Skip to content
MovieCove
Norman Foster

Norman Foster

Director, actor and writer · Died July 7, 1976, aged 72 · Richmond, Indiana, USA

Directors Guild Award nominee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Norman Foster (December 13, 1903 - July 7, 1976) was an American film director and actor. Born John Hoeffer in Richmond, Indiana, Foster originally became a cub reporter on a local newspaper in Indiana before going to New York in the hopes of getting a better newspaper job but there were no vacancies. He tried a number of theatrical agencies before getting stage work and later appeared on Broadway in the George S. Kaufman / Ring Lardner play June Moon in 1929. He has also acted in London, England. He started working in crowd scenes in films before moving to bigger parts. His film acting credits include Prosperity (1932), Pilgrimage (1933), Rafter Romance (1933) with Ginger Rogers and State Fair (1933). He has written several plays. He gave up acting in the late 1930s to pursue directing, although he occasionally appeared in movies and television programs. Some of Foster's directorial efforts include The Sign of Zorro (1958), and the stylish films noir Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948), Woman on the Run (1950) and Journey into Fear (1943). Foster directed Rachel and the Stranger and the Davy Crockett segments of Disneyland that were edited into feature films Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates where he did not accept any interference from Walt Disney. In 1967, he directed Brighty of the Grand Canyon, based on a children's novel by Marguerite Henry about a burro in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. The film starred Joseph Cotten, Karl Swenson, Dick Foran, and Pat Conway. It was rumored that Orson Welles took over direction of Journey Into Fear, which Welles later denied. Foster was the director of the "My Friend Bonito" segment of Orson Welles' Pan-American anthology film It's All True until RKO aborted the project. Foster directed a number of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto mysteries, including Charlie Chan in Panama (1940), Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939), Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939), Charlie Chan in Reno (1939), Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939), Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938), Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938), Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937), and Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937). Foster was married to Claudette Colbert from 1928 until their divorce in 1935. In 1937, he wed actress Sally Blane, an older sister of Loretta Young. The couple remained married until his death in 1976 from cancer in Santa Monica at the age of 75. They had two children, Robert and Gretchen. He is buried in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery. Description above from the Wikipedia article Norman Foster, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 13, 1903
Died
July 7, 1976 (aged 72)
From
Richmond, Indiana, USA
Works as
Director, actor and writer
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 110 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 27% in 30 days

What are Norman Foster's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th 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
Morality
33%
Bonds
25%
Self
16%
Society
9%
Power
6%
Survival
6%
Ideas
4%
Justice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 14 · Serious 6 · Dark 5

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 14 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 8 · Charged 14 · Intense 3

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

A split, not a type: Steady 14 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 3

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 15 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 8 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 8
Ally
2 of 8
Shadow
1 of 8
Herald
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Thrilling
10
Warm
7
Hopeful
9
Melancholic
7
Other
21

How their films linger

Feel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic2
  • 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 Norman Foster's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Norman Foster'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

110 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Other Side of the Wind(2018)

    as Billy Boyle

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Green Hornet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • It's All True(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Crazy Horse and Custer: The Untold Story(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Woman in the Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Assistant Director for HighShine

  • The Deathhead Virgin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • The Green Hornet(1974)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Double Solitaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Ernest Potter

  • Play It As It Lays(1972)

    as Abortionist

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Legend of Custer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Custer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Brighty of the Grand Canyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director · Writer

  • The Green Hornet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Monroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Batman(1966)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Loner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Indian Paint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The New Loretta Young Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 18 episodes · Director

  • Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Associate Producer · Teleplay

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Adventures in Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Sign of Zorro(1958)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Bat Masterson(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Tombstone Territory(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Zorro(1957)

    Show 14 episodes · Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Davy Crockett and the River Pirates(1956)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director · Writer

  • Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier(1955)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Davy Crockett at the Alamo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • Davy Crockett Goes to Congress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • Davy Crockett (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 7 episodes · Director · Writer

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 21 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Sombrero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Sky Full of Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director · Writer

  • Cavalcade of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Navajo(1952)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Woman on the Run(1950)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Father Is a Bachelor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • Tell It to the Judge(1949)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Bewitched House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Story

  • Kiss the Blood Off My Hands(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Rachel and the Stranger(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • El canto de la sirena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Director · Writer

  • El ahijado de la muerte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • The Hour of Truth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director · Screenplay

  • La Fuga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Director · Writer

  • Santa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Journey Into Fear(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • It's All True (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Scotland Yard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • Ride, Kelly, Ride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • Viva Cisco Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Director

  • Charlie Chan in Panama(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • 20,000 Men a Year (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Assistant Director

  • Charlie Chan at Treasure Island(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation(1939)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Charlie Chan in Reno(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Moto's Last Warning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director · Screenplay

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

    Director · Screenplay · as Hoodlum in Tavern

  • Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director · Original Story

  • Walking Down Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Thank You, Mr. Moto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Sunday Night at the Trocadero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Norman Foster

  • Think Fast, Mr. Moto(1937)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Fair Warning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director · Screenplay

  • I Cover Chinatown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director · as Eddie Barton

  • High Tension (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Eddie Mitchell

  • Fatal Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Phillip Roberts

  • Everybody's Old Man(1936)

    as Ronald Franklin

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Leavenworth Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Detective Bob Grice

  • Suicide Squad(1935)

    as Larry Barker

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Super Speed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Randy Rogers

  • The Fire-Trap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Bill Farnsworth

  • Escape from Devil's Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Andre Dion

  • The Bishop Misbehaves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Donald Meadows

  • Ladies Crave Excitement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Don Phelan

  • The Hoosier Schoolmaster(1935)

    as Ralph Hartsook

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Behind the Green Lights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Detective Lt. Dave Britten

  • Behind the Evidence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Tony Sheridan

  • Elinor Norton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Bill Foster

  • Strictly Dynamite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Fleming

  • Orient Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Carlton Myatt

  • Walls of Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Barnes Ritchie

  • Rafter Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Jack

  • Pilgrimage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Jim 'Jimmy' Jessop (Hannah's son)

  • Professional Sweetheart(1933)

    as Jim

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • State Fair(1933)

    as Wayne Frake

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Prosperity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as John Warren

  • Strange Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Wally Baker

  • Skyscraper Souls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Tom Shepherd

  • Week-End Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Ken Hayes

  • The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Maurice Cohen

  • Steady Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Jim

  • Play Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Wallace 'Wally' Dennis

  • Alias the Doctor(1932)

    as Stephan Brenner

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Girl of the Rio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Johnny Powell

  • Under Eighteen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Alf

  • Reckless Living (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Doggie

  • Confessions of a Co-Ed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Hal Evans

  • Up Pops the Devil(1931)

    as Steve Merrick

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Men Call It Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Jack

  • It Pays to Advertise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Rodney Martin

  • No Limit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Douglas Thayer

  • Young Man of Manhattan(1930)

    as Toby McLean

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Love at First Sight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Actor

  • Gentlemen of the Press (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Ted Hanley

Career shape

A full career of 110 titles from 1929 to 2018.

Highest rated

Woman on the Run (1950)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

The Other Side of the Wind (2018)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 110: 46 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thDirecting62 of 110: 39 only directing, 23 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndWriting23 of 110: 1 only writing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thProducing1 of 110: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 110: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

110 titles, 23 with more than one role — directing and acting overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1920s2 · acting1930s51 · 41 acting · 12 crew1940s15 · crew1950s21 · crew1960s11 · crew1970s6 · 4 acting · 2 crew1990s2 · crew2000s1 · crew2010s1 · 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.

Awards

Nominated for a Directors Guild Award in 1957, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Norman Foster's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 27; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Everybody's Old Man (1936)

90th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Zorro (1957)

Midcredits 92nd · 90% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 65/100 and the pacing 55/100 in their films, across 21 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 Norman Foster work with?

People who share at least 2 of Norman Foster's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Samuel Kaylin shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers