James Griffith

James Griffith (February 13, 1916 – September 17, 1993) was an American actor specializing in character roles.

Griffith was born in Los Angeles, but yearned from a young age to be a musician rather than an actor. Instead, he managed to find work in little theatres around Los Angeles, where the budding musician eased into a duel career of acting. He hit it big in the production "They Can't Get You Down" in 1939, but put his career on-hold during World War II to serve with the U.S. military. Following the war, Griffith switched from the stage to films when he appeared in the 1948 film noir picture "Black Ice".From then on, he enjoyed a lengthy career of supporting and bit roles (sometimes uncredited) in westerns and detective films. He had a face that most people knew from many TV series and films but very few could name. Though Griffith was generally cast as the outlaw in western pictures, he managed to garner a few memorable "good guy" roles over his many years in Hollywood – Abraham Lincoln in both 1950's "Stage to Tucson" and 1955's "Apache Ambush", sheriff Pat Garrett in 1954's "The Law vs. Billy the Kid", John Wesley Hardin in a 1959 television episode of "Maverick" entitled "Duel at Sundown" featuring Clint Eastwood, and Davy Crockett in 1956's "The First Texan". Griffith also made more than 70 guest appearances on TV shows like "The Lone Ranger", "Gunsmoke", "Perry Mason", "Dragnet" and "Little House on the Prairie". He also had recurring roles in two 1950's T.V. series; Robert Culp's "Trackdown" and "Sheriff Of Cochise"/ "U.S. Marshall" starring John Bromfield .

Throughout his acting career, Griffith continued to practice his original love of music, performing in Spike Jones' band and composing music for the 1958 film "Bullwhip" and the 1964 film "Lorna". He died of cancer in Avila Beach, California in 1993.

Filmography

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0341526/