**Alfred Paget (1879-1919) was an American film actor, prominent during the silent film era.** Known for his prolific collaboration with director D.W. Griffith, he appeared in numerous pioneering short and feature films.

Paget stood out for playing authoritative, noble figures, often antagonistic or of powerful dramatic impact. His screen presence was imposing and often austere. Among his most memorable roles are Prince Belshazzar in the monumental *Intolerance* (1916) and Gus, the leader of the mulatto militia, in *The Birth of a Nation* (1915), a controversial but landmark film.

His career was cut short prematurely by his death at just 39 years old, but his contribution to early American cinema remains significant.