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John Cairney

John Cairney

Actor · Died September 6, 2023, aged 93 · Glasgow, Scotland, UK

John Cairney (16 February 1930 – 6 September 2023) was a Scottish stage, film and television actor who found fame through his one-man shows on Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Service, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and William McGonagall.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 16, 1930
Died
September 6, 2023 (aged 93)
From
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 33 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 8% in 30 days

What are John Cairney's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Morality.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
Power
41%
Morality
17%
Self
15%
Ideas
10%
Society
8%
Survival
6%
Bonds
3%
Freedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 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 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 2

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

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

Steady 1 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · 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 4 · 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 2 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Dread
2
Thrilling
2
Melancholic
2
Hopeful
2
Other
2

How their films linger

Rousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet2
  • 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 John Cairney's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Cairney'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

33 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Nightmare Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Trapper

  • Memory & Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Marriage Celebrant

  • Silent Mouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Father Ambrosius

  • Henry IV Part I(1979)

    as Archibald

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Sporting Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as The Jenkin Brothers (archive footage)

  • The Great Mill Race (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Actor

  • Churchill's People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Steward of Scotland

  • Scotch on the Rocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 5 episodes · as John Mackie

  • The Persuaders!(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Jenkins Brothers

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Elizabeth R(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir James Melville

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • ITV Saturday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Screenplay · as Robert Burns

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as John

  • This Man Craig (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 52 episodes · Actor

  • A Study in Terror(1965)

    as Michael Osborne

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Spaceflight IC-1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Dr. Steven Thomas

  • Gideon's Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Robbie McGregor

  • The Devil-Ship Pirates(1964)

    as Harry

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Jason and the Argonauts(1963)

    as Hylas

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Antony and Cleopatra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Alexas

  • Victim(1961)

    as Bridie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Avengers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Firth

  • Marriage of Convenience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Larry Wilson

  • Target Luna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ian Murray

  • The Flesh and the Fiends(1960)

    as Chris Jackson

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Interpol Calling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Gupta

  • Operation Bullshine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Gunner Willie Ross

  • Shake Hands with the Devil(1959)

    as Mike O'Callaghan

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • A Night to Remember(1958)

    as Mr. Murphy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Windom's Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Jan Vidal

  • Lucky Jim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Roberts

  • Miracle in Soho (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Tom

  • Night Ambush(1957)

    as Elias

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Armchair Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Francis Sheehan · as François Laurant · as Gilbert Dauriac · as Gilchrist · as John Teal

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 33 titles from 1956 to 1999; peak year 1964.

Biggest box office

A Night to Remember (1958)

$1.1K worldwide

Highest rated

A Night to Remember (1958)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Film career

19561999

Peak 1964 · at the high point of their film career. 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting33 of 33: 32 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score89thWriting1 of 33: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s9 · acting1960s14 · 14 acting · 1 crew1970s7 · acting1980s1 · acting1990s2 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 9 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 John Cairney's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 78th percentile, the median of all 9; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 77th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 11 titles divides audiences: 5 are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1

Most loved · actor

A Night to Remember (1958)

Midcredits 97th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 49. 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.

Is John Cairney's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 37 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 12 · minimalMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does John Cairney work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Cairney's MovieCove titles; Honor Blackman shares the most, 2.