Henry B. Walthall

Q: What is Henry B. Walthall's most recent movie or series?

Henry B. Walthall's most recent release is I Am Not a Racist, which premiered on June 16, 2019.

Mar 15, 1878 — Jun 17, 1936 (58 years) Shelby County, Alabama, USA

163 Movies

A career spanning 118+ years and 163+ titles makes Henry B. Walthall one of the trade's long-distance runners. his Col. Ben Cameron in 'The Birth of a Nation' ranks among the most remembered of his filmography. Drama has been his most frequent territory.

Known for

The Long Arm of Mannister

as George Mannister

Parted Curtains

as Joe Jenkins

58R.I.P.

163Movies

0Series

Known for

The Long Arm of Mannister

as George Mannister

Parted Curtains

as Joe Jenkins

58 R.I.P.

R.I.P.

163

Movies

Series

Movies

The Birth of a Nation

1915

⭐ 5.9

The Battle at Elderbush Gulch

The Garden Murder Case

London After Midnight

The Cabin in the Cotton

The Burglar’s Dilemma

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest

1908

⭐ 5.5

The Sin of Nora Moran

The House with Closed Shutters

The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Latest Trailers

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China Clipper

Full Filmography

Film

Film

Film

Film

The Mine with the Iron Door

David Burton

1936

Film

The Garden Murder Case

Film

Film

Film

Film

Photos

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Henry B. Walthall still alive?

Henry B. Walthall passed away on June 17, 1936 at age 58.

What are the most famous roles of Henry B. Walthall?

Henry B. Walthall is best known for roles in The Birth of a Nation, Wings, 42nd Street.

How many movies has Henry B. Walthall been in?

Over a 28-year career (since 1908), Henry B. Walthall has appeared in 213 movies and 0 TV shows.

What was Henry B. Walthall's first movie?

The career of Henry B. Walthall began with Rescued from an Eagle's Nest (1908).

What is Henry B. Walthall's most recent movie or series?

Henry B. Walthall's most recent release is China Clipper, which premiered on August 11, 1936.

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.

Henry B. Walthall

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