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Florence Bates

Florence Bates

Actor · Died January 31, 1954, aged 65 · San Antonio, Texas, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Florence Bates (born Florence Rabe, April 15, 1888 – January 31, 1954) was an American film and stage character actress who often played grande dame characters in supporting roles. Her path to becoming an actress had many turns. She had a degree in Mathematics, taught school until married, then became the first Texas female lawyer. Then she became a bilingual radio commentator. After her husband lost her fortune, she and her husband opened a bakery in Los Angeles. In the mid-1930s, Bates auditioned for and won the role of Miss Bates in a Pasadena Playhouse adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. When she decided to continue working with the theatre group, she changed her professional name to that of the first character she played on stage. In 1939, she was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in her first major screen role, the vain dowager Mrs. Van Hopper, in Rebecca (1940). Bates appeared in more than sixty films over the course of the next thirteen years. Among her cinema credits are Kitty Foyle, Love Crazy, The Moon and Sixpence, Mr. Lucky, Heaven Can Wait, Lullaby of Broadway, Mister Big, Since You Went Away, Kismet, Saratoga Trunk, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Winter Meeting, I Remember Mama, Portrait of Jennie, A Letter to Three Wives, On the Town, and Les Misérables. In television, Bates had a regular role on The Hank McCune Show and made guest appearances on I Love Lucy, My Little Margie, I Married Joan and Our Miss Brooks.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 13, 1888
Died
January 31, 1954 (aged 65)
From
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
45 on MovieCove · 63 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

What are Florence Bates' films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Musical2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Musical 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
Self
34%
Bonds
33%
Morality
20%
Power
6%
Society
4%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love18 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception8 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 25 · Serious 8 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 18 · Heightened 4

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 18 · Charged 15 · Intense 2

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

Steady 28 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 11

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 19 · Even-paced 15 · 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 24 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 4 of 11 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
4 of 11
Ally
3 of 11
Herald
1 of 11
Shadow
1 of 11
Mentor
1 of 11
Trickster
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
14
Romantic
17
Warm
14
Tense
9
Melancholic
6
Other
32

How their films linger

Feel-good22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy20
  • Bittersweet13
  • Ambiguous2

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 Florence Bates' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 45 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Florence Bates' 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

63 credits, 45 with a MovieCove page.

  • Paris Model(1953)

    as Nora Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Main Street to Broadway(1953)

    as Mrs. Bessmer in Fantasy Sequence

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Ottilie

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Les Miserables(1952)

    as Madame Bonnet

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The San Francisco Story(1952)

    as Sadie

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • I Love Lucy(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Pettebone

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Havana Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Mrs. Fillmore

  • The Tall Target(1951)

    as Mrs. Charlotte Alsop

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Father Takes the Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Minerva Bobbin

  • Lullaby of Broadway(1951)

    as Mrs. Anna Hubbell

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Dick Tracy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Frothingham

  • County Fair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Nora 'Ma' Ryan

  • The Second Woman(1950)

    as Amelia Foster

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Belle of Old Mexico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Nellie Chatfield

  • On the Town(1949)

    as Madame Dilyovska

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Girl from Jones Beach(1949)

    as Miss Emma Shoemaker

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • A Letter to Three Wives(1949)

    as Mrs. Manleigh

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Portrait of Jennie(1948)

    as Mrs. Jekes

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • My Dear Secretary(1948)

    as Horrible Hannah Reeve (the landlady)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven(1948)

    as Mandy

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • River Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Ma Dunnegan

  • Winter Meeting(1948)

    as Mrs. Castle

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Inside Story(1948)

    as Geraldine Atherton

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • I Remember Mama(1948)

    as Florence Dana Moorhead

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Judge Steps Out(1948)

    as Chita

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Secret Life of Walter Mitty(1947)

    as Mrs. Griswold

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Love and Learn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Mrs. Bella Davis - Landlady

  • The Brasher Doubloon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Mrs. Murdock

  • The Man I Love(1946)

    as Mrs. Thorpe (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Time, the Place and the Girl(1946)

    as Mme. Lucia Cassel

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Cluny Brown(1946)

    as Dowager at Ames's Party

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Claudia and David (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Nancy Riddle

  • The Diary of a Chambermaid(1946)

    as Rose

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Whistle Stop(1946)

    as Molly Veech

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • San Antonio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Henrietta

  • Saratoga Trunk(1945)

    as Sophie Bellop

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Out of This World(1945)

    as Harriet Pringle

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Tonight and Every Night(1945)

    as May Tolliver

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Tahiti Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Queen Liliha

  • Belle of the Yukon(1944)

    as Viola Chase

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Kismet(1944)

    as Karsha

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Mask of Dimitrios(1944)

    as Madame Elise Chavez

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • His Butler's Sister(1943)

    as Lady Sloughberry

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Heaven Can Wait(1943)

    as Mrs. Edna Craig (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Lucky(1943)

    as Mrs. Van Every

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Mister Big (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Mrs. Mary Davis

  • Slightly Dangerous(1943)

    as Mrs. Amanda Roanoke-Brooke

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • They Got Me Covered(1943)

    as Gypsy Woman

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • My Heart Belongs to Daddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Mrs. Saunders

  • The Moon and Sixpence(1942)

    as Tiare Johnson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Tuttles of Tahiti(1942)

    as Emily

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • We Were Dancing(1942)

    as Mrs. Elsa Vanderlip

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Mexican Spitfire at Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Mrs. Baldwin

  • The Chocolate Soldier(1941)

    as Madame Helene

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Love Crazy(1941)

    as Mrs. Cooper

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Strange Alibi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Katie

  • The Devil and Miss Jones(1941)

    as Store Shopper

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Road Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mrs. Newton

  • Kitty Foyle(1940)

    as Customer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Hudson's Bay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Duchess (scenes deleted)

  • The Son of Monte Cristo(1940)

    as Countess Mathilde Von Braun

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Calling All Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Emmie Trippe

  • Rebecca(1940)

    as Edythe Van Hopper

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 63 titles from 1940 to 1953.

Biggest box office

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

$957K worldwide

Highest rated

Rebecca (1940)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

Top draw in 1 MovieCove title.

  • 1940Screen debut· Rebecca

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting63 of 63: 63 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1940s49 · acting1950s14 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 20 roles
4045

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 Florence Bates' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 43; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 45 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Main Street to Broadway (1953)

59th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rebecca (1940)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 35 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 45. 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 Florence Bates work with?

People who share at least 2 of Florence Bates' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alan Mowbray shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers