About

Clarence Forrest Burton 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.