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Melvyn Douglas

Melvyn Douglas

Actor · Died August 4, 1981, aged 80 · Macon, Georgia, USA

Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg; April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the 1939 romantic comedy Ninotchka with Greta Garbo. Douglas later played mature and fatherly characters, as in his Academy Award–winning performances in Hud (1963) and Being There (1979) and his Academy Award–nominated performance in I Never Sang for My Father (1970). In the last few years of his life Douglas appeared in films with supernatural stories involving ghosts. Douglas appeared as "Senator Joseph Carmichael" in The Changeling in 1980 and Ghost Story in 1981 in his final completed film role.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 5, 1901
Died
August 4, 1981 (aged 80)
From
Macon, Georgia, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 110 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 36% in 30 days

What are Melvyn Douglas' films like?

Across their 52 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy21 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama19 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 96th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
Bonds
34%
Morality
22%
Self
19%
Power
10%
Survival
7%
Society
6%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love19 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage12 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 52 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 27 · Serious 11 · Dark 14

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 30 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 25 · Charged 22 · Intense 5

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

Steady 33 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 19 · Funny 13

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

Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 27 · Engaged 23 · Full focus 2

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

Easy watch 29 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 11

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

Resolved 40 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

43 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 13 of 43 analyzed roles.

Mentor
13 of 43
Hero
8 of 43
Shadow
7 of 43
Ally
5 of 43
Shapeshifter
4 of 43
Trickster
4 of 43
Herald
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
23
Melancholic
21
Warm
18
Romantic
16
Joyful
15
Other
40

How their films linger

Feel-good22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy24
  • Bittersweet19
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous7

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 Melvyn Douglas' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melvyn Douglas' 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

110 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 13 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • A Night at the Movies: Hollywood Goes to Washington(2012)

    as John J. McKay

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home to(1990)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Hot Touch(1981)

    as Max Reich

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as David

  • Ghost Story(1981)

    as John Jaffrey

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Tell Me a Riddle(1980)

    as David

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Changeling(1980)

    as Senator Carmichael

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Being There(1979)

    as Benjamin Rand

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Seduction of Joe Tynan(1979)

    as Senator Birney

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Making of a President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Intimate Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Donald's Father

  • Portrait of Grandpa Doc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Grandpa Doc

  • ABC Weekend Specials (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Grandpa Doc

  • Twilight's Last Gleaming(1977)

    as Zachariah Guthrie

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • A Gift To Last (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Old Clement Sturgess

  • The Tenant(1976)

    as Monsieur Zy

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Lives of Benjamin Franklin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 4 episodes · as Stateman Benjamin Franklin

  • Murder or Mercy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Dr. Paul Harelson

  • The Death Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Police Captain Earl Kreski

  • The Going Up of David Lev (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Grandfather

  • Ghost Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Grandpa

  • The Candidate(1972)

    as John J. McKay

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • One Is a Lonely Number(1972)

    as Joseph Provo

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Death Takes a Holiday(1971)

    as Judge Earl Chapman

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • I Never Sang for My Father(1970)

    as Tom Garrison

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Hunters Are for Killing(1970)

    as Keller Floran

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Companions in Nightmare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Dr. Lawrence Strelson

  • Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Peter Schermann

  • The Crucible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Deputy Governor Danforth

  • Hotel(1967)

    as Warren Trent

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • CBS Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Schermann

  • Inherit the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Henry Drummond

  • Once Upon a Tractor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Martin

  • Rapture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Frederick Larbaud

  • The Americanization of Emily(1964)

    as Admiral William Jessup

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Big Parade of Comedy(1964)

    as Leon (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Advance to the Rear(1964)

    as Col. Claude Brackenbury

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Pat Konke

  • The Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Mark Ryder

  • Hud(1963)

    as Homer Bannon

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Billy Budd(1962)

    as The Dansker, Sailmaker

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Ben Casey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Burton Strang

  • Kraft Mystery Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Judgment at Nuremberg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Gen. Parker

  • The Plot to Kill Stalin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Stalin

  • The Greer Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Howard Hoagland

  • Playhouse 90 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Gen. Parker

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

    Show 1 episode · as Professor Arthur Barris

  • Hollywood Off Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 13 episodes · as Steve Randall

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Galileo Galilei · as Henry Drummond

  • On the Loose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Frank Bradley

  • My Forbidden Past(1951)

    as Paul Beaurevel

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as James Strickland

  • Lights Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Great Sinner(1949)

    as Armand De Glasse

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • A Woman's Secret(1949)

    as Luke Jordan

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Cyril Ritchard

  • The Philco Television Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Gordon · as The Stranger

  • My Own True Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Clive Heath

  • Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House(1948)

    as Bill Cole

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Sea of Grass(1947)

    as Brice Chamberlain

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Guilt of Janet Ames(1947)

    as Smithfield 'Smitty' Cobb

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Three Hearts for Julia(1943)

    as Jeff Seabrook

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • They All Kissed the Bride(1942)

    as Michael 'Mike' Holmes

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • We Were Dancing(1942)

    as Nicholas Prax

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Two-Faced Woman(1941)

    as Lawrence 'Larry' Blake

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Our Wife(1941)

    as Jerome 'Jerry' Marvin

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • A Woman's Face(1941)

    as Dr. Gustaf Segert

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • That Uncertain Feeling(1941)

    as Larry Baker

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • This Thing Called Love(1940)

    as Tice Collins

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Third Finger, Left Hand(1940)

    as Jeff Thompson

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • He Stayed for Breakfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Paul Boliet

  • Too Many Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Henry Lowndes

  • The Amazing Mr. Williams(1939)

    as Kenny Williams

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Ninotchka(1939)

    as Count Leon d'Algout

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Good Girls Go to Paris(1939)

    as Ronald Brooke

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Tell No Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Michael Cassidy

  • Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Melvyn Douglas

  • There's That Woman Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as William 'Bill' Reardon

  • The Shining Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Henry Linden

  • That Certain Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Vincent Bullitt

  • Fast Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Joel Sloane

  • The Toy Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as George Sartoris

  • There's Always a Woman(1938)

    as William H. Reardon

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Arsène Lupin Returns(1938)

    as Rene Farrand aka Arsene Lupin

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • I'll Take Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as James Guthrie

  • Angel(1937)

    as Anthony 'Tony' Halton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Captains Courageous(1937)

    as Frank Burton Cheyne

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • I Met Him in Paris(1937)

    as George Potter

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Women of Glamour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Richard Stark

  • Theodora Goes Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Michael Grant

  • The Gorgeous Hussy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as John Randolph

  • And So They Were Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Stephen Blake

  • The Lone Wolf Returns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Michael Lanyard

  • Annie Oakley(1935)

    as Jeff Hogarth

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Mary Burns, Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Barton Powell

  • She Married Her Boss(1935)

    as Richard Barclay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The People's Enemy(1935)

    as George R. 'Traps' Stuart

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Dangerous Corner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Charles Stanton

  • Woman in the Dark(1934)

    as Tony Robson

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Counsellor at Law(1933)

    as Roy Darwin

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Nagana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Dr. Walter Tradnor

  • The Vampire Bat(1933)

    as Karl Brettschneider

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Old Dark House(1932)

    as Penderel

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • As You Desire Me(1932)

    as Count Bruno Varelli

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Broken Wing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Philip 'Phil' Marvin

  • The Wiser Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as David Rolfe

  • Prestige (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Capt. Andre Verlaine

  • Tonight or Never(1931)

    as Jim Fletcher

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 109 titles from 1931 to 1990; peak year 1980.

Biggest box office

Being There (1979)

$30M worldwide

Highest rated

Being There (1979)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Changeling (1980)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19311990

Peak 1980 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 15 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
Acting109 of 109: 109 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score66th

By decade

1930s36 · acting1940s20 · acting1950s10 · acting1960s17 · acting1970s20 · acting1980s5 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 4% of 28 roles
32374767

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 Melvyn Douglas' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 52 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

31 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser31
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

A Night at the Movies: Hollywood Goes to Washington (2012)

84th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Being There (1979)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 49 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 53. 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 Melvyn Douglas' work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles8–63 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles11–57 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles14–46 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles29–57 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles13–70 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most 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 Melvyn Douglas work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melvyn Douglas' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alexander Hall shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers