David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 - July 23, 1948), best known for directing the 1915 film "The Birth of a Nation," is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, pioneering many aspects of film editing and expanding the art of the narrative film. In 1919, together with Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, Griffith founded the movie studio United Artists, with the goal of enabling actors and directors to make films on their own...