
Ted Adams
Actor · Died September 24, 1973, aged 83 · New York City, New York, USA
The son of vaudeville performers, Richard Theodore "Ted" Adams was part of his parents' troupe before attending Cornell University at the age of 18. After college he did stock work for three years before going on to New York City and stage work there. For more than half his life he performed on the stage before coming to films around 1926. He and his good friend Leo Carrillo performed together in Porter Emerson Browne's play "The Bad Man" in 1920, and Adams was also in the Broadway production of "Kongo", which starred Walter Huston, in 1926. His earliest documented film role was as the doctor in Rayart's The Road Agent (1926), starring Al Hoxie, and he made his sound-film debut in 1930's Under Texas Skies (1930), starring Bob Custer. Adams quickly established himself in westerns, in which he worked almost exclusively for 25 years in over 200 films. He was a mainstay performer (mostly lead villains) for the low-budget films cranked out by independents such as Supreme, Metropolitan, Puritan, Colony and Victory in the 1930s and PRC and Monogram in the 1940s, in addition to appearing in films from Republic, Columbia, Paramount and Universal. Following a role in Bill Elliott's Kansas Territory (1952) for Monogram Pictures, and some TV work on Russell Hayden's Cowboy G-Men (1952) TV series, Ted Adams hung up his spurs at the age of 62, then lived quietly in retirement until his death from heart disease at the age of 83. A widower at the time of his death, September 24, 1973, he was at Braewood Convalescence Hospital in South Pasadena, his place of residence prior to his death. His cremated remains were placed at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles.
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Biography from IMDb.
- March 17, 1890
- September 24, 1973 (aged 83)
- New York City, New York, USA
- Actor
- 44 on MovieCove · 159 credits in all
What are Ted Adams' films like?
Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 34
Light 28 · Serious 6 · Dark 0
Grounded 25 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 1
Gentle 14 · Charged 20 · Intense 0
Steady 29 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 18 · Funny 1
Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 2
Casual 32 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 33 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 0
Resolved 34 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Roles they play
Usually the Shadow: 8 of 14 analyzed roles.
Show the 14 rolesHide the roles
- Shadowas Lee Burgess in Cavalier of the West (1931)
- Shadowas Gordon Rontell in The Law of the 45's (1935)
- Shadowas Clay Wheeler in Lawless Land (1936)
- Mentoras Wolf Whitson - aka Pop Whittaker in Arizona Gunfighter (1937)
- Threshold guardianas Sheriff Bill Hannon in Colorado Kid (1937)
- Allyas Poe Powers in Riders of the Sage (1939)
- Shadowas Harvey Kent in Trigger Pals (1939)
- Shadowas Link Benson in The Fighting Renegade (1939)
- Threshold guardianas Sheriff Joe in Six-Gun Rhythm (1939)
- Shadowas Brainard in Straight Shooter (1939)
- Shadowas Collins in Phantom Rancher (1940)
- Threshold guardianas Quist in Holt of the Secret Service (1941)
- Threshold guardianas Lawyer Small in Tumbleweed Trail (1946)
- Shadowas Henry Rodgers in Range Beyond the Blue (1947)
Moods and endings
- Happy32
- Bittersweet1
- 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 Ted Adams' films?
As of October 24, 2026, 38 of their 44 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (29).
- King of the Rocket Men (1949) · actor · free
- Riders of Death Valley (1941) · actor · free
- Three on the Trail (1936) · actor · free
- Gaucho Serenade (1940) · actor · free
- The Last Round-up (1947) · actor · free
- Cattle Stampede (1943) · actor · free
- Arizona Gunfighter (1937) · actor · free
- Texas Wildcats (1939) · actor · free
- Stagecoach to Denver (1946) · actor · free
- Durango Valley Raiders (1938) · actor · free
- East Side Kids (1940) · actor · free
- The Kid Rides Again (1943) · actor · free
- All their movies on Tubi
- Cattle Stampede (1943) · actor
- Stagecoach to Denver (1946) · actor
- Vigilantes of Boomtown (1947) · actor
- East Side Kids (1940) · actor
- Colorado Kid (1937) · actor
- Straight Shooter (1939) · actor
- Six-Gun Trail (1938) · actor
- Lawless Land (1936) · actor
- The Fighting Renegade (1939) · actor
- Billy the Kid Trapped (1942) · actor
- Fangs of the Wild (1939) · actor
- The Law of the 45's (1935) · actor
- +5 more
Subscription and free streaming for Ted Adams' 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
159 credits, 44 with a MovieCove page.

Kansas Territory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

Westward the Women(1951)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
The Vanishing Outpost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

Lost Planet Airmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

Night Riders of Montana(1951)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Abilene Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

Law of the Panhandle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)
A Wonderful Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

I Killed Geronimo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

Hills of Oklahoma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

Navajo Trail Raiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

San Antone Ambush (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Haunted Trails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Stallion Canyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

King of the Rocket Men(1949)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Across The Rio Grande (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Brothers in the Saddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Gun Runner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Outlaw Country (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Quick on the Trigger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Gunning for Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Back Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Frontier Agent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Crossed Trails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Overland Trails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Dangers of the Canadian Mounted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Gun Talk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Under Colorado Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

The Last Round-up(1947)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Prairie Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Valley of Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Killer Dill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Code of the Saddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Song of the Wasteland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

The Law Comes to Gunsight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Buffalo Bill Rides Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Range Beyond the Blue(1947)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Vigilantes of Boomtown(1947)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Raiders of the South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Stagecoach to Denver(1946)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Silver Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Son of the Guardsman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Shadows on the Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Trigger Fingers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Red River Renegades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Tumbleweed Trail(1946)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Under Arizona Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Swing, Cowboy, Swing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Jungle Raiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

Hail to the Rangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

Cattle Stampede(1943)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Daredevils of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

Corregidor(1943)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
The Kid Rides Again(1943)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
The Sundown Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Outlaws of Boulder Pass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Along the Sundown Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Overland Stagecoach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Law and Order (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Billy the Kid Trapped(1942)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Fighting Bill Fargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Royal Mounted Patrol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

The Lone Rider Ambushed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

The Lone Rider in Frontier Fury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Thunder Over the Prairie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Riders of Death Valley(1941)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Billy the Kid(1941)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Trail of the Vigilantes(1940)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Law and Order (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Riders of Black Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Wyoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Gun Code (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Billy the Kid Outlawed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Sky Bandits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Frontier Crusader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Gaucho Serenade(1940)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Pinto Canyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Riders of Pasco Basin(1940)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Phantom Rancher(1940)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Wild Horse Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

East Side Kids(1940)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Pioneer Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

El Diablo Rides (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Crashing Thru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Henry Goes Arizona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Fighting Mad(1939)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
The Pal from Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Trigger Fingers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

The Fighting Renegade(1939)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Port of Hate(1939)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Straight Shooter(1939)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Riders of the Sage(1939)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Three Texas Steers(1939)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Mesquite Buckaroo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Outlaws' Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Texas Wildcats(1939)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Smoky Trails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Code of the Cactus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Six-Gun Rhythm(1939)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
In Old Montana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Trigger Pals(1939)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Fangs of the Wild(1939)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Six-Gun Trail(1938)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Lightning Carson Rides Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

Pals of the Saddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

Durango Valley Raiders(1938)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Paroled from the Big House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

Desert Patrol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

Gunsmoke Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

Colorado Kid(1937)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Sudden Bill Dorn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Boss of Lonely Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Arizona Gunfighter(1937)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Rustlers' Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Smoke Tree Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

The Girl from Scotland Yard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Guns in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

It Happened Out West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Lawless Land(1936)
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
The Gambling Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Trail Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Undercover Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

The Lion Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

The Crooked Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Three on the Trail(1936)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Custer's Last Stand(1936)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Desert Phantom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Border Caballero(1936)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Heart of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Custer's Last Stand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

The Law of the 45's(1935)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
His Fighting Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

Toll of the Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

Social Error (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

Gunfire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

War of the Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

Man Of Action (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

The Savage Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

The Gambling Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

Beyond the Rockies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

Ghost Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

Human Targets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

Cavalier of the West(1931)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all filmsThe Cyclone Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

Ships of Hate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

The Ridin' Fool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

A Rider of the Plains (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

God's Country and the Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

Under Texas Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

Beyond the Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

Fangs of Vengeance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

The Road Agent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

The Battling Fool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Career shape
Star power in the 41st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 159 titles from 1924 to 1952.
Film career
- 1941Screen debut· Billy the Kid
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 Ted Adams' films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 27th percentile, the median of all 44; across their 34 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 35th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up1
- 50th to 74th7
- 25th to 49th17
- Below 25th19
Shape of the crowd
37 of their 44 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved1
- Crowd Pleaser4
- Broadly Agreed2
- Mixed37
Reviewers score the acting 53/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 67, detractors 37. 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.
Who does Ted Adams work with?
People who share at least 2 of Ted Adams' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Sam Newfield shares the most, 16.
Directors
- Sam NewfieldShared titles: The Kid Rides Again (1943), Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Fighting Mad (1939), Six-Gun Rhythm (1939), Straight Shooter (1939), Texas Wildcats (1939), The Fighting Renegade (1939), Trigger Pals (1939), Durango Valley Raiders (1938) and 4 moreSee newest 12 of 16 shared titles with Sam Newfield

- Harry S. WebbShared titles: Fangs of the Wild (1939), Port of Hate (1939), Riders of the Sage (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Harry S. Webb

- Fred C. BrannonShared titles: Night Riders of Montana (1951), King of the Rocket Men (1949)See all 2 shared titles with Fred C. Brannon
- Ray TaylorShared titles: Range Beyond the Blue (1947), Riders of Pasco Basin (1940)See all 2 shared titles with Ray Taylor

Writers
- William LivelyShared titles: King of the Rocket Men (1949), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), East Side Kids (1940), Phantom Rancher (1940), The Fighting Renegade (1939)See all 5 shared titles with William Lively
- George H. PlymptonShared titles: Holt of the Secret Service (1941), Texas Wildcats (1939), Trigger Pals (1939), Durango Valley Raiders (1938), Arizona Gunfighter (1937)See all 5 shared titles with George H. Plympton
- Joseph O'DonnellShared titles: Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Port of Hate (1939), Straight Shooter (1939)See all 4 shared titles with Joseph O'Donnell
- Harry F. OlmstedShared titles: Durango Valley Raiders (1938), Arizona Gunfighter (1937), Colorado Kid (1937)See all 3 shared titles with Harry F. Olmsted
Actors
- Al St. JohnShared titles: The Kid Rides Again (1943), Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Trigger Pals (1939), The Law of the 45's (1935)See all 6 shared titles with Al St. John

- Karl HackettShared titles: Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Durango Valley Raiders (1938), Six-Gun Trail (1938), Arizona Gunfighter (1937), Colorado Kid (1937)See all 6 shared titles with Karl Hackett

- Bob SteeleShared titles: Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Riders of the Sage (1939), Durango Valley Raiders (1938), Arizona Gunfighter (1937), Colorado Kid (1937)See all 6 shared titles with Bob Steele

- Dave O'BrienShared titles: East Side Kids (1940), Phantom Rancher (1940), Fighting Mad (1939), Riders of the Sage (1939), Texas Wildcats (1939), The Fighting Renegade (1939)See all 6 shared titles with Dave O'Brien

Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Holbrook N. ToddShared titles: The Kid Rides Again (1943), Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Straight Shooter (1939), Texas Wildcats (1939), The Fighting Renegade (1939), Six-Gun Trail (1938), Border Caballero (1936), The Law of the 45's (1935), Cavalier of the West (1931)See all 12 shared titles with Holbrook N. Todd
- Jack GreenhalghShared titles: The Kid Rides Again (1943), Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Fighting Mad (1939), Trigger Pals (1939), Border Caballero (1936), Lawless Land (1936)See all 9 shared titles with Jack Greenhalgh
- Robert E. ClineShared titles: Range Beyond the Blue (1947), Durango Valley Raiders (1938), Arizona Gunfighter (1937), Colorado Kid (1937), The Law of the 45's (1935)See all 5 shared titles with Robert E. Cline
- Johnny LangeShared titles: Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), East Side Kids (1940), Six-Gun Rhythm (1939)See all 5 shared titles with Johnny Lange
Producers
- Sigmund NeufeldShared titles: The Kid Rides Again (1943), Billy the Kid Trapped (1942), Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942), Billy the Kid's Range War (1941), Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940), Border Caballero (1936)See all 6 shared titles with Sigmund Neufeld
- Sam KatzmanShared titles: East Side Kids (1940), Straight Shooter (1939), Texas Wildcats (1939), The Fighting Renegade (1939), Six-Gun Trail (1938)See all 5 shared titles with Sam Katzman

- A.W. HackelShared titles: Durango Valley Raiders (1938), Arizona Gunfighter (1937), Colorado Kid (1937), Lawless Land (1936)See all 4 shared titles with A.W. Hackel
- Jerry ThomasShared titles: Range Beyond the Blue (1947), Tumbleweed Trail (1946)See all 2 shared titles with Jerry Thomas
Mixed roles
- Robert Emmett TanseyShared titles: Tumbleweed Trail (1946), The Law of the 45's (1935)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Emmett Tansey

- Harry L. FraserShared titles: Phantom Rancher (1940), Cavalier of the West (1931)See all 2 shared titles with Harry L. Fraser




