Fred C. Newmeyer, a professional baseball player from 1909 to 1913, transitioned to the film industry, starting as an extra at Universal Pictures. He progressed through the ranks, becoming a prop man, assistant director, and eventually a director. Notable films under his direction include Seven Keys to Baldpate (1925) starring Douglas MacLean and The Potters (1927) featuring W.C. Fields.
Newmeyer's interest in baseball often surfaced as a theme in his films, particularly in Warming Up (1928),a vehicle for Jean Arthur and Richard Dix. He specialized in comedy, initially as an actor and later as a skilled director. He contributed to the "Our Gang" series, as well as numerous other shorts for Hal Roach.
Newmeyer actually directed the first "Our Gang" effort, but it was deemed unsatisfactory and remade by Robert F. McGowan. He later worked on some of Harold Lloyd's most iconic films, either as a solo director (Grandma's Boy (1922),Dr. Jack (1922)) or in collaboration with Sam Taylor (The Freshman (1925),Safety Last! (1923)).
However, with the advent of sound, Newmeyer surprisingly shifted from daredevil comedy to more serious subjects. His film Subway Express (1931) for Columbia was dull, and General Spanky (1936),starring ex-"Our Gang" star George 'Spanky' McFarland, was a melodrama at its worst. After that, Newmeyer's directing career gradually came to a quiet end.
