1<HTML> 2<HEAD> 3<TITLE>Henry B. Walthall: Biography--Sweet Home Alabama</TITLE> 4</HEAD> 5<BODY> 6<CENTER> 7<FONT COLOR="BLUE" SIZE="6">Henry B. Walthall: Biography--Sweet Home Alabama 8</FONT> 9<BR> 10<FONT COLOR="BLUE" SIZE="4"><I>A Tribute Page to the Silent Film Star 11</I> 12</FONT> 13</CENTER> 14<BR> 15<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="600" HEIGHT="450"> 16<TR> 17<TD VALIGN="Top"> 18<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="BLUE"> 19<A HREF="index.html">Home, Sweet Home<BR></A> 20<B>Biography:</B><BR> 21<A HREF="SweetHomeAlabama.html">Sweet Home Alabama<BR></A> 22<A HREF="D.W.GriffithYears.html">The D.W. Griffith Years<BR></A> 23<A HREF="EscapingPovertyRow.html">Escaping "Poverty Row"<BR></A> 24<BR> 25<B>Bibliography:</B><BR> 26<A HREF="ContemporaryArticles.html">Contemporary Articles<BR></A> 27<A HREF="Obits&SecondarySources.html">Obits & Secondary Sources<BR></A> 28<BR> 29<B>Film Reviews:</B><BR> 30<A HREF="Silents1909-1910.html">The Silents 1909-1910<BR></A> 31<A HREF="Silents1911-1915.html">The Silents 1911-1915<BR></A> 32<A HREF="Silents1916-1927.html">The Silents 1916-1927<BR></A> 33<A HREF="Talkies1929-1932.html">The Talkies 1929-1932<BR></A> 34<A HREF="Talkies1933-1934.html">The Talkies 1933-1934<BR></A> 35<A HREF="Talkies1935-1936.html">The Talkies 1935-1936<BR></A> 36<BR><B>Other Stuff:<BR> 37 38<A HREF="WalthallHollywoodsites.html">Walthall Hollywood Sites</A> 39<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="ORANGE">***NEW***</FONT></B><BR> 40<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="BLUE"> 41<A HREF="Memorabilia.html">Memorabilia<BR></A> 42<A HREF="LinksContact.html">Links/Contact<BR></A> 43</FONT> 44</TD> 45<TD ALIGN="Right" VALIGN="Top"> 46<IMG SRC="ClassicNov1922.jpg" 47WIDTH="304" HEIGHT="478" ALT="Answering the Call"><BR><FONT 48SIZE="2" COLOR="BLACK">From the article "Answering the Call" 49in the movie<BR> magazine 50<I>Classic</I> November 1922, page 66.<BR> 51</FONT> 52 53</TD> 54</TR> 55</TABLE>
55 56<P> <P> 57<CENTER> 58<FONT COLOR= "BLUE" SIZE="5">Who was Henry B. Walthall? 59</FONT> 60</CENTER> 61<BR> 62<P> <P> 63<CENTER><IMG SRC="Penograph.jpg" 64WIDTH="186" HEIGHT="276" ALT="He will mow you over"><BR><FONT COLOR="BLACK" SIZE="2"> 65"Penograph" from a 1917 issue of<BR> <I>Motion Picture Magazine</I>. 66</FONT> 67</CENTER> 68<BR> 69<P> <P> 70<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="BLUE"><I>Note: I spent a lot of time 71and care writing this biography and tried to reference every source 72I used so, if any visitor finds a use for any 73of the information here or on the other pages of this 74site, please note this source. Thank you, M.W.</I> 75</FONT> 76<BR> 77<P> <P> 78<FONT COLOR= "BLACK" SIZE="3"> One hesitates to begin a biography of Henry 79B. Walthall with a description of his famous role in the 801915 film <I>The Birth of a Nation</I>. 81Nearly every article found on Walthall introduces the 82actor as the "Little Colonel"--hero of the D.W. Griffith 83masterpiece. Walthall once remarked in 84a 1929 interview, "I've been trying to live down that 85picture ever since it was made," and continuing, "It's beautiful, but I'm 86sick of it" (Hayden). Silent film historian Anthony 87Slide began Walthall's biographical entry with the 88statement, "There is no other player from the silent era 89so closely associated with one screen role than Henry B. Walthall" 90(Slide II, pg. 401). 91<BR> 92<P> <P> 93<CENTER><IMG SRC="Charge.jpg" 94WIDTH="331" HEIGHT="279" ALT="Charge!"><BR><FONT COLOR="BLACK" SIZE="2"> 95"Charge!!!" Col. Ben Cameron leading an attack on the Union Army. 96</FONT> 97</CENTER> 98<BR> 99<P> <P> 100As much as Walthall did not want to be identified as 101one character in a 27-year acting career, his role as 102Colonel Ben Cameron assured his place in film history. 103D.W. Griffith, the Kentucky-born director, had an ambition to produce 104and direct the greatest motion picture ever made around 105Thomas Dixon's novel and play <I>The Clansman</I>; a history 106of the Civil War and Reconstruction told from the South's 107point of view. Griffith chose for his leading man another southerner, 108Henry B. Walthall. In the film, Ben Cameron, with the dark, 109curly hair and bushy mustache, leads the Confederate 110troops in a vicious battle against the Union forces, 111eventually to be wounded and pulled into the Union trench by 112his northern friend. Providing one of the most memorable 113scenes in motion picture history, Cameron returns to 114his war-torn home to be greeted by his sister, who has 115sewn cotton onto her dress in the hopes of uplifting 116his southern spirits, and the outstretched arms of his mother. 117In the Reconstruction part of the epic, a furious 118Cameron, frustrated by the corruption caused by 119northern politicians and freed slaves, founds the 120Ku Klux Klan to, as President Woodrow Wilson (another southerner) is quoted 121in the film's subtitles, "protect the Southern Country." 122Although the Klan was seen more as a patriotic cause rather than as the racist 123and terrorist organization it is seen as today, the film 124was still emotionally explosive and politically 125inflammatory upon its release. According to the 126American Movie Classics 1999 documentary "Censored," <I>The 127Birth of a Nation</I> has been "banned more than any other film 128in motion picture history. Its right to be seen has been 129challenged in over 100 cases, one as recently as 1980." 130Due to the controversy surrounding the film, not to mention 131the brilliant fighting scenes and the subtle yet 132emotionally manipulative acting, Walthall's most 133memorable role is almost certain to remain in print 134for decades (and maybe centuries) to come. It is #44 135on the American Film Institute's 100 Films of the Century 136(the oldest picture on the list and one of only two silent 137films). Film historical societies, festivals, not to mention college 138courses in film and history (the latter of which 139introduced this writer to <I>The Birth of a Nation</I> 140and to Henry B. Walthall) will no doubt keep showing 141Walthall in the prime of his career to future generations 142who probably would never have seen or have heard of him otherwise. 143<BR> 144<P> <P> 145 146<CENTER> 147<TABLE BORDER="0"> 148<TR> 149<TD><IMG SRC="BN1.jpg" 150WIDTH="152" HEIGHT="120" ALT="Returning home"><BR> 151</TD> 152<TD> 153<IMG SRC="BN2.jpg" 154WIDTH="152" HEIGHT="120" ALT="greeted by sister,"><BR> 155</TD> 156<TD> 157<IMG SRC="BN3.jpg" 158WIDTH="152" HEIGHT="120" ALT="and mother."> 159</TD> 160</TR> 161</TABLE>
161 162</CENTER> 163<BR> 164<P> <P> 165<CENTER> 166<FONT COLOR= "BLUE" SIZE="5">Sweet Home Alabama 167</FONT> 168</CENTER> 169<BR> 170<P> <P> 171 172Henry Brazeale Walthall was born on March 16, 1878 on a 173plantation near Shelby County, Alabama, sharing with 174D.W. Griffith a chivalric southern culture and tradition 175but enjoying perhaps a more affluent family life 176than the director (Slide II, pg. 401). He was one of eight 177<A HREF="WalthallFamilyInformation.html">Walthall children</A>. Henry's father, Junius 178Leigh Walthall, was a Virginia native who served as 179captain in the Confederate Army and, later, became 180a highly respected figure in Alabama politics (Williamson, 181pp. 83-84). His middle name, Brazeale, was passed on 182from his grandmother Eliza's Irish maiden name. 183<BR> 184<P> <P> 185<CENTER><IMG SRC="YoungHenry.jpg" 186WIDTH="127" HEIGHT="232" ALT="Young Henry"><BR><FONT COLOR="BLACK" SIZE="2"> 187Young Henry. From the article <BR>"The Early Days of 188Henry B. Walthall," <BR> <I>Picture-Play Magazine</I> 189August 1916, pg. 86. 190</FONT> 191</CENTER> 192<BR> 193<P> <P> 194Although the Walthalls hoped to make a scientific 195farmer or lawyer out of their intelligent son, as 196childhood chum Edwin Williamson recounts, "the boy's 197talents were of a different nature." Henry was often found under 198a shade tree reading the works of Poe when he was 199supposed to be looking after the farmhands or, on 200one occasion when ten years old, staging a 201Wild West show in the pigpen (pp. 84-85). Walthall 202developed an early fondness for entertaining, reciting 203poetry his mother taught him and, later, playing the mandolin with a 204group of musicians as they serenaded the young ladies (pp. 83, 87). 205The handsome young Henry definitely had his share of 206female admirers. As a schoolboy, he once carved in 207his desk the initials "H.B.W.--A.T.G." His schoolmates 208were curious as to who this sweetheart with the initials 209A.T.G. could be. Finally, Henry admitted that "A.T.G." 210stood for "all the girls" (pg. 89). 211 212<BR> 213<P> <P> 214Henry's last surviving 215brother Wales recounted his famous sibling's local 216success in theatre: "Henry produced <I>The Merchant 217of Venice</I> with homespun talent. We did the trial scene and I 218had a small part as the friend of the Merchant. 219Henry, of course, played Shylock...We played schoolhouses in Shelby 220[Alabama] and other country towns to capacity business. 221Our patron were the elite, and some of them had seen Edwin 222Booth as Shylock. After several weeks' travel by wagon 223and buggy we closed with a profit" (Griggs, pg. 122). 224<BR> 225<P> <P> 226 227<CENTER><IMG SRC="Schoolhouse.jpg" 228WIDTH="223" HEIGHT="139" ALT="Schoolhouse"><BR><FONT COLOR="BLACK" SIZE="2"> 229The schoolhouse in Selma, Alabama where Henry 230packed them in.<BR> From the article "The Early Days of 231Henry B. Walthall," <BR> <I>Picture-Play Magazine</I> 232August 1916, pg. 85.
233</FONT> 234</CENTER> 235<BR> 236<P> <P> 237 238Although Henry Walthall was not fated to live the plantation life, 239he seemed to have fond memories of his childhood in 240Alabama. Besides entertaining, he enjoyed swimming, 241fishing, 242hunting and was an excellent horseman (a talent 243that would come in handy in his film career). His prowess 244as a marksman is well-documented, and duck hunting 245remained a favorite hobby. One story describes a young Henry 246slaying a rare wild goose and with much pride 247promising the neighbors a feast on the big, fat bird 248for the next day only discovering that his mother 249had sent the goose to the wife of the local 250clergyman. Thereafter, Henry developed a dislike 251for ministers (ironically, Walthall would play the role of 252many a minister in his motion picture career) (McGaffey, 253pg. 102). This episode certainly did not discourage his 254love for his southern roots. In one interview, Walthall remarked that he 255hoped to return to the place of his childhood once 256he retired (Willis, pg. 55). 257<BR> 258<P> <P> 259At twenty, 260Walthall enlisted in the First Alabama Regiment with 261the United States Army at the beginning of the Spanish-American 262War. Serving eleven months, a bout of malarial fever 263while in camp at Jacksonville, Florida kept Walthall 264from the battlefields (Katchmer). To please his 265parents, he tried his hand at law school at Howard 266College but, finding it distasteful, dropped out 267after six months. It was now time for the future 268"Little Colonel" to leave home to pursue a career in 269the theatre. 270<BR> 271<P> <P> 272 273<CENTER> 274<FONT COLOR= "BLUE" SIZE="5">New York, New York 275</FONT> 276</CENTER> 277<P> <P> 278<FONT COLOR= "BLACK" SIZE="3"> To make it in theatre, 279New York was where Henry B. Walthall had to go. Armed 280with money borrowed from a neighbor and character 281references from Alabama governor Joseph F. Johnston and U.S. Senator 282John Tyler Morgan, Walthall set out to find his calling (Katchmer). 283He made his New York stage debut in 1901 and was cast in 284popular southern melodramas (Slide II, pg. 401). 285Although he progressed in the acting field, things 286went slowly for the future "Edwin Booth of the Screen." 287In a 1916 interview, Walthall described his early 288days in theatre: "I went from Alabama to New York and 289descended on the city with my hopes and nothing else. 290New York, like every city, is unkindly to him she 291doesn't know. And she was characteristic in her 292treatment of me. I was out of a job and almost out 293of hope. I found a job as a super in a theatrical 294company doing small things for small towns. From then on 295my life went back to stereotype. I was an actor working 296up, and working up isn't an interesting thing to 297anybody but the one who is working" (Ames, pg. 138).<BR> 298<P> <P> 299But work did get interesting for Walthall. He joined 300the theatrical company of Henry Miller and Margaret 301Anglin which provided several seasons of steady employment (Franklin, 302pg. 240). As part of the cast in <I>The Great Divide</I>, 303Walthall met fellow cast member James Kirkwood. 304This friendship soon introduced Walthall to a new 305medium in which to showcase his talents.<BR> 306<P> <P> 307<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="BLUE"> 308<A HREF="D.W.GriffithYears.html">Click here to continue 309the biography with "The D.W. Griffith Years."<BR></A> 310<P> <P> 311<FONT SIZE="3"><I>Please see the Bibliography 312pages for details on the references used in this biography. 313<BR> 314<BR> 315<CENTER> 316<a href="http://www.rapidcounter.com/signup.php" target="_top"><img border="0" alt="Free Hit Counter" src="http://counter.rapidcounter.com/counter/1106621879/rosewd"; ALIGN="middle" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="2"></a>
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