Born in Texarkana, TX. A popular star of the silent movies, Griffith started her film career at Vitagraph in 1916. She later moved to First National where she became one of their big stars. At the height of her popularity, she was known as the "Orchid Lady of the Screen". BLACK OXEN (1924) was one of her most popular films. In 1925 she made the film DECLASSE in which a young extra named Clark Gable appeared. Griffith received an Academy Award® nomination for her work in THE DIVINE LADY (1929), and she served as executive producer for many of her films between 1924 and 1927. She headed her own production company, and the films were distributed by First National. But sound did not embrace her in the same way that the silent films had. Music was a popular device used in many early sound movies, but Griffith quickly proved not to be a singer. Also her acting style became wooden. Her last Hollywood film, BACK PAY, was released in 1930. After appearing in LILY CHRISTINE, an English film, in 1932, she retired. She had one final screen appearance in 1962 in Hugo Haas' PARADISE ALLEY.  Nominated for Actress 1928-29: THE DIVINE LADY 1 nomination