Born in 1888 in Bloomington, Illinois, Griffith directed 61 films from 1917 to 1946.

In 1917 he directedIn Love's Laboratory, a short for Thomas A. Edison, Inc.'s Conquest Pictures division about a man inventing safety matches and finding his relationship match.

He directed actress Madeleine Carroll in several films including Honeymoon in Bali (1939).

Griffith discovered the future actress America Chedister (1895–1975) while she was working as a showgirl and married her.

They remained together until their deaths, having lived for several decades in Three Arch Bay, Laguna Beach.