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{{Short description|American film director (1874–1948)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Fred Niblo
| name = Fred Niblo
| image = Fredniblocrop.jpg
| image = Fredniblocrop.jpg
| caption = Fred Niblo, 1926
| caption = Niblo in 1926
| birth_name = Frederick Liedtke
| birth_name = Frederick Liedtke
| birth_date = {{birth date|1874|1|6|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1874|1|6|mf=y}}
Line 11: Line 12:
| occupation = Film director, actor
| occupation = Film director, actor
| years_active = 1916–1932
| years_active = 1916–1932
| restingplace = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]], [[Glendale, California]], United States
| burial_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]], [[Glendale, California]], United States
| spouse = {{plainlist|
| spouse = [[Four Cohans|Josephine Cohan]]<br>(m. 1901–1916) (her death); 1 son <br>[[Enid Bennett]]<br>(m. 1918–1948) (his death); 3 children
* {{marriage|[[Four Cohans|Josephine Cohan]]|1901|1916|end=died}}
* {{marriage|[[Enid Bennett]]|1918|}}
}}
| children = 4, including [[Fred Niblo Jr.]]
| family = [[George M. Cohan]] (brother-in-law)
}}
}}
'''Fred Niblo''' (January 6, 1874 – November 11, 1948) was an American pioneer film actor, director and producer.
'''Fred Niblo''' (born '''Frederick Liedtke'''; January 6, 1874 – November 11, 1948) was an American pioneer film actor, director and producer.


==Biography==
==Biography==
He was born '''Frederick Liedtke''' (several sources give "Frederico Nobile", apparently erroneously<ref name="Room">{{Cite book|author=Adrian Room|title=Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins|edition=fifth|date=1 July 2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-5763-2|pages=348}}</ref>) in [[York, Nebraska|York]], Nebraska, to a [[French people|French]] mother and a father who had served as a [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]] in the [[American Civil War]] and was wounded at the [[Battle of Gettysburg]]. Using the [[stage name]], Fred Niblo, Liedtke began his [[show business]] career performing in [[vaudeville]] and in [[Theatre|live theater]]. After more than twenty years doing live performing as a [[monologist]], during which he traveled extensively around the globe, he worked in [[Australia]] from 1912 through 1915, where he turned to the burgeoning [[Film industry|motion picture industry]] and made his first two films.
He was born '''Frederick Liedtke''' (several sources give "Frederico Nobile", apparently erroneously<ref name="Room">{{Cite book|author=Adrian Room|title=Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionarypseudo00room|url-access=limited|edition=fifth|date=1 July 2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-5763-2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/dictionarypseudo00room/page/n354 348]}}</ref>) in [[York, Nebraska|York]], Nebraska to a French mother and a father who had served as a captain in the [[American Civil War]] and was wounded at the [[Battle of Gettysburg]]. Using the stage name Fred Niblo, Liedtke began his show business career performing in [[vaudeville]] and in [[Theatre|live theater]]. After more than 20 years doing live performing as a [[monologist]], during which he traveled extensively around the globe, he worked in Australia from 1912 through 1915, where he turned to the burgeoning motion picture industry and made his first two films.


On June 2, 1901, Niblo married [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] actress Josephine Cohan, the older sister of [[George M. Cohan]]. He managed the [[Four Cohans]] in their two big successes, ''The Governor's Son'' and ''Running for Office''. From 1904–05, Fred resumed his stage career, appearing as Walter Lee Leonard in ''The Rogers Brothers in Paris'' and then returned to vaudeville.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Briscoe | first = Johnson | year = 1908 | title = The actors' birthday book. An authoritative insight into the lives of the men and women of the stage born between January first and December thirty-first | publisher = Moffat, Yard and Company | location = New York | volume=2ed | pages = 17 | url = https://archive.org/details/actorsbirthdaybo02brisuoft}}</ref>
On June 2, 1901, Niblo married Broadway actress Josephine Cohan, the older sister of [[George M. Cohan]]. He managed the [[Four Cohans]] in their two big successes: ''The Governor's Son'' and ''Running for Office''. From 1904 to 1905, Fred resumed his stage career, appearing as Walter Lee Leonard in ''The Rogers Brothers in Paris'' and then returned to vaudeville.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Briscoe | first = Johnson | year = 1908 | title = The actors' birthday book. An authoritative insight into the lives of the men and women of the stage born between January first and December thirty-first | publisher = Moffat, Yard and Company | location = New York | volume=2ed | page = [https://archive.org/details/actorsbirthdaybo02brisuoft/page/17 17] | url = https://archive.org/details/actorsbirthdaybo02brisuoft}}</ref>


Josephine died young in 1916, the year he began acting and directing motion pictures. While in Australia, he met actress [[Enid Bennett]], whom he would later marry. As a [[Hollywood]] director, he is most remembered for several notable films beginning with his 1920 work ''[[The Mark of Zorro (1920 film)|The Mark of Zorro]]'' which starred [[Douglas Fairbanks]]. The following year he teamed up with Fairbanks again in ''[[The Three Musketeers (1921 film)|The Three Musketeers]]''<ref name=NYT/> and then directed [[Rudolph Valentino]] in ''[[Blood and Sand (1922 film)|Blood and Sand]]''.<ref name=NYT/>
Josephine died in 1916, the year he began acting and directing motion pictures. While in Australia, he met actress [[Enid Bennett]], whom he later married. As a Hollywood director, he is most remembered for several notable films, beginning with his 1920 work ''[[The Mark of Zorro (1920 film)|The Mark of Zorro]]'' which starred [[Douglas Fairbanks]]. The following year he teamed with Fairbanks in ''[[The Three Musketeers (1921 film)|The Three Musketeers]]''<ref name=NYT/> and then directed [[Rudolph Valentino]] in ''[[Blood and Sand (1922 film)|Blood and Sand]]''.<ref name=NYT/>


In 1924, Niblo directed the film ''[[Thy Name Is Woman]].''<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|work=[[New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9907EEDA1539EF32A25757C0A9659C946595D6CF|title=THE SCREEN; Spanish Fascination.|date=March 4, 1924}}</ref>
In 1924, Niblo directed the film ''[[Thy Name Is Woman]].''<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9907EEDA1539EF32A25757C0A9659C946595D6CF|title=THE SCREEN; Spanish Fascination.|date=March 4, 1924}}</ref>


In 1925, Niblo was the principal director of the [[Epic film|epic]] ''[[Ben-Hur (1925 film)|Ben-Hur]]'' that was one of the most expensive films of the day but became the third [[List of highest-grossing films|highest-grossing]] [[silent film]] in [[History of film|cinema history]]. Niblo followed up on this success with two major 1926 works, ''[[The Temptress]]'' starring [[Greta Garbo]] in her second film in America, and [[Norma Talmadge]] in ''[[Camille (1926 feature film)|Camille]]''. Niblo went on to direct some of the greatest stars of the era including [[Joan Crawford]], [[Lillian Gish]], and [[Ronald Colman]]. In 1930 he directed his first [[talkie]] with two of the biggest names in show business, [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]] and [[Renée Adorée]] in a film titled ''[[Redemption (1930 film)|Redemption]]''.
In 1925, Niblo was the principal director of the [[Epic film|epic]] ''[[Ben-Hur (1925 film)|Ben-Hur]]'', one of the more expensive films of the day but became the third [[List of highest-grossing films|highest-grossing]] silent film in cinema history. Niblo followed this success with two major 1926 works: ''[[The Temptress]]'' starring [[Greta Garbo]] in her second film in America and [[Norma Talmadge]] in ''[[Camille (1926 feature film)|Camille]]''. Niblo directed some of the great stars of the era, including [[Joan Crawford]], [[Lillian Gish]], and [[Ronald Colman]]. In 1930, he directed his first sound film with two of the bigger names in show business: [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]] and [[Renée Adorée]] in a film titled ''[[Redemption (1930 film)|Redemption]]''.


Niblo and Bennett commissioned architect [[Wallace Neff]] to design their house on Angelo Drive, which they named [[Misty Mountain]]. It was completed in 1926 and sold by Niblo to [[Jules C. Stein]] in 1940 after a decline in his fortunes.<ref name=VarietyMar15>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2015/dirt/real-estalker/rupert-murdoch-sells-bevhills-estate-to-son-james-1201448811/|title=Rupert Murdoch Sells BevHills Estate to Son James|date=20 March 2015|author=Mark David|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=28 August 2019}}</ref>
⚫
Fred Niblo retired in 1933 after more than forty years in show business. The last sixteen years were used to make more than forty films, most of which were feature length projects. He was an important personality in the early years of Hollywood and was one of the original founders of the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]. In recognition of his role in the development of the film industry, he received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 7014 [[Hollywood Boulevard]] on February 8, 1960.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/fred-niblo|title=Fred Niblo {{!}} Hollywood Walk of Fame|website=www.walkoffame.com|access-date=2016-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/fred-niblo/|title=Fred Niblo|website=latimes.com|access-date=2016-06-28}}</ref> His ''Ben-Hur'' film has been selected for [[Film preservation|preservation]] in the United States [[National Film Registry]].


Actress [[Marion Shilling]], who worked with Niblo on ''[[Young Donovan's Kid]]'', said, "One of the reasons for his success as a director, certainly, was that he had been an actor himself. He could empathize, see and feel a scene from an actor's viewpoint. He never talked down to us. He was a lovely human being."<ref>Ankerich, Michael G. The Sound of Silence: Conversations with 16 Film and Stage Personalities. McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, NC: 1998. p. 207.</ref>
⚫
Fred Niblo died in [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], Louisiana, and is interred in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]] near his wife Enid Bennett in [[Glendale, California|Glendale]], California. His son with Josephine Cohan, '''[[Fred Niblo, Jr.]]''' (1903–1973) was a successful Hollywood screenwriter.


⚫
Niblo retired in 1933 after more than 40 years in show business. The last 16 years were used to make more than 40 films, most of which were feature-length projects. He was an important personality in the early years of Hollywood and was one of the original founders of the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].<ref>{{cite book|title=501 Movie Directors|editor-first=Steven Jay|editor-last=Schneider|publisher=Cassell Illustrated|location=London|year=2007|page=15|isbn=9781844035731|oclc=1347156402}}</ref> In recognition of his role in the development of the film industry, he received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 7014 Hollywood Boulevard on February 8, 1960.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/fred-niblo|title=Fred Niblo {{!}} Hollywood Walk of Fame|website=www.walkoffame.com|access-date=2016-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/fred-niblo/|title=Fred Niblo|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=2016-06-28}}</ref> His ''Ben-Hur'' film has been selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]].
Niblo has three children with Enid Bennett.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.silentsaregolden.com/articles/frednibloarticle.html|title=Fred Niblo|website=Silentsaregolden.com|access-date=2016-06-28}}</ref>

⚫
Niblo died in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is interred in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]] near his wife, Enid Bennett, with whom he had three children, in [[Glendale, California]]. His son with Josephine Cohan, [[Fred Niblo, Jr.]] (1903–1973), was an [[4th Academy Awards|Academy Award]]-nominated screenwriter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.silentsaregolden.com/articles/frednibloarticle.html|title=Fred Niblo|website=Silentsaregolden.com|access-date=2016-06-28}}</ref>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
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|-
|-
| 1918
| 1918
| ''[[The Marriage Ring]]
| ''[[The Marriage Ring]]''
|
|
|-
|-
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|-
| 1919
| 1919
| ''[[The Law of Men]]''
| ''[[The Law of Men (1919 film)|The Law of Men]]''
|
|
|-
|-
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|-
| 1920
| 1920
| ''[[Sex (film)|Sex]]''
| ''[[Sex (1920 film)|Sex]]''
|
|
|-
|-
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|-
|-
| 1921
| 1921
| ''[[Mother o' Mine]]''
| ''[[Mother o' Mine (1921 film)|Mother o' Mine]]''
|
|
|-
|-
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|-
| 1932
| 1932
| ''[[Two White Arms]]''
| ''[[Two White Arms]]'' aka ''Wives Beware''
|
|
|-
|-
| 1932
| 1932
| ''[[Diamond Cut Diamond (film)|Diamond Cut Diamond]]''
| ''[[Diamond Cut Diamond (film)|Diamond Cut Diamond]]'' aka ''Blame the Woman''
|
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|-
|}
|}


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==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
*{{commons category-inline}}
*{{wikisource author-inline}}
*{{IMDb name|0629243}}
*{{IMDb name|0629243}}
*[http://www.yorklib.org/niblo.html Fred Niblo page at York, Nebraska's public library]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060212233117/http://yorklib.org/niblo.html Fred Niblo page at York, Nebraska's public library]
*{{Find a Grave|13019}}
*{{Find a Grave|13019}}
*[http://www.virtual-history.com/movie/person/2763/fred-niblo Fred Niblo] at Virtual History
*[http://www.virtual-history.com/movie/person/2763/fred-niblo Fred Niblo] at Virtual History
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[[Category:American male silent film actors]]
[[Category:American male silent film actors]]
[[Category:American film producers]]
[[Category:American film producers]]
[[Category:American film directors]]
[[Category:American vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:Vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:Male actors from Nebraska]]
[[Category:Male actors from Nebraska]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)]]
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[[Category:American people of French descent]]
[[Category:American people of French descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Nebraska]]

Latest revision as of 04:42, 11 August 2024

Fred Niblo
Niblo in 1926
Born
Frederick Liedtke

(1874-01-06)January 6, 1874
York, Nebraska, United States
DiedNovember 11, 1948(1948-11-11) (aged 74)
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Burial placeForest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California, United States
Occupation(s)Film director, actor
Years active1916–1932
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1901; died 1916)​
​
(m. 1918)​
Children4, including Fred Niblo Jr.
FamilyGeorge M. Cohan (brother-in-law)

Fred Niblo (born Frederick Liedtke; January 6, 1874 – November 11, 1948) was an American pioneer film actor, director and producer.

Biography

[edit]

He was born Frederick Liedtke (several sources give "Frederico Nobile", apparently erroneously[1]) in York, Nebraska to a French mother and a father who had served as a captain in the American Civil War and was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. Using the stage name Fred Niblo, Liedtke began his show business career performing in vaudeville and in live theater. After more than 20 years doing live performing as a monologist, during which he traveled extensively around the globe, he worked in Australia from 1912 through 1915, where he turned to the burgeoning motion picture industry and made his first two films.

On June 2, 1901, Niblo married Broadway actress Josephine Cohan, the older sister of George M. Cohan. He managed the Four Cohans in their two big successes: The Governor's Son and Running for Office. From 1904 to 1905, Fred resumed his stage career, appearing as Walter Lee Leonard in The Rogers Brothers in Paris and then returned to vaudeville.[2]

Josephine died in 1916, the year he began acting and directing motion pictures. While in Australia, he met actress Enid Bennett, whom he later married. As a Hollywood director, he is most remembered for several notable films, beginning with his 1920 work The Mark of Zorro which starred Douglas Fairbanks. The following year he teamed with Fairbanks in The Three Musketeers[3] and then directed Rudolph Valentino in Blood and Sand.[3]

In 1924, Niblo directed the film Thy Name Is Woman.[3]

In 1925, Niblo was the principal director of the epic Ben-Hur, one of the more expensive films of the day but became the third highest-grossing silent film in cinema history. Niblo followed this success with two major 1926 works: The Temptress starring Greta Garbo in her second film in America and Norma Talmadge in Camille. Niblo directed some of the great stars of the era, including Joan Crawford, Lillian Gish, and Ronald Colman. In 1930, he directed his first sound film with two of the bigger names in show business: John Gilbert and Renée Adorée in a film titled Redemption.

