William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

director,

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, ...

, and

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye".

Biography

Nigh was born Emil Kreuske''Silent Film Necrology'', p. 393 2nd edition c.2001 by Eugene Michael Vazzana in Berlin, Wisconsin. He began his film career as an actor, appearing in 17 films in 1913 and 1914; he also directed one of these, '' Salomy Jane''. He acted in eight more films in the 1910s and two more in the 1920s, but he is known mainly as a director, and an extremely prolific one at that, with a total output of 119 films, the last in 1948. Most of his directorial output was in the "B"-movie category, and he worked mainly for lower-rung studios such as Monogram Pictures (where he directed several "Charlie Chan" and " East Side Kids" films) and

Producers Releasing Corporation Producers Releasing Corporation was the smallest and least prestigious of the Hollywood film studios of the 1940s. It was considered a prime example of what was called "Poverty Row": a low-rent stretch of Gower Street in Hollywood where shoestr ...

, although he did occasionally work for such "majors" as RKO Pictures and such "mini-majors" and "minors" as

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

and Republic Pictures. 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 ''Mr. Wong, Detective'' is a 1938 American crime film directed by William Nigh and starring Boris Karloff in his first appearance as Mr. Wong.Stephen Jacobs, ''Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster'', Tomahawk Press 2011 p. 223-224 Plot Simon Da ...

'', '' The Mystery of Mr. Wong'', '' Mr. Wong in Chinatown'', '' Lady from Chungking'', '' The Fatal Hour'', '' The Ape'', ''

Doomed to Die ''Doomed to Die'' is a 1940 American mystery film directed by William Nigh and starring Boris Karloff as Mr. Wong with Marjorie Reynolds and Grant Withers. It is a sequel to the 1940 film, '' The Fatal Hour'',Stephen Jacobs, ''Boris Karloff: Mor ...

'', '' Lord Byron of Broadway'', and '' Casey of the Coast Guard''. Nigh died in Burbank, California at the age of 74.

Partial filmography

Director

* '' Salomy Jane'' (1914) * '' Mignon'' (1915) * '' A Royal Family'' (1915) * '' Emmy of Stork's Nest'' (1915) * '' A Yellow Streak'' (1915) * '' Her Debt of Honor'' (1916) * '' The Kiss of Hate'' (1916) * '' The Child of Destiny'' (1916) * '' Notorious Gallagher'' (1916) * '' Life's Shadows'' (1916) * '' The Blue Streak'' (1917) * '' The Slave'' (1917) * '' Wife Number Two'' (1917) * '' Thou Shalt Not Steal'' (1917) * '' My Four Years in Germany'' (1918) * '' The Fighting Roosevelts'' (1919) * '' Beware!'' (1919) * '' School Days'' (1921) * '' Skinning Skinners'' (1921) * '' Why Girls Leave Home'' (1921) * '' Notoriety'' (1922) * '' Your Best Friend'' (1922) * ''

Marriage Morals ''Marriage Morals'' is a 1923 American silent romantic drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Tom Moore, Ann Forrest and Harry T. Morey.Munden p.494 Cast * Tom Moore as Young Harry Ryan * Ann Forrest as Mary Gardner * Russell Gr ...

'' (1923) * '' Born Rich'' (1924) * ''

Fear-Bound ''Fear-Bound'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by William Nigh and starring Marjorie Daw, William Nigh, and Niles Welch Niles Eugene Welch (July 29, 1888 – November 21, 1976) was an American performer on Broadway, an ...

'' (1925) * '' Casey of the Coast Guard'' (1926) * '' The Fire Brigade'' (1926) * '' The Little Giant'' (1926) * '' The Nest'' (1927) * '' Mr. Wu'' (1927) * ''

Across to Singapore ''Across to Singapore'' is a 1928 American silent film, silent romance film, romantic drama film directed by William Nigh, and starring Ramon Novarro, Joan Crawford and Ernest Torrence. The plot involves a love triangle between a woman and two ...

'' (1928) * '' Four Walls'' (1928) * ''

The Law of the Range ''The Law of the Range'' is a 1928 American silent Western film starring Tim McCoy and Joan Crawford and Rex Lease. Plot Betty Dallas (Crawford) is a passenger on a stagecoach that is held up by an outlaw named The Solitaire Kid (Lease). Rang ...

'' (1928) * ''

Desert Nights ''Desert Nights'' (also known as ''Thirst'') is a 1929 American silent adventure/romantic drama film starring John Gilbert, Ernest Torrence, and Mary Nolan. Directed by William Nigh, the film is the last silent film starring John Gilbert. Plo ...

'' (1929) * '' Lord Byron of Broadway'' (1930) * '' Today'' (1930) * '' Fighting Thru'' (1930) * '' The Single Sin'' (1931) * '' The Lightning Flyer'' (1931) * ''

Border Devils ''Border Devils'' is a 1932 American Western (genre), Western film directed by William Nigh and starring Harry Carey (actor), Harry Carey, Kathleen Collins (actress), Kathleen Collins, and Gabby Hayes. The film is Collins's last role and her onl ...

'' (1932) * ''

Men Are Such Fools ''Men are Such Fools'' is a 1938 American romantic comedy directed by Busby Berkeley and written by Norman Reilly Raine and Horace Jackson. The film stars Wayne Morris, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart, Hugh Herbert, Johnnie Davis, and Penny Si ...

'' (1932) * '' He Couldn't Take It'' (1933) * '' City Limits'' (1934) * '' Mystery Liner'' (1934) * ''

Two Heads on a Pillow ''Two Heads on a Pillow'' is a 1934 American romance film directed by William Nigh and written by Albert DeMond. The film stars Neil Hamilton, Miriam Jordan, Henry Armetta, Hardie Albright, Dorothy Appleby and Mary Forbes. The film was released o ...

'' (1934) *''

Once to Every Bachelor ''Once to Every Bachelor'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Marian Nixon, Neil Hamilton and William Austin.Goble p.895 Synopsis In order to avoid her connection to the murder of a gangster and his desire to av ...

'' (1934) * '' School for Girls'' (1935) * ''

The Headline Woman ''The Headline Woman'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by William Nigh and starring Heather Angel and Ford Sterling. The film is also known as ''The Woman in the Case'' in the United Kingdom. Cast * Heather Angel as Myrna Van Buren * ...

'' (1935) * ''

Without Children ''Without Children'', also known as ''Penthouse Party'', is a 1935 American drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Marguerite Churchill, Bruce Cabot and Evelyn Brent.Pitts p.222 Cast * Marguerite Churchill as Sue Cole * Bruce Cabot as ...

'' (1935) * '' She Gets Her Man'' (1935) * '' Bill Cracks Down'' (1937) * '' The 13th Man'' (1937) * '' Boy of the Streets'' (1937) * ''

A Bride for Henry ''A Bride for Henry'' is a 1937 American film directed by William Nigh based on the Josephine Bentham short story of the same name that was published in Liberty Magazine. Authors such as James Cox and Kylo-Patrick Hart have cited ''A Bride for H ...

'' (1937) * '' Rose of the Rio Grande'' (1938) * '' Female Fugitive'' (1938) * ''

Romance of the Limberlost ''Romance of the Limberlost'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Jean Parker, Eric Linden, and Marjorie Main. Plot Laurie is reprimanded by her Aunt Nora and Chris being beaten by his adopted father Corson. ...

'' (1938) * ''

'' (1938) * '' Gangster's Boy'' (1938) * ''

I Am a Criminal ''I Am a Criminal'' is a 1938 American crime film directed by William Nigh and written by John W. Krafft. The film stars John Carroll, Kay Linaker, Craig Reynolds, Martin Spellman, Lester Matthews and Mary Kornman. The film was released on Dece ...

'' (1938) * '' The Mystery of Mr. Wong'' (1939) * '' Streets of New York'' (1939) * '' Mr. Wong in Chinatown'' (1939) * '' Mutiny in the Big House'' (1939) * '' The Fatal Hour'' (1940) * ''

'' (1940) * '' The Ape'' (1940) * '' Son of the Navy'' (1940) * '' No Greater Sin'' (1941) * '' The Kid from Kansas'' (1941) * '' Secret Evidence'' (1941) * '' Zis Boom Bah'' (1941) * '' Mob Town'' (1941) * '' Mr. Wise Guy'' (1942) * '' Black Dragons'' (1942) * ''

Escape from Hong Kong ''Escape from Hong Kong '' is a 1942 American comedy film. Plot Valerie Hale (Marjorie Lord) is a double agent working for the British, with information on a secret plan for the Allies to help Chiang Kai-shek repel the Axis powers from Hong K ...

'' (1942) * '' Tough As They Come'' (1942) * '' City of Silent Men'' (1942) * '' Lady from Chungking'' (1942) * ''

The Strange Case of Doctor Rx ''The Strange Case of Doctor Rx'' is a 1942 black-and-white murder mystery/ horror B film by Universal Studios directed by William Nigh and starring Patric Knowles, Lionel Atwill, Anne Gwynne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Samuel S. Hinds. Although ...

'' (1942) * '' Corregidor'' (1943) * '' The Underdog'' (1943) * ''

Where Are Your Children? ''Where Are Your Children?'' is a 1943 American crime film directed by William Nigh and written by Hilary Lynn and George Wallace Sayre. The film stars Jackie Cooper, Gale Storm, Patricia Morison, John Litel, Gertrude Michael and Anthony Warde. ...

'' (1943) * '' Trocadero'' (1944) * ''

Are These Our Parents? ''Are These Our Parents?'' is a 1944 American romantic drama film directed by William Nigh. It stars Helen Vinson, Lyle Talbot, Ivan Lebedeff. Plot A mother's preference for partying, boozing, and running around with an assortment of sleazy ch ...

'' (1944) * ''

Divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving th ...

'' (1945) * ''

Allotment Wives ''Allotment Wives'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by William Nigh and starring Kay Francis. Its plot is about an army investigator who tries to shut down a scam that preys on soldiers, and unknowingly falls in love with the woman behind i ...

'' (1945) * '' Forever Yours'' (1945) * '' Beauty and the Bandit'' (1946) * '' Partners in Time'' (1946) * '' South of Monterey'' (1946) * '' The Gay Cavalier'' (1946) * ''

Riding the California Trail ''Riding the California Trail'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by William Nigh and written by Clarence Upson Young. The film stars Gilbert Roland as the Cisco Kid, Martin Garralaga, Frank Yaconelli, Teala Loring, Inez Cooper and Te ...

'' (1947) * ''

I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes ''I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes'' is a 1948 American film noir directed by William Nigh, starring Don Castle and Elyse Knox.. It was based on a novel of the same name by Cornell Woolrich with a screenplay by fellow pulp writer Steve Fisher. Plot ...

'' (1948) * '' Stage Struck'' (1948)

Actor

* '' Mary Magdalene'' (1914) * '' Salomy Jane'' (1914) - Rufe Waters * ''A Royal Family'' (1915) - Minister of Police * ''Her Debt of Honor'' (1916) - Olin Varcoe * ''Notorious Gallagher; or, His Great Triumph'' (1916) - Buttsy Gallagher * ''Life's Shadows'' (1916) - Martin Bradley * ''The Blue Streak'' (1917) - The Blue Streak * '' My Four Years in Germany'' (1918) - Socialist * ''

The Rainbow Trail ''The Rainbow Trail'', also known as ''The Desert Crucible'', is Western author Zane Grey's sequel to ''Riders of the Purple Sage''. Originally published under the title ''The Rainbow Trail'' in 1915, it was re-edited and re-released in recent ...

'' (1918) - Shad * '' Beware!'' (1919) - German Officer * ''Democracy: The Vision Restored'' (1920) - David Fortune * ''Among the Missing'' (1923) - The Deserter * ''

'' (1925) - Jim Tumble (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nigh, William 1881 births 1955 deaths People from Berlin, Wisconsin Male actors from Wisconsin American film directors 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)