Joseph Kaufman

Joseph Kaufman
Born	1882 Washington, D.C.
Died	February 1, 1918 New York City, New York
Other names	Joseph Kauffman
Occupation	film director
Spouse(s)	Ethel Clayton

Joseph Kaufman (1882 - February 1, 1918) was an American silent film actor and director prominent during the World War I-years. He was born in Washington, D.C. and died in New York City very early in the Influenza pandemic of 1918.

His wife was silent film star Ethel Clayton. Kaufman started out as an actor appearing on Broadway in 1903 with Maude Adams in The Pretty Sister of Jose.^[1] He eventually changed to acting in and then directing silent films, his output being numerous short films. As American films began to expand to feature length Kaufman followed suit and proved particularly adept and popular at directing beautiful Broadway actresses including his wife Ethel Clayton. He directed Pauline Frederick, Marguerite Clark, and Billie Burke. His last film The Song of Songs (1918) starred Elsie Ferguson.^[2]

Ethel Clayton and Joseph Kaufman in a love scene from the 1915 Lubin silent drama "A Woman Went Forth."

As actor he is reported to have had three teeth knocked out in a screen fight with actor Earl Metcalfe.^[3] Following his death in February 1918, both of his parents died, his mother on April 9, 1918 and his father on April 18, 1918.^[4]

Selected filmography

• The College Widow (1915) (*as actor)
• The World's Great Snare (1916)
• Ashes of Embers (1916)
• Nanette of the Wilds (1916)
• Broadway Jones (1917)
• The Amazons (1917)
• Arms and the Girl (1917)
• The Land of Promise (1917)
• The Song of Songs (1918)

References

External links

• Joseph Kaufman at the Internet Movie Database
• portrait of Joseph Kaufman and other silent actors