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The following biography is from the archives of askART.
A painter and etcher, Clifford Silsby was born in New Haven, Connecticut and died in Los Angeles. He studied in Paris at the Academy Julian and the Ecole des Beaux Arts. For many years, he was a special effects artist for motion pictures in Hollywood and New York and lived primarily in California from 1912 to 1962. He was the adopted son of Wilson Silsby.
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The following is from Norm Davies:
There was a copy of Who's Who in American Art Volume 1 565 pages published in 1936, that lists both him and his father Wilson Eugene Silsby. There was also a Thirty-Eighth Annual Report for the year 1945 of "The Scottish Modern Arts Association" 24 pages 8 illustrations that lists Wilson Silsby. It was published by the Edinburgh University Press.
Note: Wilson was listed as William and corrected in his own hand on my copy.
Norm
From the Archives:
Born in New Haven, CT on Aug. 15, 1896. Silsby studied in Paris at Académie Julian, Ecole des Beaux Arts, and with Jules Pagès, Lucien Simon, Royer, Laurens, and Deschenaud. The adopted son of artist Wilson Silsby, he was active in Los Angeles from 1925-62 with the movie studios as a special effects artist. Silsby died in Los Angeles on Nov. 22, 1986. Member: Motion Pictures Artists & Illustrators Society. Exh: Salon d'Automne (Paris), 1923; Calif. PM, 1929, 1930, 1936; GGIE, 1939; LACMA, 1926, 1959; Painters & Sculptors of LA, 1929-43; Oakland Art Gallery, 1935, 1944; San Diego FA Society, 1940; Santa Cruz Art League, 1936; Maxwell Gallery (SF) 1954-62. In: LACMA; Victoria & Albert Museum (London); Evansville (IN) Museum.
Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Southern California Artists (Nancy Moure); American Art Annual 1929-33; Who's Who in American Art 1936-56; Who's Who in California 1942; Interview with the artist or his/her family.