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Fred Niblo

Fred Niblo

Director and actor, also producer and writer · Died November 11, 1948, aged 74 · York, Nebraska, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fred Niblo (January 6, 1874 – November 11, 1948) was an American pioneer film actor, director and producer. Niblo was born Frederick Liedtke (several sources give "Frederico Nobile", apparently erroneously) 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 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 motion picture industry and made his first two films. 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 up with Fairbanks again in The Three Musketeers and then directed Rudolph Valentino in Blood and Sand. In 1924, Niblo directed the film Thy Name Is Woman. In 1925, Niblo was the principal director of the epic Ben-Hur that was one of the most expensive films of the day but became the third highest-grossing silent film in 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. 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 and Renée Adorée in a film titled Redemption. 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. His Ben-Hur film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. Fred Niblo died in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery near his wife Enid Bennett in Glendale, California. His son with Josephine Cohan, Fred Niblo, Jr. (1903–1973) was a successful Hollywood screenwriter.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 6, 1874
Died
November 11, 1948 (aged 74)
From
York, Nebraska, USA
Works as
Director and actor, also producer and writer
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 55 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 16% in 30 days

What are Fred Niblo's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
40%
Bonds
32%
Self
14%
Power
8%
Survival
3%
Society
3%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 1 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Romantic
4
Melancholic
3
Thrilling
2
Joyful
3
Other
7

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Fred Niblo's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Fred Niblo's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

55 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Crazy House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Studio Executive

  • Once Upon a Honeymoon(1942)

    as Ship's Captain (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Life with Henry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mr.Sam Aldrich

  • Ellery Queen, Master Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as John Braun

  • I'm Still Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Fred, Third Director

  • Diamond Cut Diamond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Two White Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • The Big Gamble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Young Donovan's Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Way Out West(1930)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Redemption (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • A Man's Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Fred Niblo (uncredited)

  • Dream of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • The Mysterious Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Two Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • The Enemy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director · Producer

  • The Devil Dancer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Camille (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Demon Thistle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Story

  • The Temptress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ(1925)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Hello, 'Frisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Fred Niblo

  • The Red Lily(1924)

    Director · Original Story · Producer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Thy Name Is Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Strangers of the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Director · Producer

  • The Famous Mrs. Fair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Director

  • Scandalous Tongues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Reverend Charles Alden

  • The Bootlegger's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Reverend Charles Alden

  • Blood and Sand(1922)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Rose o' the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director

  • The Woman He Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director

  • The Three Musketeers(1921)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Greater Than Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director

  • Mother o' Mine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director

  • Silk Hosiery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director

  • The Mark of Zorro(1920)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Her Husband's Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director

  • Hairpins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director

  • The False Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director

  • Sex(1920)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Woman in the Suitcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director

  • Dangerous Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • The Haunted Bedroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • What Every Woman Learns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • Stepping Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • The Virtuous Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • The Law of Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • Partners Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • Happy Though Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • Fuss and Feathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Director

  • When Do We Eat? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Director

  • Coals of Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    as Rev. Charles Alden

  • The Marriage Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Director

  • The Gangsters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)

    Writer

  • Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer · as J. Rufus Wallingford

Career shape

A full career of 55 titles, 54 of them dated from 1913 to 1943.

Highest rated

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)

Midcredits 93rd

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting11 of 55: 10 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting43 of 55: 38 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdWriting4 of 55: 2 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing4 of 55: 0 only producing, 4 with another role

55 titles, 5 with more than one role — directing and acting overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1910s13 · 1 acting · 12 crew1920s30 · 4 acting · 26 crew1930s6 · crew1940s5 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Fred Niblo's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 8 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · director

Sex (1920)

75th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)

Midcredits 93rd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 70/100 and the pacing 54/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Fred Niblo work with?

People who share at least 2 of Fred Niblo's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; William Axt shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors