Fred Fishback

Fred C. Fishback (born Moscu Fischback; January 18, 1894 – January 6, 1925) was a film director, actor, screenwriter, and producer of the silent era. Following the 1921 scandal surrounding Roscoe Arbuckle, in which he was involved, Fishback worked mostly under the pseudonym Fred Hibbard.

Fred Fishback
Fred Fishback (left) and Edith Roberts in 1919
Born
Moscu Fischback

(1894-01-18)January 18, 1894
Bucharest, Romania
DiedJanuary 6, 1925(1925-01-06) (aged 30)
Los Angeles, US
Other namesFred Hibbard
OccupationDirector, actor, screenwriter, producer
Years active1912–1925
Spouse(s)Ethel Lynne (married 1919–1925)[1]:563

Biography

Fred Fishback was born Moscu Fischback (sometimes spelled Fischbach) on January 18, 1894, in Bucharest, Romania.[2] He immigrated to the United States around 1900, and made his motion picture debut with Thomas H. Ince in 1912.[1]:563 As Freddy Fischbach, he became a cameraman at Mack Sennett's Keystone studio, where he worked with comedy star Roscoe Arbuckle. Sennett promoted Fischbach to director, with his surname Americanized to Fred Fishback.

Anyone with Keystone credentials was welcomed by lesser comedy studios, and Fishback secured a job directing comedy shorts for Universal Pictures, many of them featuring former Keystone and Hal Roach bit player Lige Conley.

Both Arbuckle and Fishback were hired to direct at Educational Pictures. Fishback, reunited with Lige Conley, helped to develop Conley into a comedy star in a lengthy series of slapstick short subjects. Fishback also directed one of Educational's leading comedians, Lloyd Hamilton. Fishback died at the age of 30 of cancer;[1]:563 his last films were released posthumously.

Select filmography

Actor
Year Title Role Notes
1914 Love and Bullets Henchman [1]:297
1914 Laughing Gas Bearded Patient [1]:297
1914 Tillie's Punctured Romance Tall Servant [1]:460
1914 Killing Horace Painter [1]:301
1914 Those Love Pangs Vivian's Boyfriend [1]:302
1914 Gentlemen of Nerve Spectator Behind Fence, Spectator in Bleachers [1]:303
1915 The Home Breakers Lead Cop [1]:309
1915 A Bird's a Bird Raffle Ticket Taker [1]:310
1915 That Little Band of Gold Audience Member Near Box [1]:312
1915 Droppington's Devilish Deed The Heavy Man [1]:314
1915 Do-Re-Me-Boom! Cop [1]:316
1915 A Hash House Fraud Free-Eater Hit with Plate [1]:319
1915 The Cannon Ball Tall Henchman [1]:319
1915 Only a Messenger Boy Man with Booze [1]:321
1915 A Janitors Wife's Temptation Waiter in Booth Hall [1]:323
1915 The Hunt Prisoner Who Escapes with Ford [1]:325

Director
Poster for An International Sneak (1917)
Advertisement for short films starring Brownie the dog, including Playmates and Society Dogs (1921)
Poster for Circus Clowns (1922), with direction credited to Fred Hibbard and starring Baby Peggy.
Year Title Notes
1915 The Home Breakers Assistant director[1]:310
1915 A Bird's a Bird Assistant director[1]:312
1915 Droppington's Devilish Deed Assistant director[1]:314
1915 Do-Re-Me-Boom! Assistant director[1]:316
1915 A Hash House Fraud Assistant director[1]:319
1915 The Cannon Ball Assistant director[1]:319
1916 A Movie Star [1]:326
1916 His Auto Ruination [1]:327
1916 By Stork Delivery [1]:329
1916 His Bitter Pill [1]:332
1916 Ambrose's Cup of Woe [1]:333
1916 Madcap Ambrose [1]:334
1916 Ambrose's Rapid Rise [1]:336
1916 Safety First Ambrose [1]:337
1917 His Naughty Thought [1]:339
1917 Cactus Nell [1]:340
1917 Lost, a Cook [1]:342
1917 Roping Her Romeo [1]:349
1917 An International Sneak [1]:350
1918 Beware of Boarders! [1]:354
1918 Here Come the Girls [3]
1919 Money Talks [4]
1919 A Village Venus [5]
1920 His Master's Breath Also screenwriter[6]
1920 A Baby Doll Bandit Also screenwriter[7]
1920 Naughty Lions and Wild Men Also screenwriter[8]
1920 Over the Transom Also screenwriter[9]
1920 Loose Lions and Fast Lovers Also screenwriter[10]
1920 A Lion's Alliance Also screenwriter[11]
1920 My Dog Pal Also screenwriter[11]
1920 My Salomy Lions Also screenwriter[12]
1921 A Bunch of Kisses Also screenwriter[13]
1921 The Dog Doctor Also screenwriter[14]
1921 Playmates Also screenwriter[15]
1921 Alfalfa Love Also screenwriter[16]
1921 Society Dogs Also screenwriter[17]
1921 The Whizbang Also screenwriter[18]
1921 Brownie's Little Venus Also screenwriter[19]
1922 Circus Clowns As Fred Hibbard; also screenwriter[20]
1922 The Straphanger Director and screenwriter[21]
1923 Uncle Sam As Fred Hibbard[1]:305
1924 My Friend As Fred Hibbard[22]:222
1924 Air Pockets As Fred Hibbard[1]:563
1924 Killing Time As Fred Hibbard[22]:223
1924 Going East As Fred Hibbard[22]:223
1924 Jonah Jones As Fred Hibbard[22]:224
1924 Crushed As Fred Hibbard[22]:224
1925 Hooked As Fred Hibbard
Also screenwriter; released posthumously[22]:224–225
1925 Half a Hero As Fred Hibbard
Also screenwriter; released posthumously[22]:225

References
  1. Walker, Brent E. (2010). Mack Sennett's Fun Factory. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-7711-1.
  2. Fred (Moscu) Fischbach Or Fishbach, United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940.
  3. "Here Come the Girls". Progressive Silent Film List. Silent Era. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  4. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1919. p. 359.
  5. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1919. p. 842.
  6. "Fred Fishback". British Film Institute. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  7. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 79.
  8. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 83.
  9. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 84.
  10. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 162.
  11. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 538.
  12. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 319.
  13. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 320.
  14. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 629.
  15. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 919.
  16. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 925.
  17. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 926.
  18. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921. p. 1223.
  19. "Circus Clowns". Progressive Silent Film List. Silent Era. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  20. The Straphanger. Century Film. January 11, 1922. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  21. Balducci, Anthony (2009). Lloyd Hamilton: Poor Boy Comedian of Silent Cinema. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 9780786441594.
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