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William Clemens

William Clemens

Director and editor, also producer · Died April 29, 1980, aged 74 · Saginaw, Michigan, USA

William Clemens (September 10, 1905 – April 29, 1980) was an American director and editor known for his work in the detective genre, directing films for characters such as Nancy Drew, Perry Mason, The Falcon, Philo Vance and Torchy Blane.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 10, 1905
Died
April 29, 1980 (aged 74)
From
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Works as
Director and editor, also producer
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 55 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 7% in 30 days

What are William Clemens' films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Power.

Genres

Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: 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
Morality
51%
Power
16%
Bonds
13%
Self
11%
Ideas
4%
Survival
3%
Society
2%
Justice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 11 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

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

Grounded 14 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 9 · Intense 1

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

Steady 12 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 11 · 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 10 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Thrilling
6
Joyful
4
Warm
5
Melancholic
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet5

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 William Clemens' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William Clemens' 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

55 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page.

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

    Show 1 episode · as Detective Zorn

  • The Thirteenth Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Director

  • Crime by Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Director

  • The Falcon Out West(1944)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Falcon and the Co-eds(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Falcon in Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Lady Bodyguard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Sweater Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Night in New Orleans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • The Night of January 16th (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • Knockout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • She Couldn't Say No (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Director

  • King of the Lumberjacks(1940)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Calling Philo Vance(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • On Dress Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Nancy Drew... Reporter(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Devil's Island(1938)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Nancy Drew… Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Mr. Chump (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Crime School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Torchy Blane in Panama(1938)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Accidents Will Happen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Missing Witnesses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • The Footloose Heiress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Talent Scout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Once a Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • The Sunday Round-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Here Comes Carter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Down the Stretch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • The Case of the Velvet Claws (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • The Law in Her Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Man Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • The Murder of Dr. Harrigan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • I Found Stella Parish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Editor

  • Page Miss Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Editor

  • Devil Dogs of the Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Editor

  • Oil for the Lamps of China(1935)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Happiness Ahead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Editor

  • Kansas City Princess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Editor

  • Dr. Monica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Editor

  • Journal of a Crime(1934)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Easy to Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Editor

  • The Man from Monterey(1933)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • From Headquarters(1933)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Somewhere in Sonora(1933)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Telegraph Trail(1933)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Haunted Gold(1932)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Ride Him, Cowboy(1932)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Beyond the Rockies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Editor

  • Ghost Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Editor

  • Freighters of Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Editor

  • Up for Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Editor

Career shape

A full career of 51 titles from 1931 to 1961.

Highest rated

Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939)

Midcredits 66th

Most popular right now

King of the Lumberjacks (1940)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 51: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting34 of 51: 34 only directing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stEditing16 of 51: 16 only editing, 0 with another role

By decade

1930s37 · crew1940s13 · crew1960s1 · acting

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 William Clemens' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

None of their 16 titles divides audiences: 6 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed6

Most loved · director

Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939)

Midcredits 66th · 60% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 56/100 and the pacing 59/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 William Clemens work with?

People who share at least 2 of William Clemens' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Wayne shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers