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Fred C. Newmeyer

Director

Fred C. Newmeyer

Born August 8, 1888 in Central City, Colorado, USADied April 24, 196751 films

A native of Central City, Colorado, Newmeyer is best known for directing a handful of films in the Our Gang series and for directing several Harold Lloyd movies. With Sam Taylor, Newmeyer co-directed Lloyd in films including Safety Last! (1923), Girl Shy (1924), and The Freshman (1925). Newmeyer also had an extensive directing and acting resume in other comedy short films. He appeared as an actor in 71 films between 1914 and 1923.

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Prior to his film career, Newmeyer played professional baseball. Partial statistics exist for his time as a left-handed pitcher in Minor League Baseball at the Class D level from 1911 to 1913 in the Southwest Texas League, Michigan State League, and Central Association.[6] He made at least 66 appearances and was the winning pitcher of at least 26 games.

Newmeyer was the original director of the first short in the Our Gang series, also titled Our Gang; his version tested poorly, and producer Hal Roach scrapped most of the footage and remade the short with Robert McGowan as the director. Newmeyer, after directing numerous other shorts at Roach, returned to the Our Gang series in 1936 to direct The Pinch Singer, Arbor Day, Mail and Female and the feature film General Spanky.

Newmeyer and his wife, Berna, had a son, Fred W. After his film career, Newmeyer worked with the athletic department of University High School in Los Angeles. Newmeyer died on April 24, 1967, in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 78.

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The best way into Fred C. Newmeyer's work
Safety Last! posterFirst watchSafety Last!19237.7When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Freshman poster7.0The Freshman1925Girl Shy poster6.9Girl Shy1924Never Weaken poster6.9Never Weaken1921Grandma's Boy poster6.4Grandma's Boy1922

Filmography

51 films as director
  1. 2022The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 5Director
  2. 1942Rodeo RhythmDirector
  3. 1937Mail and FemaleDirector
  4. 1936General SpankyDirector
  5. 1936Arbor DayDirector
  6. 1936The Pinch SingerDirector
  7. 1935A Scream in the NightDirector
  8. 1935Secrets of ChinatownDirector
  9. 1934No RansomDirector
  10. 1934Lost In The LegionDirector
  11. 1934The Big RaceDirector
  12. 1934The MothDirector
  13. 1932The Gambling SexDirector
  14. 1932The Fighting GentlemanDirector
  15. 1932The Night RiderDirector
  16. 1932They Never Come BackDirector
  17. 1932Discarded LoversDirector
  18. 1931Subway ExpressDirector
  19. 1930Fast and LooseDirector
  20. 1930Queen HighDirector
  21. 1930The Grand ParadeDirector
  22. 1929Sailor's HolidayDirector
  23. 1929Rainbow ManDirector
  24. 1929It Can Be DoneDirector
  25. 1928The Night BirdDirector
  26. 1928Warming UpDirector
  27. 1927That's My DaddyDirector
  28. 1927On Your Toes!Director
  29. 1927Too Many CrooksDirector
  30. 1927The PottersDirector
  31. 1927The Lunatic at LargeDirector
  32. 1926The QuarterbackDirector
  33. 1926The SavageDirector
  34. 1925The Perfect ClownDirector
  35. 1925Seven Keys to BaldpateDirector
  36. 1925The FreshmanDirector
  37. 1924Hot WaterDirector
  38. 1924Girl ShyDirector
  39. 1923Why Worry?Director
  40. 1923Safety Last!Director
  41. 1922Dr. JackDirector
  42. 1922Grandma's BoyDirector
  43. 1921A Sailor-Made ManDirector
  44. 1921Never WeakenDirector
  45. 1921Among Those PresentDirector
  46. 1921Now or NeverDirector
  47. 1920Alias AladdinDirector
  48. 1920Money to BurnDirector
  49. 1920Merely a MaidDirector
  50. 1920Raise the RentDirector
  51. 1920All Lit UpDirector