Henry B. Walthall
Acting
🎂 1878-03-15
​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Henry Brazeale Walthall (March 16, 1878 – June 17, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. He appeared as the Little Colonel in D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915). In New York in 1901, Walthall won a role in Under Southern Skies by Charlotte Blair Parker. He performed in the play for three years, in New York and on tour. With the company of Henry Miller he gained recognition on Broadway in plays including Pippa Passes, The Only Way and William Vaughn Moody's The Great Divide (1906–08). His fellow cast member James Kirkwood introduced Walthall to D. W. Griffith, and at the conclusion of that engagement, Walthall joined the Biograph Company. His career in movies began in 1909 at Biograph Studios in New York with a leading role in the film A Convict's Sacrifice. This film also featured James Kirkwood, and was directed by D. W. Griffith, a director that played a huge part in Walthall's rise to stardom. As the industry grew in size and popularity, Griffith emerged as a director and Walthall found himself a mainstay of the Griffith company, frequently working alongside such Griffith regulars as Owen Moore, Kate Bruce, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Mae Marsh, Bobby Harron and Jack and Mary Pickford. He followed Griffith's departure from New York's Biograph to California's Reliance-Majestic Studios in 1913. After a few months with Reliance, he joined Pathé for a short period. He decided to go into the producing business and formed The Union Feature Film Company, the first to be devoted entirely to full-length films. The venture was not successful, however, and he again became associated with Griffith's company. Given the relatively short length of films in the early years, Walthall frequently found himself cast in dozens of films each year. He gained national attention in 1915 for his role as Colonel Ben Cameron in Griffith's highly influential and controversial epic, The Birth of a Nation. Walthall's portrayal of a Confederate veteran rounding up the Ku Klux Klan won him large-scale fame, and Walthall was soon able to emerge as a leading actor in the years leading up to the 1920s, parting ways with Griffith. Walthall continued working in films through the 1920s, appearing in The Plastic Age with Gilbert Roland and Clara Bow. He portrayed Roger Chillingworth in Victor Seastrom's 1926 adaptation of The Scarlet Letter opposite Lillian Gish. Walthall continued his career into the 1930s. After his performance in director John Ford's 1934 film Judge Priest starring Will Rogers he enjoyed a golden period of his career. He portrayed Dr. Manette in A Tale of Two Cities (1935), starring Ronald Colman. In 1936 he appeared as Marcel in The Devil-Doll. He was gravely ill during his final film, China Clipper. Frank Capra wanted Walthall to portray the High Lama in his 1937 film, Lost Horizon. "Frail and failing, he died before we could test him," Capra wrote. Walthall has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.
Cast credits(207)
Col. Ben Cameron
1915
Mr. Armstrong
1927
Robert, the Confederate son
1909
Stage Actor (uncredited)
1933
Capt. Buchanan
1936
Dr. Manette
1935
Marcel
1936
First Partner
1913
The First Rival
1913
Father Ryan
1933
The Poet
1913
The Lord
1910
Colonel Marshall
1930
Billy Harvey
1910
John Howard Payne
1914
Schultz
1934
Fuller
1929
Bernard Latham Wayne, alias Prof. Mysto
1934
The Minstrel
1909
The Nephew
1914
Stephen Pryde
1914
1910
Party Guest
1909
Clergyman in Alternate Version (uncredited)
1933
General Jeff Rumford
1929
Bob Leadly
1933
Reverend Ashby Brand
1934
The Husband
1912
Father Juniper
1929
Nathaniel "Nat" Barry
1932
enry B. Walthall
1934
John Gaunt
1932
The Lord
1910
Sir James Hamlin (archive footage)
2002
Mexican Man
1909
Sarge
1932
Dr. Garden
1936
Miner
1909
1910
John McGimsey
1923
The Husband
1912
Piano player
1929
Roger Chillingworth
1934
Ben
2019
Eby
1932
Roger Prynne aka Roger Chillingworth
1927
George Pickett Jr.
1910
Woodsman
1908
Dr. Amon
1934
The Father
1912
In Club
1912
The Farmer
1910
Duke Johann von Hatzfeld
1934
Holofernes
1914
A Thief
1909
Mr. Wilson
1910
Lord Chumley
1914
The Station Agent
1913
Pedro
1910
Indian Charlie
1912
Alessandro
1910
Colonel Henry Randolph Ransome
1934
Eph Clinton
1932
1909
Sir Roger Brighton
1918
The Road Agent
1913
Aaron Price
1922
Thorpe
1926
Charles Randolph - The Confederate Soldier
1910
The Actor
1913
The Mexican Lover
1909
Michael Lanyard
1919
Johann Graff
1927
J. D. Bradley
1933
Robert Regent
1932
Capt. Rhodes - Yacht Commander
1929
Porky Dugan
1914
Blackton
1930
Marchant the Blind Man
1934
The Young Woman's Fiance
1913
Sir James Hamlin
1927
1910
Prosecuting Attorney
1924
Wheat King's Assistant
1909
The Indian Chief's Son
1913
1919
Beth's Brother
1913
1909
Rev. Mr. James
1933
Edgar Allan Poe
1915
1910
Karsten Bernick
1916
Amos Hatburn
1930
Father James
1926
Captain Adams
1930
Actor In Oliver Twist
1912
Col. Ben Cameron (archive footage)
1998
Henry Carver
1925
John Phillips
1926
Dad Brunn
1936
Phil Langdon, Attorney
1916
The False Brother
1912
1910
Self (archive footage)
1942
Alachus' Friend
1909
Professor Leeds
1932
The Gopher
1914
Filipo Navarro
1927
The Idealist
1913
William Latimer
1923
Victor Ratazzi
1909
Abner Meadows
1935
Francisco Madero
1934
One of the Second Debtors
1910
The Father
1913
Indian
1909
Father Bartlett
1920
Bill
1910
In Boarding House
1909
The Wanderer
1913
1909
1910
Karl Breitman
1920
Pop McWade
1935
A Psalm Singer
1912
Boyd Milburn
1929
First Bandit
1913
Philip Whitemore
1921
Dandy Jack
1912
1911
Younger John Rogers
1910
Col. Peake
1925
Jim Watson
1912
The Prospector
1913
Captain Alving / Oswald
1915
Atwell
1932
Henry / Tommy Mooney
1928
Estrada
1910
The Woodsman
1912
David Burton
1936
Duncan Irving
1914
Confederate Corporal
1910
The Stranger
1913
1911
The Switchman
1913
Robert Stevens
1923
Peter Marchmont / Victor Cromport
1923
Badger Gang Member
1913
Jack Craiger
1916
Buffalo Bill Ryan
1929
Arthur Rogers (uncredited)
1909
Jonas Deering
1934
Macennas
1910
1909
The Husband
1913
Self (archive footage)
1975
Perdita's Son
1910
1910
The Valley Man
1913
Winthrop
1932
Mr. Evans
1931
Frank Bradbury
1915
Doctor Borden
1932
1910
Mark Armstrong
1932
Jim Courtney
1933
Gale Gaylord
1926
Sunbather
1909
The Trapper
1910
George Mannister
1919
Cal Yates
1936
Van Denbosch
1927
1910
The Poor Man
1913
Dr. Rownlee
1915
Henry Garnett
1922
The Lord
1910
Mr. Beaumont
1925
The Householder's Weakling Brother
1912
Hector 'Humdrum' Brown
1918
1914
Judge Beacon (uncredited)
1933
Dr. Bradbroke
1929
Soangataha / Strongheart
1914
Dr. Samuel Webb
1925
Douglas Williams
1914
Stephen Duane
1919
Joe Jenkins
1920
Vincent, as an Adult
1910
The Father
1910
The President of the Republic
1914
Joe, in love with May
1914
William Hale
1925
Walter Holden
1910
Breezy Bright
1922
Harley P. Hennage
1922
Burke
1929
The Husband
1913
The Lover
1911
John Ballard
1928
Reverend Darwin Kirby
1915
George Bennett
1926
1910
Mr. Maynard
1933
Erickson's Son
1915
The Old Man
1914
Henri Prevost
1910