---
name: "Spottiswoode Aitken"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/spottiswoode-aitken"
fi1m_id: "spottiswoode-aitken"
imdb_id: "nm0014894"
tmdb_id: 8835
wikidata_id: "Q1230515"
roles: []
born: "15 April 1868"
died: "26 February 1933"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 62
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-25T06:15:01.117988+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Spottiswoode Aitken

## Identity

Spottiswoode Aitken

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/spottiswoode-aitken
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** spottiswoode-aitken
- **IMDb ID:** nm0014894
- **TMDB ID:** 8835
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1230515
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spottiswoode_Aitken, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1230515, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0014894/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8835

Actor. Born 15 April 1868 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Died 26 February 1933.

## Details

- **Born:** 15 April 1868, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- **Died:** 26 February 1933
- **Active:** 1915–1916
- **Also known as:** Frank Spottiswoode Aitken, Spottiswood Aitken, Spottswood Aitken, Spottiswoode Aitkin, Spottiswood Aitkin
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 2 acting, 1 other
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1910s 58 (2), 1920s 70 (1)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 2, History 2, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Romance 1, War 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $102m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spottiswoode_Aitken, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1230515, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0014894/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8835

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Eagle*](https://film.one/film/the-eagle.md) (70)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Spottiswoode Aitken was a Scottish-American actor of the silent era. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he began his stage career at the age of thirteen and spent nearly twenty years touring the United States in stock companies. He met D. W. Griffith during a 1907 road production and later joined the Biograph studio.

Aitken appeared in more than eighty feature films between 1911 and 1928. He is known for his roles as Dr. Cameron in *The Birth of a Nation* (1915) and as Brown Eyes' Father in *Intolerance* (1916), both directed by Griffith, as well as Dubrovsky's Father (uncredited) in *The Eagle* (1925). One of the first actors to settle in Los Angeles, he also worked as a writer and invested in real estate.

*Sources: catalog.afi.com, en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Performed in (2)

- *Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages* (1916), Fi1m 83, as Brown Eyes' Father (French Story) — [page](https://film.one/film/intolerance-loves-struggle-throughout-the-ages.md)
- *The Birth of a Nation* (1915), Fi1m 32, as Dr. Cameron — [page](https://film.one/film/the-birth-of-a-nation.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Eagle* (1925), Fi1m 70, as Dubrovsky's Father (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-eagle.md)

## Complete filmography (75)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *I Am Not a Racist* (2019), as The Father (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *The Power of the Press* (1928), as Sports Writer
- *Roaring Fires* (1927), as Calvert Carter
- *The Two-Gun Man* (1926), as Dad Randall
- *Accused* (1925), as Eagle Eye
- *The Eagle* (1925), as Dubrovsky's Father (uncredited) — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-eagle.md)
- *The Coast Patrol* (1925), as Capt. Slocum
- *Pioneer's Gold* (1924), as Bob Hartley (as Spottswood Aitken)
- *Those Who Dare* (1924), as Thorne Wtherell
- *Gerald Cranston's Lady* (1924), as Ephraim Brewster
- *The Fire Patrol* (1924), as Captain John Ferguson
- *The Love Pirate* (1923), as Cyrus Revere
- *Six Days* (1923), as Pere Jerome
- *Merry-Go-Round* (1923), as Minister of War / Gisella's Father
- *Around the World in 18 Days* (1923), as Piggott
- *One Wonderful Night* (1922), as Minister
- *A Dangerous Game* (1922), Actor
- *The Young Rajah* (1922), as Caleb
- *Manslaughter* (1922), as Member of the Jury (uncredited)
- *The Snowshoe Trail* (1922), as John Lounsbury
- *Monte Cristo* (1922), as Abbé Faria
- *The Trap* (1922), as The Factor
- *The Man of Courage* (1922), as Stephen Gregory
- *Beyond* (1921), as Rufus Southerne
- *At the End of the World* (1921), as Terence O'Day
- *Reputation* (1921), as Karl
- *The Unknown Wife* (1921), as Henry Wilburton
- *Dangerous Love* (1920), as The Father
- *Nomads of the North* (1920), as Old Roland
- *The White Circle* (1920), as Bernard Huddlestone
- *The Wicked Darling* (1919), as Fadem
- *A Woman of Pleasure* (1919), as Wilberforce Pace
- *Bonnie, Bonnie Lassie* (1919), as Jeremiah Wishart
- *The Thunderbolt* (1919), as Allan Pomeroy
- *Her Kingdom of Dreams* (1919), as David Rutledge
- *The Broken Commandments* (1919), as Mr. Banard
- *Rough-Riding Romance* (1919), as The King
- *Evangeline* (1919), as Benedict Bellefontaine
- *The White Heather* (1919), as James Hume
- *Hay Foot, Straw Foot* (1919), as Thaddeus Briggs
- *An Innocent Adventuress* (1919), as Meekton
- *Captain Kidd, Jr.* (1919), as Augus MacTavish
- *Fighting Through* (1919), as Col. DuBrey Carter
- *Who Cares?* (1919), as Mr. Ludlow
- *The Secret Garden* (1919), as Archibald Craven
- *Jane Goes A-Wooing* (1919), as David Lyman
- *The Cruise of the Make-Believes* (1918), as Simon Quarle
- *In Judgment of...* (1918), as Mr. Manners
- *How Could You, Jean?* (1918), as Rufus Bonner
- *Beauty and the Rogue* (1918), as Benjamin Wilson
- *A Game of Wits* (1917), as Silas Stone
- *Her Country's Call* (1917), as Dr. Downie
- *Charity Castle* (1917), as Lucius Garrett
- *Melissa of the Hills* (1917), as Jethro Stark
- *Souls Triumphant* (1917), as Josiah Vale
- *Cheerful Givers* (1917), as Rev. John Deady
- *A Woman's Awakening* (1917), as Judge Cotter
- *Stage Struck* (1917), as The Judge
- *The Americano* (1916), as Presidente de Castalar
- *The Old Folks at Home* (1916), as Judge
- *Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages* (1916), as Brown Eyes' Father (French Story) — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/intolerance-loves-struggle-throughout-the-ages.md)
- *An Innocent Magdalene* (1916), as Col. Raleigh
- *Macbeth* (1916), as Duncan
- *The Flying Torpedo* (1916), as Bartholomew Thompson
- *Pathways of Life* (1916), as Daddy Wisdom
- *The Birth of a Nation* (1915), as Dr. Cameron — Fi1m 32, [page](https://film.one/film/the-birth-of-a-nation.md)
- *The Availing Prayer* (1914), as William Rock
- *The Avenging Conscience* (1914), as The Uncle
- *The Angel of Contention* (1914), as Nettie's Father
- *Home, Sweet Home* (1914), as James Smith - Mary's Father
- *Liberty Belles* (1914), as Jasper Pennyfeather
- *The Green-Eyed Devil* (1914), Actor
- *Fixing a Flirt* (1912), as Headwaiter
- *The Battle* (1911), as (uncredited)
- *Her Humble Ministry* (1911), as The Father

## Gallery

- ![American actor Spottiswoode Aitkin (Lubin Films publicity photo, ca. 1915)](https://film.one/media/person/3847949/gallery-f4dcbedd5fd8.jpg) American actor Spottiswoode Aitkin (Lubin Films publicity photo, ca. 1915) — Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Spottiswoode_Aitken_%28Lubin_Films%2C_ca._1915%29.jpg/1280px-Spottiswoode_Aitken_%28Lubin_Films%2C_ca._1915%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Film actor Spottiswoode Aitken in the American drama film The White Circle (1920). Subjects: actors](https://film.one/media/person/3847949/gallery-e8ced901f58d.jpg) Film actor Spottiswoode Aitken in the American drama film The White Circle (1920). Subjects: actors — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Film_actor_Spottiswoode_Aitken_%28SAYRE_1565%29.jpg/1280px-Film_actor_Spottiswoode_Aitken_%28SAYRE_1565%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Still from the film Beyond (1921). Subjects: motion pictures, actresses](https://film.one/media/person/3847949/gallery-9928396b877c.jpg) Still from the film Beyond (1921). Subjects: motion pictures, actresses — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Beyond_%28SAYRE_14571%29.jpg/1280px-Beyond_%28SAYRE_14571%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Still from the American drama film The Cruise of the Make-Believes (1918) Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actresses, actors (1927)](https://film.one/media/person/3847949/gallery-362a01a840fa.jpg) Still from the American drama film The Cruise of the Make-Believes (1918) Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actresses, actors (1927) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/The_Cruise_of_the_Make-Believers_%28SAYRE_14560%29.jpg/1280px-The_Cruise_of_the_Make-Believers_%28SAYRE_14560%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Spottiswoode Aitken](https://film.one/media/person/3847949/gallery-e14c39366e4d.jpg) Spottiswoode Aitken — Image via TMDB
- ![Spottiswoode Aitken and John Emerson in The Flying Torpedo (1916)](https://film.one/media/person/3847949/gallery-dd0c1dd78234.jpg) Spottiswoode Aitken and John Emerson in The Flying Torpedo (1916) — Triangle Film Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Spottiswoode_Aitken_and_John_Emerson_in_The_Flying_Torpedo.jpg/1280px-Spottiswoode_Aitken_and_John_Emerson_in_The_Flying_Torpedo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/spottiswoode-aitken