Howard Bretherton (13 February 1890, in Tacoma, Washington – 12 April 1969, in San Diego, California) was an American film director, film editor, and the father of film editor David Bretherton.
Biography from TMDB.
- February 13, 1890
- April 12, 1969 (aged 79)
- Tacoma, Washington, USA
- Director and editor, also producer
- 25 on Motif · 126 credits in all
What are Howard Bretherton's films like?
Across their 24 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.
Genres
Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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 3 · Earnest 21
Light 16 · Serious 5 · Dark 3
Grounded 18 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 0
Gentle 10 · Charged 13 · Intense 1
A split, not a type: Steady 12 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 1
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 1
Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 3
Casual 16 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 18 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 1
Resolved 20 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy18
- Bittersweet3
- Ambiguous3
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 Howard Bretherton's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 25 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).
- Adventures of Superman (1952) · director · free
- Hop-a-Long Cassidy (1935) · director · free
- Three on the Trail (1936) · director · free
- West of the Law (1942) · director · free
- Down Texas Way (1942) · director · free
- Identity Unknown (1945) · producer · free
- Riders of the West (1942) · director · free
- Below the Border (1942) · director · free
- The Monster and the Ape (1945) · director · free
- Navy Secrets (1939) · director · free
- Secret Valley (1937) · director · free
- Western Gold (1937) · director · free
- +3 more
- Hop-a-Long Cassidy (1935) · director
- In Old Colorado (1941) · director
- West of the Law (1942) · director
- Down Texas Way (1942) · director
- Identity Unknown (1945) · producer
- Outlaws of the Desert (1941) · director
- Tough Kid (1938) · director
- Secret Valley (1937) · director
- Up in the Air (1940) · director
- Irish Luck (1939) · director
Subscription and free streaming for Howard Bretherton's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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
126 credits, 25 with a Motif page.
Adventures of Superman(1952)
Motif score: 68th percentile of all shows
Night Raiders (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)
Jackie Knows All (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)
Racket Squad (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)
The Stu Erwin Show (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)
Triggerman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)
The Prince of Thieves (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)
Because of Eve (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)
The Story of Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)
Trail of the Mounties (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)
Where the North Begins (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)
Ridin' Down the Trail (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)
The Trap(1946)
Motif score: 56th percentile of all films
Here Comes the Circus (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1946)
Who's Guilty? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)
Renegades of the Rio Grande (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)
The Monster and the Ape(1945)
Motif score: 33rd percentile of all films
Identity Unknown(1945)
Motif score: 47th percentile of all films
Gun Smoke (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)
The Topeka Terror (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)
The Big Show-Off (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)
The Navajo Trail (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1945)
Law of the Valley (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1944)
San Antonio Kid (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1944)
The Girl Who Dared(1944)
Motif score: 38th percentile of all films
Outlaws of Santa Fe (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1944)
Hidden Valley Outlaws (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1944)
Whispering Footsteps (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
The Man from the Rio Grande (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Beyond the Last Frontier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Wagon Tracks West (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Bordertown Gun Fighters (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Fugitive from Sonora (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Riders of the Rio Grande (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Santa Fe Scouts (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Carson City Cyclone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)
Dawn on the Great Divide (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)
Rhythm Parade (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)
Pirates of the Prairie (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)
West of the Law(1942)
Motif score: 53rd percentile of all films
Riders of the West(1942)
Motif score: 41st percentile of all films
Down Texas Way(1942)
Motif score: 51st percentile of all films
Ghost Town Law (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)
Below the Border(1942)
Motif score: 39th percentile of all films
West of Tombstone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)
Riders of the Badlands (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)
Outlaws of the Desert(1941)
Motif score: 30th percentile of all films
Twilight on the Trail (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)
Sign of the Wolf (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)
In Old Colorado(1941)
Motif score: 56th percentile of all films
You're Out of Luck (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)
Up in the Air(1940)
Motif score: 21st percentile of all films
Laughing at Danger (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)
On the Spot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)
Midnight Limited (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)
The Showdown (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)
Chasing Trouble (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)
Hidden Enemy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)
Danger Flight (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)
Sky Patrol (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)
Irish Luck(1939)
Motif score: 17th percentile of all films
Boys' Reformatory (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)
Undercover Agent (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)
Star Reporter(1939)
Motif score: 9th percentile of all films
Navy Secrets(1939)
Motif score: 27th percentile of all films
Tough Kid(1938)
Motif score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Wanted by the Police (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)
County Fair (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1937)
Western Gold(1937)
Motif score: 24th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
It Happened Out West (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1937)
Secret Valley(1937)
Motif score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Wild Brian Kent (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)
King of the Royal Mounted (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)
The Girl from Mandalay (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)
Three on the Trail(1936)
Motif score: 57th percentile of all films
Call of the Prairie (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)
Heart of the West (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)
The Leathernecks Have Landed (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)
Bar 20 Rides Again (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)
The Eagle's Brood (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)
Hop-a-Long Cassidy(1935)
Motif score: 67th percentile of all films
Dinky (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)
The Singer of Naples (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)
Return of the Terror (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)
Smarty (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)
Heat Lightning(1934)
Motif score: 86th percentile of all films
The House on 56th Street(1933)
Motif score: 64th percentile of all films
Baby Face(1933)
Motif score: 93rd percentile of all films
Heroes for Sale (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)
Ladies They Talk About(1933)
Motif score: 64th percentile of all films
The Match King (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)
A Successful Calamity (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)
Crooner (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)
The Famous Ferguson Case(1932)
Motif score: 60th percentile of all films
Easy to Get (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)
Via Express (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)
Once Over, Light (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)
Laugh It Off (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)
Pulling a Bone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)
It's All Over (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)
Model Women (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)
Isle of Escape (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)
Second Choice (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)
The Argyle Case (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)
The Time, the Place and the Girl (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)
From Headquarters (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)
The Redeeming Sin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)
The Greyhound Limited (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)
Caught in the Fog (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)
The Chorus Kid (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)
Turn Back the Hours (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)
Across the Atlantic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)
The Silver Slave (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)
One-Round Hogan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)
The Bush Leaguer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)
The Black Diamond Express (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)
Hills of Kentucky (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)
While London Sleeps (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)
Footloose Widows (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)
The Lighthouse by the Sea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1924)
A Self-Made Failure (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1924)
Beau Brummel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1924)
Children of Dust (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1923)
A Man's Home (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1921)
The Fighter (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1921)
Bucking the Tiger (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1921)
Career shape
A full career of 126 titles from 1921 to 1952.
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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.
How do Howard Bretherton's films land?
Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up2
- 50th to 74th10
- 25th to 49th9
- Below 25th4
Shape of the crowd
11 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved1
- Crowd Pleaser11
- Broadly Agreed2
- Mixed11
Reviewers score the atmosphere 57/100 and the pacing 52/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
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 Motif 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 Howard Bretherton work with?
People who share at least 2 of Howard Bretherton's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harry Neumann shares the most, 8.
Writers
- Adele BuffingtonShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942)See all 4 shared titles with Adele Buffington
- Clarence E. MulfordShared titles: Outlaws of the Desert (1941), Three on the Trail (1936), Hop-a-Long Cassidy (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Clarence E. Mulford
- J. Benton CheneyShared titles: In Old Colorado (1941), Outlaws of the Desert (1941)See all 2 shared titles with J. Benton Cheney
- Earle SnellShared titles: Secret Valley (1937), Western Gold (1937)See all 2 shared titles with Earle Snell
Actors
- Buck JonesShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942)See all 4 shared titles with Buck Jones
- Raymond HattonShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942)See all 4 shared titles with Raymond Hatton
- Tim McCoyShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942)See all 4 shared titles with Tim McCoy
- William BoydShared titles: In Old Colorado (1941), Outlaws of the Desert (1941), Three on the Trail (1936), Hop-a-Long Cassidy (1935)See all 4 shared titles with William Boyd
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Harry NeumannShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942), Irish Luck (1939), Navy Secrets (1939), Tough Kid (1938), Western Gold (1937)See all 8 shared titles with Harry Neumann
- Carl PiersonShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942), Western Gold (1937)See all 5 shared titles with Carl Pierson
- Edward J. KayShared titles: Down Texas Way (1942), Irish Luck (1939), Navy Secrets (1939), Tough Kid (1938)See all 4 shared titles with Edward J. Kay
- Russell F. SchoengarthShared titles: Irish Luck (1939), Navy Secrets (1939), Star Reporter (1939), Tough Kid (1938)See all 4 shared titles with Russell F. Schoengarth
Producers
- Scott R. DunlapShared titles: Below the Border (1942), Down Texas Way (1942), Riders of the West (1942), West of the Law (1942), Irish Luck (1939), Navy Secrets (1939), Tough Kid (1938)See all 7 shared titles with Scott R. Dunlap
- Harry ShermanShared titles: In Old Colorado (1941), Outlaws of the Desert (1941), Three on the Trail (1936), Hop-a-Long Cassidy (1935)See all 4 shared titles with Harry Sherman
- Lindsley ParsonsShared titles: Up in the Air (1940), Tough Kid (1938)See all 2 shared titles with Lindsley Parsons
- Sol LesserShared titles: Secret Valley (1937), Western Gold (1937)See all 2 shared titles with Sol Lesser