Niblo and Bennett commissioned architect Wallace Neff to design their house on Angelo Drive, which they named Misty Mountain. It was completed in 1926 and sold by Niblo to Jules C. Stein in 1940 after a decline in his fortunes.[4]

Actress Marion Shilling, who worked with Niblo on Young Donovan's Kid, said, "One of the reasons for his success as a director, certainly, was that he had been an actor himself. He could empathize, see and feel a scene from an actor's viewpoint. He never talked down to us. He was a lovely human being."[5]

Niblo retired in 1933 after more than 40 years in show business. The last 16 years were used to make more than 40 films, most of which were feature-length projects. He was an important personality in the early years of Hollywood and was one of the original founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[6] In recognition of his role in the development of the film industry, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7014 Hollywood Boulevard on February 8, 1960.[7][8] His Ben-Hur film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Niblo died in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery near his wife, Enid Bennett, with whom he had three children, in Glendale, California. His son with Josephine Cohan, Fred Niblo, Jr. (1903–1973), was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter.[9]

Filmography

[edit]
Film posters
The Mark of Zorro (1920)
Blood and Sand (1922)
Ben-Hur (1925)
Year Title Role
1916 Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford J. Rufus Wallingford
1916 Officer 666 Travers Gladwin
1918 The Marriage Ring
1918 When Do We Eat?
1918 Fuss and Feathers
1919 Happy Though Married
1919 Partners Three
1919 The Law of Men
1919 The Haunted Bedroom
1919 The Virtuous Thief
1919 Stepping Out
1919 What Every Woman Learns
1919 Dangerous Hours
1920 The Woman in the Suitcase
1920 Sex
1920 The False Road
1920 Hairpins
1920 Her Husband's Friend
1920 The Mark of Zorro
1920 Silk Hosiery
1921 Mother o' Mine
1921 Greater Than Love
1921 The Three Musketeers
1922 The Woman He Married
1922 Rose o' the Sea
1922 Blood and Sand
1923 The Famous Mrs. Fair
1923 Strangers of the Night
1924 Thy Name Is Woman
1924 The Red Lily
1925 Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1926 The Temptress
1926 Camille
1927 The Devil Dancer
1927 The Enemy
1928 Two Lovers
1928 The Mysterious Lady
1928 Dream of Love
1930 Redemption
1930 Way Out West
1931 Young Donovan's Kid
1931 The Big Gamble
1932 Two White Arms aka Wives Beware
1932 Diamond Cut Diamond aka Blame the Woman

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Adrian Room (July 1, 2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins (fifth ed.). McFarland. pp. 348. ISBN 978-0-7864-5763-2.
  2. ^ Briscoe, Johnson (1908). The actors' birthday book. An authoritative insight into the lives of the men and women of the stage born between January first and December thirty-first. Vol. 2ed. New York: Moffat, Yard and Company. p. 17.
  3. ^ a b c "THE SCREEN; Spanish Fascination". The New York Times. March 4, 1924.
  4. ^ Mark David (March 20, 2015). "Rupert Murdoch Sells BevHills Estate to Son James". Variety. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  5. ^ Ankerich, Michael G. The Sound of Silence: Conversations with 16 Film and Stage Personalities. McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, NC: 1998. p. 207.
  6. ^ Schneider, Steven Jay, ed. (2007). 501 Movie Directors. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 15. ISBN 9781844035731. OCLC 1347156402.
  7. ^ "Fred Niblo | Hollywood Walk of Fame". www.walkoffame.com. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  8. ^ "Fred Niblo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  9. ^ "Fred Niblo". Silentsaregolden.com. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
[edit]
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