Clarence Forrest Burton (May 10, 1882 – December 1, 1933) was an American actor, dancer, and singer. The son of minstrel show performers John and Lottie Burton, he grew up as a child entertainer in the Burton Family vaudeville act performing with his parents and sister. By 1904 he was performing without his family, and continued to work as a dancer in vaudeville until approximately 1910. By 1907 he had diversified his work into performing as an actor and comedian in both plays and musicals. After working in regional theatre in California he moved into work as a silent film actor in 1912. He appeared in more than 100 films released between the years 1913 and 1932; often working in collaboration with Cecil B. DeMille.
Biography The son of John and Lottie Burton, Clarence Forrest Burton was born in Fort Lyon, Benton County, Missouri on May 10, 1882. He began his career as a child actor at the age of 5. His parent were entertainers who performed plantation songs together in blackface minstrel shows and in vaudeville theaters. His parents were actively performing until their retirement in 1914. The family's real surname was Norris not Burton which they had adopted for the stage.
By 1894 Clarence was working in vaudeville in an act performed with Baby May, his sister. In 1895 he was billed as a baritone singer in advertisements for the show the Burton Family Combination, and 1898 report of the show referred to him as "the boy baritone". From 1899-1902 the Burton family were periodically engaged at the Olympic Theatre in Chicago with Clarence performing buck dance and soft shoe. In a 1901 advertisement for the family's vaudeville appearance in Cleveland, Clarence was billed as performing "trick buck and wing dancing".
By 1904 Clarence was headlining in vaudeville in Illinois by himself as a dancer, and in 1905 he was billed as both a singer and dancer as the headline act at the Star Theatre in Muncie, Indiana. In 1905 he was engaged in vaudeville at the Grand Theatre in Joliet, Illinois the Olympic Theatre in Chicago, the Peoples' Theatre in Cedar Rapid, Iowa, and the Majestic Theatre in Houston, Texas; remaining at the latter theater into 1906. That year he also performed in vaudeville theaters in Ohio and Illinois. He remained periodically active as a traveling vaudeville dancer over the next several years, while branching out into work as a comedian and musical theatre actor. In 1907 he portrayed the Butler in a touring production of the musical The Telephone Girl, and performed the role of the lawyer Sleigh in the farce Too Many Wives in regional theatre in New Mexico. In 1908 he was a member of the Eckhardt Ideal Players; a stock theatre company active in California and Oregon.
In 1909 Burton starred in the musical Papa's Boy at the opera house in Woodland, California, and appeared as a tap dancer in vaudeville in Indiana Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York state. In 1910 he starred in the leading comic role of Adam Schwindler in Aaron Hoffman and J. A. Raynes musical The Politicians at the Empire Theatre in Fresno, California. This was followed by other leading parts at that same venue, including roles in The Merry Liars and Getting the Coin. In 1911 he was active as a musical theatre comedian with the Spalding Company in theaters in California.
He was signed into films in late 1912 and starred in 132 films between 1913 and 1932. He was closely associated with the films of Cecil B. DeMille with whom he frequently collaborated. He was known for his death scenes; playing characters who died violently in more than 100 films.
By late 1920, Burton had become heavy enough to be considered unsuited for his typical villainous roles in films. A trainer supervised a program of exercise and diet until Burton had lost enough weight to be cast in the Paramount film The Jacklins.
Burton died of a heart attack on December 1, 1933 at the age of 51 at his home in Northeast Los Angeles, California.
Partial filmography Burton appeared in over 160 films during his career. The table below represents a partial list of his filmography. + Film performances Year Title Role Notes 1913 The Werewolf Ezra Vance 1916 The Sign of the Spade Dave Harmon 1916 The Twinkler Boss Corregan 1917 Beloved Rogues Jack Kennedy 1917 My Fighting Gentleman Isiah Gore 1918 Fame and Fortune Sheriff of Palo 1919 The Spender Elmer Robbins 1919 The Last of the Duanes Bland 1919 Wings of the Morning Taung Si Ali 1919 The Return of Mary John Denby 1919 Six Feet Four Sheriff Cole Dalton 1919 Castles in the Air John McArthur 1920 The Six Best Cellars Henry Carpenter 1920 Thou Art the Man Matt Solomon 1921 Forbidden Fruit Steve Maddock 1921 The Lost Romance Detective 1921 Crazy to Marry Gregory Slade 1921 Miss Lulu Bett Ninian Deacon 1921 Fool's Paradise Manuel 1922 Her Husband's Trademark Mexican Bandit 1922 The Impossible Mrs. Bellew Detective 1922 The Beautiful and Damned Bloeckman 1923 Adam's Rib Cave man 1923 Garrison's Finish Crimmins 1923 The Satin Girl Moran 1923 The Ten Commandments Taskmaster 1924 The Mine with the Iron Door The Sheriff 1924 No More Women Beef Hogan 1924 The Navigator Spy Uncredited 1925 The Road to Yesterday Hugh Armstrong 1925 The Coming of Amos Pedro Valdez 1925 The Wedding Song Capt. Saltus 1925 The Million Dollar Handicap Langdon 1925 Savages of the Sea Black Brock 1926 Shipwrecked Red Gowland 1926 The Danger Girl Organ Man 1926 The Warning Signal N/A 1926 The Nervous Wreck Andy McNab 1927 Rubber Tires Mexican 1927 The King of Kings Penitent Thief 1927 A Harp in Hock Plainclothesman 1927 Chicago Police Sargeant 1928 Stool Pigeon Mike Shields 1928 Stand and Deliver Captain Melok 1929 The Younger Generation Police Desk Sargeant Uncredited 1929 The Godless Girl Prison Guard 1929 Barnum Was Right Martin 1929 The Love Racket Defense Attorney 1930 The Unholy Three Regan 1930 The Love Trader John 1932 The Sign of the Cross Servillius
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