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William T. Orr

William T. Orr

Producer and actor · Died December 25, 2002, aged 85 · New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William T. Orr (September 27, 1917 – December 25, 2002) was an American television producer associated with a series of western and detective programs of the 1950s-1970s. On most of his Warner Bros. series, he was billed as "Wm. T. Orr". Orr began his career as an actor; his film credits include The Mortal Storm, The Gay Sisters, and The Big Street. As the first head of Warner Bros. Television department, Orr forged a fruitful alliance with ABC, which resulted in the network having a number of prime time hits, such as Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, and F Troop. At the height of this relationship in the early 1960s, Orr had nine programs in prime time simultaneously. Of these, no program was more significant than one of his earliest, Cheyenne. It was a groundbreaking series that was both the first hour-long western and the first series of any kind made by a major Hollywood film studio consisting entirely of content wholly exclusive to television. A curator at The Paley Center for Media (previously named The Museum of Television and Radio) once encapsulated Orr's importance to Warner Bros. by saying, "Television began as a step-child. But because of Orr, it became equal with film in creating revenue and jobs for the studio." One of the key reforms he made to effect this change was to move Warner's nascent television department from cramped quarters in New York City to Los Angeles studios separate from the film division. His impact on the genre of western fiction was recognized with a Golden Boot Award upon the announcement of his death.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 27, 1917
Died
December 25, 2002 (aged 85)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Producer and actor
Titles
12 on Motif · 49 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 52% in 30 days

What are William T. Orr's films like?

Across their 7 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their Motif 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
45%
Bonds
40%
Survival
12%
Self
3%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

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

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

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 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Romantic
5
Joyful
2
Melancholic
2
Absurd
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Feel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet2

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 William T. Orr's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 12 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on STARZ (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William T. Orr's titles on Motif; 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

49 credits, 12 with a Motif page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Television (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Wicked, Wicked(1973)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Hank (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 26 episodes · Producer

  • Mister Roberts (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 30 episodes · Producer

  • F Troop(1965)

    Show 65 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Sex and the Single Girl(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • No Time for Sergeants (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 34 episodes · Producer

  • Wendy and Me (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 34 episodes · Producer

  • The Dakotas (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 19 episodes · Producer

  • The Gallant Men (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 26 episodes · Producer

  • The Lucy Show(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Frink

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Room for One More (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 27 episodes · Producer

  • The Roaring 20's (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 45 episodes · Producer

  • Surfside 6 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 74 episodes · Producer

  • Hawaiian Eye (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 134 episodes · Producer

  • Bourbon Street Beat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 39 episodes · Producer

  • The Alaskans (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 36 episodes · Producer

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

    Show 206 episodes · Producer

  • Lawman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 156 episodes · Producer

  • Bronco (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 68 episodes · Producer

  • Girl on the Run(1958)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Maverick(1957)

    Show 124 episodes · Producer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Sugarfoot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 69 episodes · Producer

  • Conflict (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 19 episodes · Producer

  • The Deadly Riddle (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Executive Producer

  • Casablanca (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 10 episodes · Producer

  • Cheyenne(1955)

    Show 108 episodes · Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Kings Row (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 7 episodes · Producer

  • P-47 Combat Operations (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)

    as voice

  • Land and Live in the Desert (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)

    as Phil

  • He Hired the Boss (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)

    as Don Bates

  • Three Cadets (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)

    as Young Flier

  • The Big Street(1942)

    as Decatur Reed

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Gay Sisters(1942)

    as Dick Tone

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Soldiers in White (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)

    as Johnny Allison

  • Unholy Partners (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Tommy Jarvis

  • Navy Blues (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as 'Mac'

  • Those Good Old Days (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Joe La Rue

  • Three Sons o' Guns (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Kenneth Patterson

  • Thieves Fall Out (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as George Formsby

  • Honeymoon for Three (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Arthur Westlake

  • Meet the Fleet (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)

    as Kansas Potter

  • Service with the Colors (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)

    as Charles Corbin

  • My Love Came Back(1940)

    as Paul Malette

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Young America Flies (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)

    as Jack

  • The Mortal Storm(1940)

    as Erich Von Rohn

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Invitation to Happiness(1939)

    as Bellboy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Hardys Ride High (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    as Dick Bannersly

  • Brother Rat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Member of the Guard

Career shape

A full career of 48 titles from 1938 to 1985.

Biggest box office

Sex and the Single Girl (1964)

$6.5K worldwide

Highest rated

The Mortal Storm (1940)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Sex and the Single Girl (1964)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting23 of 48: 23 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thProducing25 of 48: 25 only producing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

By decade

1930s3 · acting1940s18 · acting1950s13 · crew1960s12 · 1 acting · 11 crew1970s1 · crew1980s1 · acting

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 Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do William T. Orr's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 7 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 7

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 12 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · actor

Invitation to Happiness (1939)

53rd percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Mortal Storm (1940)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif 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.

Who does William T. Orr work with?

People who share at least 2 of William T. Orr's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard L. Bare shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Producers