Frank Spottiswoode Aitken (16 April 1868 – 26 February 1933) was a Scottish-American actor of the silent era. He played Dr. Cameron in D. W. Griffith’s epic drama The Birth of a Nation.
Early years
Aitken was born 16 April 1868 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Acting
In his book, The King of the Movies: Film Pioneer Siegmund Lubin, Joseph P. Eckhardt wrote that Aitken was “trained as a Shakespearean actor, with many years of experience under his belt.” His film debut came in 1911. He eventually appeared in 81 feature films between 1914 and 1927.
Business
Aitken was one of the first actors to settle in Los Angeles when the film industry was still at its strongest in New York. He invested most of his earnings in real estate, buying up orange groves around what would become Hollywood.
Personal life
Aitken was involved in a controversy in 1922 when, after suing his wife Marion Dana Jones for divorce for alleged infidelity, she countersued. A United Press news story reported that she was “alleging her husband had coerced her into living with Hay Weinstein, wealthy Santa Barbaran, so that he could extort money from Weinstein.”
The couple had three children: Francis Spottiswoode Aitken Jr., Frances Aitken and Margaret Shirley Aitken.
Death
Aitken died 24 February 1933 in Los Angeles, California. He was 64 years old. He is buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Partial filmography
The Battle (1911, Short) – Minor Role
The Sands of Dee (1912, Short)
The Green-Eyed Devil (1914, Short)
Home, Sweet Home (1914) – James Smith – Mary’s Father
The Girl in the Shack (1914, Short) – Jenny’s Father – the Sheriff
The Angel of Contention (1914, Short) – Nettie’s Father
The Avenging Conscience (1914) – The Uncle
The Birth of a Nation (1915) – Dr. Cameron
The Outcast (1915) – The Lawyer
The Outlaw’s Revenge (1915) – The Soothsayer
Captain Macklin (1915, Short) – General Laquerre
Her Shattered Idol (1915) – Colonel Nutt – Mae’s Uncle
The Price of Power (1916) – Gabriel Brooks – Maisie’s Father
Acquitted (1916) – Charles Ryder
The Flying Torpedo (1916) – Bartholomew Thompson
Macbeth (1916) – Duncan
An Innocent Magdalene (1916) – Col. Raleigh
Intolerance (1916) – Brown Eyes’s Father
The Old Folks at Home (1916) – Judge
The Wharf Rat (1916) – Carl Wagner
The Americano (1916) – Presidente Hernando de Valdez
Pathways of Life (1916, Short) – Daddy Wisdom
Stage Struck (1917) – The Judge
A Woman’s Awakening (1917) – Judge Cotter
Cheerful Givers (1917) – Rev. John Deady
Souls Triumphant (1917) – Josiah Vale
Melissa of the Hills (1917) – Jethro Stark
Charity Castle (1917) – Lucius Garrett
Her Country’s Call (1917) – Dr. Downie
Southern Pride (1917) – Father Mort
A Game of Wits (1917) – Silas Stone
Beauty and the Rogue (1918) – Benjamin Wilson
The Mating of Marcella (1918) – Jose Duranzo
How Could You Jean? (1918) – Rufus Bonner
In Judgement Of (1918) – Mr. Manners
The Cruise of the Make-Believes (1918) – Simon Quarle
Jane Goes A-Wooing (1919) – David Lyman
The Secret Garden (1919) – Archibald Craven
Who Cares? (1919) – Mr. Ludlow
Fighting Through (1919) – Col. DuBrey Carter
The Wicked Darling (1919) – Fadem
Captain Kidd, Jr. (1919) – Augus MacTavish
The White Heather (1919) – James Hume
Caleb Piper’s Girl (1919) – Caleb Piper
An Innocent Adventuress (1919) – Meekton
Hay Foot, Straw Foot (1919) – Thaddeus Briggs
Evangeline (1919) – Benedict Bellefontaine
Rough Riding Romance (1919) – The King
The Broken Commandments (1919) – Mr. Banard
Her Kingdom of Dreams (1919) – David Rutledge
Bonnie Bonnie Lassie (1919) – Jeremiah Wishart
The Thunderbolt (1919) – Allan Pomeroy
A Woman of Pleasure (1919) – Wilberforce Pace
Witch’s Gold (1920)
The White Circle (1920) – Bernard Huddlestone
Nomads of the North (1920) – Old Roland
Dangerous Love (1920) – The Father
The Unknown Wife (1921) – Henry Wilburton
Reputation (1921) – Karl
At the End of the World (1921)
Beyond (1921) – Rufus Southerne
The Man of Courage (1922) – Stephen Gregory
The Trap (1922) – The Factor
Monte Cristo (1922) – Abbé Faria
The Snowshoe Trail (1922) – John Lounsbury
Manslaughter (1922) – Member of the Jury (uncredited)
The Young Rajah (1922) – Caleb
One Wonderful Night (1922) – Minister
A Dangerous Game (1922) – Edward Peebles
Around the World in Eighteen Days (1923) – Piggott
Merry-Go-Round (1923) – Minister of War / Gisella’s Father
Six Days (1923) – Pere Jerome
The Love Pirate (1923) – Cyrus Revere
Pioneer’s Gold (1924) – Bob Hartley
Triumph (1924) – Torrini
Lure of the Yukon (1924) – Sourdough McCraig
The Fire Patrol (1924) – Captain John Ferguson
Gerald Cranston’s Lady (1924) – Ephraim Brewster
Those Who Dare (1924) – Thorne Wtherell
The Coast Patrol (1925) – Capt. Slocum
The Handicap (1925) – Henrietta’s Grandfather
The Goose Woman (1925) – Jacob Rigg
The Eagle (1925) – Dubrovsky’s Father (uncredited)
Accused (1925) – Eagle Eye
The Power of the Weak (1926) – The Father
The Two-Gun Man (1926) – Dad Randall
Roaring Fires (1927) – Calvert Carter
The Power of the Press (1928) – Sports Writer (final film role)
External Links
Actor Spottiswoode Aitken – Wikipedia
