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William Nigh

William Nigh

Director and writer, also producer · Died November 27, 1955, aged 74 · Berlin, Wisconsin, USA

William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American film director, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye". He was born in Berlin, Wisconsin. His film career began with acting in 17 films in 1913 and 1914; he also directed one of these, Salomy Jane. He acted in 8 more films in the 1910s and two more in the 1920s, but directed a total of 119 films, the last in 1948. His film-writing credits numbered 18, mostly concentrated early in his career. His films included Mr. Wise Guy, Thunder, Black Dragons, Corregidor, Mr. Wong, Detective, The Mystery of Mr. Wong, Mr. Wong in Chinatown, Lady from Chungking, The Fatal Hour, The Ape, Doomed to Die, Lord Byron of Broadway, and Casey of the Coast Guard. He died in Burbank, California at the age of 74. Description above from the Wikipedia article William Nigh, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 12, 1881
Died
November 27, 1955 (aged 74)
From
Berlin, Wisconsin, USA
Works as
Director and writer, also producer
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 118 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What are William Nigh's films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
45%
Bonds
26%
Power
11%
Self
7%
Society
5%
Survival
4%
Ideas
2%
Justice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 26 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 15 · Serious 6 · Dark 5

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 15 · Intense 2

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

Steady 15 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 1

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 13 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 16 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Melancholic
10
Thrilling
9
Hopeful
6
Joyful
4
Other
18

How their films linger

Fun13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

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 William Nigh's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William Nigh'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

118 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page.

  • Stage Struck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Director

  • I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Riding the California Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Director

  • Beauty and the Bandit(1946)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • South of Monterey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • Partners in Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • The Gay Cavalier(1946)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Allotment Wives(1945)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Divorce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director

  • Forever Yours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Are These Our Parents? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Director

  • Trocadero(1944)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Where Are Your Children? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • The Underdog(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Ghost and the Guest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Corregidor(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Lady from Chungking(1942)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • City of Silent Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Tough as They Come (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Escape from Hong Kong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Black Dragons(1942)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Wise Guy(1942)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Zis Boom Bah(1941)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Mob Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • The Kid from Kansas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • No Greater Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • Secret Evidence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • The Ape(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Doomed to Die(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Son of the Navy(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Fatal Hour(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mutiny in the Big House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Mr. Wong in Chinatown(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Streets of New York(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Mystery of Mr. Wong(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • I Am a Criminal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Gangster's Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Mr. Wong, Detective(1938)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Romance of the Limberlost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Female Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Rose of the Rio Grande(1938)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Boy of the Streets(1937)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • A Bride for Henry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Atlantic Flight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Hoosier Schoolboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • The 13th Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • The Law Commands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Bill Cracks Down(1937)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • North of Nome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Crash Donovan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Don’t Get Personal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • The Old Homestead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • His Night Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • She Gets Her Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Dizzy Dames (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • The Headline Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Without Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Sweepstake Annie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • The Mysterious Mr. Wong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Two Heads on a Pillow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Once to Every Bachelor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Monte Carlo Nights(1934)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • City Limits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • House of Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • School for Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Mystery Liner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • He Couldn't Take It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Men Are Such Fools (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Border Devils (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Without Honor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • The Sea Ghost(1931)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Lightning Flyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • The Single Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Fighting Thru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

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

    Director

  • Lord Byron of Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Thunder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director

  • Desert Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director · Producer

  • Four Walls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Across to Singapore(1928)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Law of the Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Mr. Wu(1927)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Fire Brigade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Casey of the Coast Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • The Little Giant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Born Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Marriage Morals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Director · Writer

  • Notoriety (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director · Writer

  • Rags to Riches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Writer

  • Your Best Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director · Writer

  • School Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Story · Writer

  • Why Girls Leave Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Writer

  • The Soul of Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · as David Fortune

  • Skinning Skinners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director

  • Democracy: The Vision Restored (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director · as David Fortune

  • Beware! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director · as German Officer

  • The Fighting Roosevelts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Director

  • Kaiser's Finish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Editor

  • The Rainbow Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    as Shad

  • My Four Years in Germany (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Director · Writer · as Socialist

  • Thou Shalt Not Steal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Director

  • Wife Number Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Director · Scenario Writer · Screenplay

  • The Slave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Director · Scenario Writer · Screenplay

  • The Blue Streak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Director · Writer · as The Blue Streak

  • Life's Shadows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Director · Writer · as Martin Bradley

  • The Child of Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Director · Writer

  • Notorious Gallagher; or, His Great Triumph (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Director · Scenario Writer · as Buttsy Gallagher

  • The Kiss of Hate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Director

  • Her Debt of Honor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Director · Scenario Writer · as Olin Varcoe

  • A Yellow Streak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    Director · Writer

  • Emmy of Stork's Nest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    Director

  • A Royal Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    Director · as Minister of Police

  • Story of Jewel City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    Director

  • Salomy Jane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    Director · as Rufe Waters

  • The Star Boarder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    as Boarder (uncredited)

  • The Waiters' Picnic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)

    as The Head Waiter

  • The Nest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 118 titles, 117 of them dated from 1913 to 1948.

Highest rated

Across to Singapore (1928)

Midcredits 60th

Most popular right now

I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (1948)

Film career

  • 1914Screen debut· The Star Boarder

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting13 of 118: 3 only acting, 10 with another roleDirecting113 of 118: 88 only directing, 25 with another role · typical Midcredits score28thWriting18 of 118: 1 only writing, 17 with another roleProducing4 of 118: 0 only producing, 4 with another roleEditing1 of 118: 1 only editing, 0 with another role

118 titles, 25 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 17 of them.

By decade

1910s21 · 11 acting · 18 crew1920s19 · 2 acting · 19 crew1930s45 · crew1940s32 · crew

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 William Nigh's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 28th percentile, the median of all 26; across their 26 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 35th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Approval · how many liked their films

22ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Reach · how many have seen their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 26 titles are Mixed.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · director

Rose of the Rio Grande (1938)

84th percentile spread · 63% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

Across to Singapore (1928)

Midcredits 60th · 56% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 52/100 and the pacing 45/100 in their films, across 23 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 William Nigh work with?

People who share at least 2 of William Nigh's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harry Neumann shares the most, 11.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers