Raoul A. Walsh (March 11, 1887 â€" December 31, 1980) was an American
film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor
George Walsh. He was known for portraying John Wilkes Booth in the
silent classic The Birth of a Nation (1915) and for directing such
films as The Big Trail (1930), starring John Wayne, High Sierra
(1941), starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart, and White Heat
(1949), starring James Cagney and Edmond O'Brien. He directed his last
film in 1964.Walsh was born in New York as Albert Edward Walsh to
Elizabeth T. Bruff, the daughter of Irish Catholic immigrants, and
Thomas W. Walsh, an Englishman. Walsh was part of Omega Gamma Delta in
high school, as was his younger brother. Growing up in New York, Walsh
was also a friend of the Barrymore family. John Barrymore recalled
spending time reading in the Walsh family library as a youth. Later in
life he lived in Palm Springs, California. He was buried at Assumption
Cemetery Simi Valley, Ventura County, California.Walsh was educated at
Seton Hall College. He began acting in 1909, first as a stage actor in
New York City and later as a film actor. In 1914 he became an
assistant to D. W. Griffith and made his first full-length feature
film, The Life of General Villa, shot on location in Mexico with
Pancho Villa playing the lead and with actual ongoing battles filmed
in progress as well as recreations.Walsh played John Wilkes Booth in
Griffith's epic The Birth of a Nation (1915) and also served as an
assistant director. This was followed by the critically acclaimed
Regeneration in 1915, possibly the earliest feature gangster film,
shot on location in Manhattan's Bowery district.
film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor
George Walsh. He was known for portraying John Wilkes Booth in the
silent classic The Birth of a Nation (1915) and for directing such
films as The Big Trail (1930), starring John Wayne, High Sierra
(1941), starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart, and White Heat
(1949), starring James Cagney and Edmond O'Brien. He directed his last
film in 1964.Walsh was born in New York as Albert Edward Walsh to
Elizabeth T. Bruff, the daughter of Irish Catholic immigrants, and
Thomas W. Walsh, an Englishman. Walsh was part of Omega Gamma Delta in
high school, as was his younger brother. Growing up in New York, Walsh
was also a friend of the Barrymore family. John Barrymore recalled
spending time reading in the Walsh family library as a youth. Later in
life he lived in Palm Springs, California. He was buried at Assumption
Cemetery Simi Valley, Ventura County, California.Walsh was educated at
Seton Hall College. He began acting in 1909, first as a stage actor in
New York City and later as a film actor. In 1914 he became an
assistant to D. W. Griffith and made his first full-length feature
film, The Life of General Villa, shot on location in Mexico with
Pancho Villa playing the lead and with actual ongoing battles filmed
in progress as well as recreations.Walsh played John Wilkes Booth in
Griffith's epic The Birth of a Nation (1915) and also served as an
assistant director. This was followed by the critically acclaimed
Regeneration in 1915, possibly the earliest feature gangster film,
shot on location in Manhattan's Bowery district.
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