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Joseph Cotten

Joseph Cotten

Actor, also writer · Died February 6, 1994, aged 88 · Petersburg, Virginia, USA

Joseph Cheshire Cotten, Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American actor of stage and film. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair. He is associated with Orson Welles, leading to appearances in Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Journey into Fear (1943), for which Cotten was also credited with the screenplay, and The Third Man (1949). He was a star in his own right with films such as Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Love Letters (1945), Portrait of Jennie (1948), and The Third Man (1949).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 15, 1905
Died
February 6, 1994 (aged 88)
From
Petersburg, Virginia, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
67 on MovieCove · 127 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 36% in 30 days

What are Joseph Cotten's films like?

Across their 60 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama25 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy 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
29%
Bonds
18%
Self
18%
Survival
12%
Power
10%
Society
8%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love12 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival11 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice12 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition8 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 60 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 9 · Serious 20 · Dark 31

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 27 · Heightened 12

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 31 · Intense 26

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

Steady 24 · Shifting 33 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 50 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 26 · Even-paced 31 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 20 · Engaged 33 · Full focus 7

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 15 · Affecting 26 · Heavy 19

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

Resolved 44 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 8

Roles they play

43 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 16 of 43 analyzed roles.

Hero
16 of 43
Ally
9 of 43
Shadow
8 of 43
Herald
4 of 43
Mentor
4 of 43
Threshold guardian
2 of 43
Show the 43 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
47
Melancholic
29
Dread
17
Romantic
11
Contemplative
11
Other
42

How their films linger

Haunting20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet25
  • Tragic12
  • Ambiguous11
  • Cyclical1

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 Joseph Cotten's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 67 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joseph Cotten'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

127 credits, 67 with a MovieCove page; 19 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Green Fog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Too Much Johnson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Augustus Billings (uncredited)

  • The Complete 'Citizen Kane' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Baron Frankenstein (archive footage)

  • The Survivor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Priest

  • Delusion(1981)

    as Ivar Langrock

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Heaven's Gate(1980)

    as The Reverend Doctor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Casino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Ed Booker

  • The Hearse(1980)

    as Walter Prichard

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Churchill and the Generals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Gen. George C. Marshall

  • Guyana: Cult of the Damned(1979)

    as Richard Gable

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward · as Lionel

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Concorde Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Milland

  • The Island of the Fishmen(1979)

    as Prof. Ernest Marvin

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Crime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Sir Arthur Dundee

  • Caravans(1978)

    as Crandall

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Last In, First Out(1978)

    as Foster Johnson

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Return to Fantasy Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Simon Grant

  • Aspen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 3 episodes · as Horton Paine

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel Van Ryker

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Airport '77(1977)

    as Nicholas St. Downs III

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Twilight's Last Gleaming(1977)

    as Arthur Renfrew - Secretary of State

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Weldon Rathbone

  • Origins of the Mafia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as The Envoy

  • A Whisper in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as The Professor

  • Mysteries of the Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Narrator

  • The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case(1976)

    as Dr. Joseph Francis Condon

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Timber Tramps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Greedy sawmill mogul

  • Syndicate Sadists(1975)

    as Paternò

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Rockford Files(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Warner Jameson

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • A Delicate Balance(1973)

    as Harry

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Soylent Green(1973)

    as William R. Simonson

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Daughter(1973)

    as Judge Weatherby

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Police Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Narrator

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as John R. James

  • The Scopone Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as George

  • Baron Blood(1972)

    as Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred Becker

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Doomsday Voyage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Captain Jason

  • The Screaming Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as George Tresvant

  • Lady Frankenstein(1971)

    as Baron Frankenstein

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • City Beneath the Sea(1971)

    as Dr. Ziegler

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Abominable Dr. Phibes(1971)

    as Dr. Vesalius

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Do You Take This Stranger?(1971)

    as Dr. Robert Carson

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Assault on the Wayne(1971)

    as Admiral

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Journey to Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Jeff Wheeler

  • The Grasshopper(1970)

    as Richard Morgan

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Cutter's Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as General Spalding

  • Tora! Tora! Tora!(1970)

    as Henry L. Stimson

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Lonely Profession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Martin Bannister

  • Latitude Zero(1969)

    as Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzie

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Journey to the Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Wheeler

  • Split Second to an Epitaph (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Dr. Ben Stern

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Henry 'Harry' Worthington Rayner

  • White Comanche(1968)

    as Sheriff Logan

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Petulia(1968)

    as Mr. Danner

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Gangsters '70 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Destil

  • Alexander The Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Antigonus

  • It Takes a Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 3 episodes · as Col. Heinrich · as Mr. Jack

  • Jack of Diamonds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Ace

  • Cimarron Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathan Tio

  • Some May Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Colonel Woodward

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Benjamin Stern

  • The Hellbenders(1967)

    as Colonel Jonas

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Brighty of the Grand Canyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Jim

  • The Oscar(1966)

    as Kenneth Regan

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Tramplers(1965)

    as Temple Cordeen

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Money Trap(1965)

    as Dr. Horace Van Tilden

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Great Sioux Massacre(1965)

    as Major Marcus A. Reno

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte(1964)

    as Drew Bayliss

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Hollywood and the Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 31 episodes · as Narrator

  • The Great Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · as Captain Meehan

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Hobbs · as Judge Will McMasters

  • Bus Stop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Professor Wheelwright

  • Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles Ladovan

  • The Last Sunset(1961)

    as John Breckenridge

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Mac McClay

  • Checkmate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. George Mallinson

  • The Angel Wore Red(1960)

    as Hawthorne

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The DuPont Show with June Allyson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles Lawrence · as Dick Burlingame

  • From the Earth to the Moon(1958)

    as Victor Barbicane

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Arnold Buhler

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Black McSween

  • Touch of Evil(1958)

    as Coroner (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Edge of Innocence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Robert Rainey

  • Suspicion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Gregg Carey

  • Wagon Train(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Dan Brady · as John Augustus

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Halliday Brand(1957)

    as Daniel Halliday

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Ben Harper

  • On Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Clint Anderson · as Edward Pritchard · as Frank Parsons · as Gregg Bolton · as Joseph Downey · as Mr. Patterson · as Ray Barnes · as Reed · as Reed Murrow · as Robert Westwood · as Sanders · as Senator George Graham Vest · as William Seward

  • Telephone Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Killer Is Loose(1956)

    as Detective Sam Wagner

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Bottom of the Bottle(1956)

    as Pat 'P.M.' Martin

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Courtney Masterson · as Tony Gould · as William Callew

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Special Delivery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as John Adams

  • A Blueprint for Murder(1953)

    as Whitney 'Cam' Cameron

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Egypt by Three(1953)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain · as Paul Henty · as Private Harris

  • Niagara(1953)

    as George Loomis

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Steel Trap(1952)

    as Jim Osborne

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Ford Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as John Ashburn

  • Untamed Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Kirk Denbow

  • Othello(1951)

    as Senator (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Man with a Cloak(1951)

    as Dupin

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Peking Express(1951)

    as Michael Bachlin

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Half Angel(1951)

    as John Raymond Jr.

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • September Affair(1950)

    as David Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Walk Softly, Stranger(1950)

    as Chris Hale/Steve

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Two Flags West(1950)

    as Clay Tucker

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Beyond the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Doctor Louis Moline

  • Under Capricorn(1949)

    as Sam Flusky

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Third Man(1949)

    as Holly Martins

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Portrait of Jennie(1948)

    as Eben Adams

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Our American Heritage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Narrator

  • The Farmer's Daughter(1947)

    as Glenn Morley

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Duel in the Sun(1946)

    as Jesse McCanles

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Love Letters(1945)

    as Allen Quinton

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • I'll Be Seeing You(1944)

    as Zachary Morgan

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Since You Went Away(1944)

    as Tony Willett

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Gaslight(1944)

    as Brian Cameron

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hers to Hold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Bill Morley

  • Shadow of a Doubt(1943)

    as Charlie Oakley

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Journey Into Fear(1943)

    Screenplay · as Howard Graham

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Magnificent Ambersons(1942)

    Writer · as Eugene Morgan

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Lydia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Michael Fitzpatrick

  • Citizen Kane(1941)

    as Jedediah Leland

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Seeing the World: Part One - A Visit to New York, N.Y. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 127 titles from 1937 to 2018; peak year 1979.

Biggest box office

Duel in the Sun (1946)

$20M worldwide

Highest rated

Citizen Kane (1941)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

19372018

Peak 1979 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 18 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting127 of 127: 126 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thWriting1 of 127: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s17 · 17 acting · 1 crew1950s31 · acting1960s30 · acting1970s39 · acting1980s5 · acting1990s2 · acting2010s2 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 31% of 42 roles
414651617176

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Joseph Cotten's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 62; across their 60 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 60

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 60

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 60

Midcredits score across 67 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 67 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · actor

Do You Take This Stranger? (1971)

91st percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Citizen Kane (1941)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 58 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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.

Is Joseph Cotten's work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles12–64 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles1–44 · median 16 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles3–41 · median 14 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles26–38 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles17–61 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Joseph Cotten work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joseph Cotten's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; William Dieterle shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles