Crisp database

Van Nuys, Crisp database Angeles, California, U. English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter.

His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. Donald Crisp was born George William Crisp in Bow, London, in a family home on 27 July 1882. Crisp made a number of claims about his early life that were eventually proven false decades after his death. He claimed that he was born in 1880 in Aberfeldy in Perthshire, Scotland, and even went so far as to maintain a Scottish accent throughout his life in Hollywood. Still of Crisp in a US Army uniform for his role as General Ulysses S.

While travelling on the SS Carmania to the United States in July 1906, Crisp’s singing talents during a ship’s concert caught the attention of opera impresario John C. Fisher, who immediately offered him a job with his company. From 1908 to 1930, Crisp, in addition to directing dozens of films, also appeared in nearly 100 silent films, though many in bit or small parts. One notable exception was his casting by Griffith as General Ulysses S. Crisp worked as an assistant to Griffith for several years and learned much during this time from Griffith, an early master of film story telling who was influential in advancing a number of early techniques, such as cross cutting in editing his films.

This experience fostered a similar passion in Crisp to become a director in his own right. When asked later by an interviewer why he eventually gave up directing and returned full-time to acting, Crisp commented that directing had become extremely wearisome because he was so often called upon, if not forced, to do favours for studio chiefs by agreeing to employ their relatives in his films. With the advent of “talkies”, Crisp abandoned directing and devoted himself entirely to acting after 1930. He became a much sought after character actor. A versatile supporting actor, Crisp could be equally good in lovable or sinister roles. Crisp was an active and important liaison between the film industry and outside business interests. His extensive experience in business, the military and entertainment, including being a production and studio executive, lent itself well to this task.

Crisp eventually became one of the more wealthy members of the film industry. His “banker’s sobriety”, extensive contacts and clarity of thought allowed him to make good investments, particularly in the real estate market. He continued to appear in films throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s. Crisp was in his eighties by the time he quit acting entirely, continuing to work long after it was financially necessary simply because he enjoyed it. In 1912, he married actress Helen Pease, and they remained together until her death the following year. He was a staunch Republican who campaigned for Thomas Dewey in 1944. On February 8, 1960, Crisp received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion pictures industry at 1628 Vine Street.