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Yan Birch

Yan Birch

Actor, also producer · Born April 29, 1965 (61) · Växjö, Kronobergs län, Sweden

The son of a Swedish Actor-Comedian, Producer, Director and Musician; music and the arts were a natural part of Yan Birch's life, surrounding him throughout his early childhood. He learned to play the flute and trumpet at a tender age, and his passion for acting led him to the stage as a young child, appearing in several plays, including "Miss Julie", by August Strindberg. Yan's early television career in Sweden included two successful youth programs "Barnjournalen", a popular weekly kid's show, and "Unga Tvaan", at that time Sweden's MTV equivalent. Yan also had a band and released several successful recordings which received much radio airplay. Graduating with a BA in Mechanical Engineering and a degree in Mathematics, Yan completed his studies from the technical college Teknikum in Vaxjo, Sweden. At this point in his life, Yan decided to have a dramatic "Life Learning Experience." He traveled the world and lived in almost every country before making the big Hollywood move to live out his dream. He took nothing with him but the determination to "Experience" people from all over the world so that he would be well prepared for Hollywood and whatever was to come his way. With talent, experience, unending support from his family, and maybe a little genetic determination to perform, Yan swiftly obtained acting parts in music videos and commercials, working with people like Billy Idol, David Fincher, Mark Rezyka and Mickey Rourke before landing his first American feature roles in Slumber Party Massacre III (1990), and The Runestone (1991). From these, he was flown to Italy where he landed a starring role in the feature film "Scrondo" and several other Italian television shows. In 1991, Yan got a major part in Wes Craven's cult horror film The People Under the Stairs (1991), as "The Stairmaster." While his love for the fun of working on Horror and Science Fiction films took him on a road through the underground, his acting ability landed him the steadier roles in two popular network daytime soaps Santa Barbara (1984) and The Young and the Restless (1973). Yan capitalized on his Swedish good looks, and his menacing appearance, playing both a sensitive health club owner and a mobster, while working to better his craft in this different media. After working on a few more Indy films like Cyber Bandits (1995) together with Grace Jones, Alexandra Paul, Martin Kemp and Adam Ant, helmed by Erik Fleming and Sucker (1998) written and directed by Hans Rodionoff, in 1999 Yan received a phone call from Chuck Russell and was offered the role of the "Guardian Angel" in Paramount's Bless the Child (2000). Directed by Chuck Russell and starring Kim Basinger, Jimmy Smits, Christina Ricci and Rufus Sewell. Since then, Yan has appeared in several more independent films including Essence of Echoes (2002) and Ghost Rock (2003). Yan also has a recurring role on Spelling television's hit series Charmed (1998) on WB, as "Kane" - the head of the Warlocks. Yan has also starred in a multitude of television commercials during the years working with Directors such as Mark Pellington, David LaChapelle, Jake Scott, Ralf Schmerberg, Pierre Winther, Albert Watson, 'Regis Roinsard' , Paul Minor and Paul Hunter. Yan has incorporated his love of the arts with his business and deciding to expand his professional career, Yan also dove into producing. At the start of the year 1996 he produced "Mega Man" for Fox Television. He is the co-owner of the film production company Pure Entertainment together with his partner Victoria Tarazi. Yan produced and line produced the feature film documentary "Gone Soul Fishin" for MTV. He also produced and line produced the feature film Essence of Echoes (2002) (in which he also starred as the main villain). Yan continues to produce and develop a multitude of other projects with his company Pure Entertainment. Yan continues to expand his professional career while soaking up life's experiences like a sponge. His range and ability as an Actor and Producer continue to grow as he applies himself, and all that he is, to his roles and projects. Embracing every challenge with his eternal positive energy, inner peace, and great style, he has certainly come a long way since his first days on the stage in Sweden.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
April 29, 1965 (61)
From
Växjö, Kronobergs län, Sweden
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 29 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 18% in 30 days

What are Yan Birch's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 2nd percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action 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
Survival
58%
Morality
18%
Bonds
11%
Self
7%
Power
6%
Survival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 3 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 5

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 6 · 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 3 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
6
Thrilling
2
Absurd
2
Cold
1

How their films linger

Unsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous5

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 Yan Birch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Yan Birch'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

29 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Crust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Yan Birch

  • Mr Blue Shirt: The Inspiration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Pestilence

  • Beneath Us All(2023)

    Producer · as Frey

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Waking Nightmare(2023)

    as Scot Dyer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Devil's Left Hand(2023)

    as Father Stann

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Cobra Strike Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Executive Producer · as Rolfe

  • Cold Blooded Killers(2021)

    as Will

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • 99 Problems (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as he Stranger

  • The Amityville Harvest(2020)

    as Clyde Barrott

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Sky Sharks(2020)

    as Godfrey Graves

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Eternal Code(2019)

    Producer · as Magnus

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Agramon's Gate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Carter Stann

  • The Investors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Mr. Adelman

  • Betrayed(2018)

    as Coroner Bjork

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Death House(2017)

    as Doctor Phibes

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Terror Tales(2019)

    as Satan

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Stig

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Tim Birch

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Ghost Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Janko

  • Essence of Echoes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Producer · as The Figure

  • Bless the Child(2000)

    as Good Samaritan on Bridge

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Charmed(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Warlock Kane

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Sucker: The Vampire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Anthony

  • Strange Days(1995)

    as New Years Eve Party Dude (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Cyber Bandits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Princess Paula

  • The People Under the Stairs(1991)

    as Stairmaster

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Slumber Party Massacre III(1990)

    as Weirdo

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Don't Let Them In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Nick (segment "Campfire Tales")

  • The Beast Beneath Lake Bullaren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Ian

Career shape

Star power in the 74th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 29 titles, 27 of them dated from 1990 to 2024; peak year 1990.

Biggest box office

Slumber Party Massacre III (1990)

$1.2M worldwide

Highest rated

Beneath Us All (2023)

Midcredits 50th

Most popular right now

Betrayed (2018)

Film career

19902024

Peak 1990 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1990Screen debut· Slumber Party Massacre III

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting29 of 29: 27 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score31stProducing2 of 29: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1990s6 · acting2000s4 · 4 acting · 1 crew2010s7 · acting2020s10 · 10 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 14th · top billed in 0% of 6 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 Yan Birch's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 13th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 4th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

4thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 17 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Terror Tales (2019)

84th percentile spread · 68% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Strange Days (1995)

Midcredits 87th · 74% liked

Reviewers score the acting 29/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 64, detractors 19. 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 Yan Birch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Yan Birch's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harley Wallen shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles