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Samuel Fuller

Samuel Fuller

Writer, actor, director and producer · Died October 30, 1997, aged 85 · Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American screenwriter, novelist and film director known for low-budget genre movies with controversial themes. He was born Samuel Michael Fuller in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Rabinovitch, a Jewish immigrant  from Russia, and Rebecca Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. After immigrating to America, the family's surname was changed from Rabinovitch to "Fuller" possibly by inspiration of a Doctor who arrived in America on the Mayflower.  At the age of 12, he began working in journalism  as a newspaper  copyboy. He became a crime reporter  in New York City at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. He broke the story of Jeanne Eagels' death.  He wrote pulp novels and screenplays  from the mid-1930s onwards. Fuller also became a screenplay  ghostwriter  but would never tell interviewers which screenplays that he ghost-wrote explaining "that's what a ghost writer is for". During World War II, Fuller joined the United States Army infantry. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and saw heavy fighting. He was involved in landings in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy  and also saw action in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945 he was present at the liberation of the German concentration camp at Falkenau  and shot 16 mm footage which was used later in the documentary Falkenau: The Impossible. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart.  Fuller used his wartime experiences as material in his films, especially in The Big Red One (1980), a nickname of the 1st Infantry Division. After his controversial film "White Dog" was shelved by Paramount pictures, Fuller moved to France, and never directed another American film. Fuller eventually returned to America. He died of natural causes in his California home. In November 1997, the Directors Guild held a three hour memorial in his honor, hosted by Curtis Hanson, his long time friend and co-writer on White Dog. He was survived by his wife Christa and daughter Samantha.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 12, 1912
Died
October 30, 1997 (aged 85)
From
Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Writer, actor, director and producer
Titles
48 on MovieCove · 89 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 28Up 36% in 30 days

What are Samuel Fuller's films like?

Across their 39 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd 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
Morality
31%
Bonds
20%
Self
18%
Survival
14%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
3%
Justice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 39 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 8 · Serious 10 · Dark 21

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 5

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 15 · Intense 19

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

Steady 16 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 5

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

Straight-faced 31 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 22 · 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 11 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 3

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

Easy watch 10 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 12

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

Resolved 26 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Mentor
2 of 3
Shadow
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
30
Melancholic
18
Dread
10
Contemplative
9
Warm
4
Other
29

How their films linger

Bittersweet16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic7
  • Ambiguous8
  • Other1

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 Samuel Fuller's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 48 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Samuel Fuller'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

89 credits, 48 with a MovieCove page; 19 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Road to Jericho(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Films to Die For (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • A Fuller Life(2013)

    Book · as Self

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Nuits transparentes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Carmel(2009)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Big Red One: The Reconstruction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Writer · as War Correspondent (uncredited)

  • Necro not(to b)e (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Sé stesso

  • The End of Violence(1997)

    as Louis

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Somebody to Love(1994)

    as Sam Silverman

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Girls in Prison(1994)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Rebel Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Golem: The Petrified Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Sam

  • Golem, the Spirit of Exile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Elimelek

  • The Bohemian Life(1992)

    as Gassot

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Madonna and the Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Screenplay · as Chef de bureau Newsweek

  • The Day of Reckoning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Chillers(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Father

  • Street of No Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Dialogue · Screenplay · as Police Commissioner

  • David Lansky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Falkenau, the Impossible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Samuel Fuller

  • Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Le capitaine américain

  • Helsinki Napoli All Night Long(1987)

    as Boss

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • A Return to Salem's Lot(1987)

    as Van Meer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Sun Film Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • The Bleeding Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as The Man in the Bar

  • Let's Get Harry(1986)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Report from Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Thieves After Dark(1983)

    Director · Writer · as Zoltan

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Slapstick of Another Kind(1982)

    as Colonel Sharp

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • White Dog(1982)

    Director · Screenplay · as Charlie Felton

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Hammett(1982)

    as Old Man in Pool Hall

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The State of Things(1982)

    as Joe

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Big Red One(1980)

    Director · Writer · as War Correspondent (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • 1941(1979)

    as Interceptor Commander

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Cinématon(1984)

    as N°602

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Bad Men of the West(1974)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The American Friend(1977)

    as The American

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Scott Joplin(1977)

    as Impresario

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Klansman(1974)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Deadly Trackers(1973)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Young Nurses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Doc Haskell

  • Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Writer

  • The Last Movie(1971)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Tatort(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Shark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Targets(1968)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Cinéastes de notre temps : Samuel Fuller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Interviewee

  • The Cape Town Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Writer

  • Made in U.S.A(1966)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Pierrot le fou(1965)

    as Samuel Fuller (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Naked Kiss(1964)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Shock Corridor(1963)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

  • Merrill's Marauders(1962)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Dick Powell Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Underworld U.S.A.(1961)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Crimson Kimono (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Verboten!(1959)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Dogface (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Forty Guns(1957)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Run of the Arrow(1957)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • China Gate(1957)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • House of Bamboo(1955)

    Director · Additional Dialogue · Writer · as Japanese policeman (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Command(1954)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Hell and High Water(1954)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Pickup on South Street(1953)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Park Row(1952)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Scandal Sheet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Novel

  • Fixed Bayonets!(1951)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Tanks Are Coming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Story

  • The Steel Helmet(1951)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Racket(1951)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Baron of Arizona(1950)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • I Shot Jesse James(1949)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Shockproof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Writer

  • Gangs of the Waterfront (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Story

  • V-E +1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director

  • Margin for Error (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Screenplay

  • Power of the Press (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Story

  • Confirm or Deny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Story

  • Bowery Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Original Story

  • Gangs of Chicago (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Screenplay

  • She Married a Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Writer

  • Federal Man-Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Story

  • Adventure in Sahara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Story

  • Gangs of New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Screenplay · Story

  • It Happened in Hollywood(1937)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hats Off (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Screenplay · Story

Career shape

A full career of 88 titles from 1936 to 2026.

Biggest box office

The Big Red One (1980)

$7.2M worldwide

Highest rated

Pickup on South Street (1953)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

The Bohemian Life (1992)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting37 of 88: 30 only acting, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thDirecting33 of 88: 2 only directing, 31 with another role · typical Midcredits score75thWriting54 of 88: 24 only writing, 30 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stProducing10 of 88: 0 only producing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thOther crew2 of 88: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

88 titles, 31 with more than one role — writing and acting overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1930s6 · crew1940s9 · crew1950s16 · 1 acting · 16 crew1960s12 · 2 acting · 10 crew1970s11 · 6 acting · 5 crew1980s16 · 15 acting · 5 crew1990s11 · 7 acting · 5 crew2000s3 · 3 acting · 1 crew2010s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew2020s2 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles

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.

How do Samuel Fuller's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 46; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Reach · how many have seen their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Midcredits score across 48 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 48 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

Cinématon (1984)

88th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Pickup on South Street (1953)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 52/100 and the plot and story 44/100 in their films, across 36 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Samuel Fuller's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles52–70 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles15–51 · median 25 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles19–55 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles26–44 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles32–74 · median 50 · 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 Samuel Fuller work with?

People who share at least 2 of Samuel Fuller's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Gene Evans shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles