Gordon Griffith

Gordon Griffith (July 4, 1907 – October 12, 1958) was an American assistant director, film producer, and one of the first child actors in the American movie industry. Griffith worked in the film industry for five decades, acting in over 60 films, and surviving the transition from silent films to talkies. During his acting career, he worked with Charlie Chaplin, and was the first actor to portray Tarzan on film.

Griffith died of a heart attack in Hollywood at the age of 51. [biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]