Fred Niblo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fred Niblo
Niblo in 1926
Born	Frederick Liedtke (1874-01-06)January 6, 1874 York, Nebraska, United States
Died	November 11, 1948(1948-11-11) (aged 74) New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Burial place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California, United States
Occupation	Film director, actor
Years active	1916–1932
Spouse(s)	Josephine Cohan ​ ​ (m. 1901; died 1916)​ Enid Bennett ​ (m. 1918)​
Children	4, including Fred Niblo Jr.
Family	George M. Cohan (brother-in-law)

Fred Niblo (born Frederick Liedtke) was an important American film director, actor, and producer. He was a pioneer in early Hollywood movies. He was born on January 6, 1874, and passed away on November 11, 1948.

Life and Career

Fred Niblo was born Frederick Liedtke in York, Nebraska. His mother was French, and his father was a captain in the American Civil War. His father was even wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Early Show Business

Fred started his career in show business using the stage name Fred Niblo. He performed in vaudeville, which was a popular type of entertainment with different acts like singers, comedians, and dancers. He also acted in live plays. For over 20 years, he traveled all around the world as a monologist, which means he performed solo acts where he talked or told stories.

From 1912 to 1915, Fred worked in Australia. There, he became interested in the growing movie industry. He made his first two films during this time.

Family Life

On June 2, 1901, Fred married Josephine Cohan, a Broadway actress. She was the older sister of the famous entertainer George M. Cohan. Fred even helped manage Josephine's family act, the Four Cohans, in their successful shows.

Sadly, Josephine passed away in 1916. This was the same year Fred started acting and directing in movies. While he was in Australia, he met another actress named Enid Bennett. They later got married.

Directing Famous Films

Fred Niblo became well-known as a Hollywood director. He directed many important films. One of his first big movies was The Mark of Zorro in 1920. It starred the famous actor Douglas Fairbanks.

The next year, he worked with Douglas Fairbanks again on The Three Musketeers. Then, he directed Rudolph Valentino in the movie Blood and Sand.

In 1925, Fred Niblo was the main director for the huge movie Ben-Hur. This film was very expensive to make for its time. However, it became one of the highest-earning silent films ever!

After Ben-Hur, he directed two more big movies in 1926. These were The Temptress, starring Greta Garbo, and Camille, starring Norma Talmadge. Fred Niblo directed many of the biggest stars of his time, including Joan Crawford, Lillian Gish, and Ronald Colman.

Transition to Sound Films

In 1930, Fred Niblo directed his first "talkie," which was a movie with sound. It was called Redemption and starred John Gilbert and Renée Adorée.

Later Years and Legacy

Fred Niblo and his wife, Enid Bennett, had a beautiful house called Misty Mountain. It was designed by a famous architect named Wallace Neff and finished in 1926.

Actress Marion Shilling worked with Fred Niblo on a movie. She said that he was a great director because he had been an actor himself. This helped him understand how actors felt and what they needed. She called him "a lovely human being."

Fred Niblo stopped working in show business in 1933. He had been in the entertainment industry for over 40 years! In his last 16 years, he made more than 40 films.

He was a very important person in the early days of Hollywood. He was also one of the people who helped start the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Academy Awards (Oscars).

Fred Niblo has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to honor his contributions to movies. His film Ben-Hur was chosen to be kept in the United States National Film Registry. This means it's considered a very important film.

Fred Niblo passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, next to his wife, Enid Bennett. They had three children together. His son with Josephine Cohan, Fred Niblo, Jr., became a screenwriter who was nominated for an Academy Award.

Filmography

Film posters

The Mark of Zorro (1920)

Blood and Sand (1922)

Ben-Hur (1925)

See also

In Spanish: Fred Niblo para niños