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David Abel

Cinematographer · Died November 12, 1973, aged 89 · Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia David Abel (15 December 1883 – 12 November 1973) was a cinematographer. Born in Amsterdam to Russian parents, Abel began his career in 1916. He came to the United States as a child in the first decade of the 1900s and worked as a portrait photographer in New York before entering films with Flying A Studios in 1913. His credits include Grumpy (1930), The Virtuous Sin (1930), Huckleberry Finn (1931), The Gay Divorcee (1934), Top Hat (1935), Follow the Fleet (1936), and The Affairs of Susan (1945). At RKO Pictures during the 1930s, Abel was a favorite collaborator of director Mark Sandrich and was responsible for the photography of five Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals (The Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Follow the Fleet, Swing Time, and Shall We Dance). Other credits include The Awful Truth, Huckleberry Finn, Hips, Hips, Hooray!, Grumpy, The Virtuous Sin, and History Is Made at Night. He filmed a total of 110 films. He retired in 1937, but Sandrich persuaded him to come back as cameraman for the classic Holiday Inn (1942). After two more films, Follow the Boys (1944) and The Affairs of Susan (1945), Abel left Hollywood film work for good.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 15, 1883
Died
November 12, 1973 (aged 89)
From
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 87 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 22% in 30 days

What are David Abel's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Crime 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
46%
Morality
28%
Self
16%
Survival
7%
Power
4%
Romantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 12 · Serious 3 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 6 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 6

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 13 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Romantic
10
Tense
6
Warm
4
Absurd
4
Other
8

How their films linger

Feel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1

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 David Abel's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).

Subscription and free streaming for David Abel'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

87 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Affairs of Susan(1945)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Follow the Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Cinematographer

  • Holiday Inn(1942)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Shall We Dance(1937)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • History Is Made at Night(1937)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Criminal Lawyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Make Way for a Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Cinematographer

  • Swing Time(1936)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Bunker Bean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Cinematographer

  • Follow the Fleet(1936)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • I Dream Too Much (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

  • Top Hat(1935)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Case of the Curious Bride(1935)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • A Notorious Gentleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

  • The Gay Divorcee(1934)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Bachelor Bait(1934)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Cockeyed Cavaliers(1934)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Where Sinners Meet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Cinematographer

  • This Man Is Mine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Cinematographer

  • Hips, Hips, Hooray! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Cinematographer

  • Ann Vickers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • Rafter Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • Pick-up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • The Crime of the Century(1933)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Madame Butterfly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • The Phantom President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • Merrily We Go to Hell(1932)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Sky Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • The Miracle Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • Ladies of the Big House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Rich Man's Folly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Huckleberry Finn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • The Secret Call (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Scandal Sheet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • The Virtuous Sin(1930)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Grumpy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Cinematographer

  • Swing High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Cinematographer

  • The Grand Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Cinematographer

  • The Racketeer(1929)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Square Shoulders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Cinematographer

  • Noisy Neighbors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Cinematographer

  • Geraldine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Cinematographer

  • Show Folks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Craig's Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Tenth Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Midnight Madness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Stand and Deliver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • The Forbidden Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Cinematographer

  • The First Auto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Cinematographer

  • What Every Girl Should Know (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Cinematographer

  • My Official Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • The Honeymoon Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • Footloose Widows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • The Cave Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • Seven Sinners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • How Baxter Butted In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • Recompense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • A Lost Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • The Dark Swan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • The Lover of Camille (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • Beau Brummel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • The Barefoot Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Cinematographer

  • Lovebound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Cinematographer

  • The Great Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • Mixed Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • A Self-Made Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • The Men of Zanzibar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • The Primitive Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • Little Miss Smiles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • Rip Van Winkle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Cinematographer

  • Unseen Forces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Cinematographer

  • The Woman Gives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Cinematographer

  • A Daughter of Two Worlds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Cinematographer

  • She Loves and Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Cinematographer

  • The Isle of Conquest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Cinematographer

  • The Way of a Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Cinematographer

  • The Probation Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Cinematographer

  • The New Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Cinematographer

  • Maggie Pepper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Cinematographer

  • The Heart of Wetona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Cinematographer

  • Our Little Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Cinematographer

  • Thais (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Cinematographer

  • Madame Bo-Peep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Cinematographer

  • A Woman's Awakening (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Cinematographer

  • The Bad Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Cinematographer

  • The Heiress at Coffee Dan's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Cinematographer

  • A Sister of Six (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 87 titles from 1916 to 1945.

Biggest box office

Top Hat (1935)

$15K worldwide

Highest rated

Top Hat (1935)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

History Is Made at Night (1937)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography87 of 87: 87 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score75th

By decade

1910s13 · crew1920s36 · crew1930s35 · crew1940s3 · crew

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.

How do David Abel's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 75th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 77th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

None of their 15 titles divides audiences: 8 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed3

Most loved · cinematographer

Top Hat (1935)

Midcredits 95th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 67/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 53. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

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 David Abel's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 0 · minimalMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 7 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 26 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 11 · minimalMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does David Abel work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Abel's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Pandro S. Berman shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers