
rectng wears his hair closely cropped.
His favorite instrument is the mega
phone. A born commander, he goes
out for field work with this enormous
ereaking tube and directs an arr.y OF
farmer would boss a team of horses.
Rut when he puts on Dig battle scenes
like "Sherman's Marcel to the Sea" ard
the Battle OF Petersburg he has to
discard that big voiced instrument for a
modern switchboard and relays OF tele-
Phones.
While careful for the safety OF his
people, he personally fears no danger,
and often takes tie chances IN the out
door directinG. With his high-Dowercd
automobiles he and his photographer.
G. ". Bitter. often make iOC miles an
hour.
Griffith takes the hardest part OF his
work as good fun, as eHhllnrating sport,
rather than AZ a task. His is one of
those rare spirits that fiEd life extreme
ly fascinating, interesting. and divert
ing.
Back In New York of his studio la
bors. Mr.. Griffith would rather dance
than do anything else. He believes in
dancing as the most ancient and the
most beneficial OF all exercises.
500 Letters a Day.
Griffith gets about zoo letters and ffty
kilograms every day.
II might save lot OF of anxious folk
aonna haarfhurninRq IN know thaf ha