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Hugo Butler

Writer · Died January 7, 1968, aged 53 · Calgary, Alberta, Canada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hugo D. Butler (4 May 1914 – 7 January 1968) was a Canadian born screenwriter working in Hollywood who was blacklisted by the film studios in the 1950s. Born in Calgary, Alberta, his father had acted and written scripts in silent films. Hugo Butler worked as a journalist and playwright before moving to Hollywood in 1937 where he wrote the first of his thirty-four screenplays. His work on Edison the Man (1940) led to his nomination (with Dore Schary) for the Best Writing, Original Story Academy Award. In 1940 he married actress Jean Rouverol, later an author and screenwriter. Shortly thereafter Butler's career was interrupted when he served in the United States military during World War II. After being blacklisted, he wrote under various pseudonyms as well as using a fellow member of the Writers Guild of America as a front to submit screenplays to the movie studios on his behalf. He and his wife went to Mexico where he worked on scripts for directors Luis Buñuel and Carlos Velo. He was a handful of blacklisted artists responsible for the Nuevo Cine movement in Mexico, according to Rebeca Shreiber's Cold War Exiles in Mexico. They did not return to the United States on a permanent basis for thirteen years. Hugo Butler suffered from arteriosclerotic brain disease for several years before he died from a heart attack in 1968 in Hollywood, California. In 1997, the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America voted to posthumously give him official credit for scripts he had written. He is survived by Becky Butler, Emily Butler, Mary Butler, Debbie Butler and screenwriter Michael Butler.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 4, 1914
Died
January 7, 1968 (aged 53)
From
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Works as
Writer
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 34 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 13% in 30 days

What are Hugo Butler's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Self
24%
Bonds
23%
Morality
19%
Survival
13%
Society
12%
Power
6%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 3 · Dark 8

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 9 · Intense 6

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 8 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 4 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Hopeful
10
Melancholic
8
Warm
5
Dread
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Hopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous4

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 Hugo Butler's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hugo Butler'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

34 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page.

  • Running Scared (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Adaptation

  • The Legend of Lylah Clare(1968)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • A Face in the Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Writer

  • Sodom and Gomorrah(1962)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Eva(1962)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Young One(1960)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Torero! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Writer

  • Autumn Leaves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Writer

  • Robinson Crusoe(1954)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • World for Ransom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Writer

  • The First Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Screenplay · Story

  • The Big Night(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • He Ran All the Way(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Prowler(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • A Woman of Distinction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Story

  • Your Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Screenplay

  • Roughshod (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Screenplay

  • Miss Susie Slagle's(1946)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • From This Day Forward(1946)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Southerner(1945)

    Adaptation

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Lassie Come Home(1943)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Omaha Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Screenplay

  • A Yank on the Burma Road(1942)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Blossoms in the Dust(1941)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Barnacle Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Screenplay

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

    Screenplay

  • Edison, the Man(1940)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Young Tom Edison(1940)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Society Lawyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Screenplay

  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn(1939)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • A Christmas Carol(1938)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Arsène Lupin Returns(1938)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Big City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles from 1937 to 1972.

Biggest box office

Lassie Come Home (1943)

$99K worldwide

Highest rated

A Christmas Carol (1938)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

The Young One (1960)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing1 of 33: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting32 of 33: 32 only writing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rd

By decade

1930s4 · crew1940s12 · crew1950s10 · crew1960s6 · crew1970s1 · 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 Hugo Butler's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72nd percentile, the median of all 19; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · writer

Miss Susie Slagle's (1946)

64th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

A Christmas Carol (1938)

Midcredits 91st · 81% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 54/100 and the plot and story 49/100 in their films, across 19 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Hugo Butler's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 19 · mildMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Hugo Butler work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hugo Butler's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Franz Waxman shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers