William Taylor "Tay" Garnett (June 13, 1894 – October 3, 1977) was an American film director and writer. Description above from the Wikipedia article Tay Garnett, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Biography from TMDB.
- June 13, 1894
- October 3, 1977 (aged 83)
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Director, writer and producer
- 29 on MovieCove · 95 credits in all
What are Tay Garnett's films like?
Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 25
A split, not a type: Light 14 · Serious 8 · Dark 5
Grounded 17 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 1
Gentle 9 · Charged 12 · Intense 6
A split, not a type: Steady 13 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 0
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 6
Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 1
Casual 18 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 14 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 2
Resolved 25 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy12
- Bittersweet12
- Tragic2
- Ambiguous1
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 Tay Garnett's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) · director · free
- Bataan (1943) · director · free
- The Loretta Young Show (1953) · director · free
- Seven Sinners (1940) · actor, director · free
- Cause for Alarm! (1951) · director · free
- Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941) · director · free
- Trade Winds (1938) · director, writer, producer · free
- Slightly Honorable (1939) · actor, director, producer · free
- The Night Fighters (1960) · director · free
- Eternally Yours (1939) · actor, director, writer, producer · free
Subscription and free streaming for Tay Garnett'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
95 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.
Timber Tramps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Challenge to be Free (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
The Delta Factor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
The Loner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
The Legend of Jesse James (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
Best of Cinerama(1963)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Cattle King(1963)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
87th Precinct (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)
The Tall Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
The Night Fighters(1960)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Overland Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
The Deputy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
Naked City(1958)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Alcoa Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)
The Carroll Formula (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)
Partners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)
Seven Wonders of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)
Screen Director's Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)
Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)
The Black Knight(1954)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Main Street to Broadway(1953)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
The Loretta Young Show(1953)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Death Valley Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)
One Minute to Zero(1952)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
Soldiers Three(1951)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Cause for Alarm!(1951)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
The Racket(1951)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
The Fireball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Wild Harvest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
The Valley of Decision(1945)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Mrs. Parkington(1944)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
The Cross of Lorraine(1943)
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Bataan(1943)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
My Favorite Spy(1942)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Weekend for Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)
Unexpected Uncle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)
Cheers for Miss Bishop(1941)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Seven Sinners(1940)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Cafe Hostess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)
Slightly Honorable(1939)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Eternally Yours(1939)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Trade Winds(1938)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Joy of Living (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Stand-In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
Slave Ship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
Love Is News(1937)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Professional Soldier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
She Couldn't Take It(1935)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
China Seas(1935)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
S.O.S. Iceberg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
Destination Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
One Way Passage(1932)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Okay, America! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)
Prestige (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)
Panama Flo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)
Bad Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Her Man(1930)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Officer O'Brien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
Oh, Yeah! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)
The Flying Fool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)
The Spieler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Power (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
The Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Celebrity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Skyscraper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Fiddlesticks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
The Wise Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
Turkish Delight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
No Control (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
Long Pants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
Getting Gertie's Garter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
White Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
Rubber Tires(1927)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Cruise of the Jasper B (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
There You Are! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
Up in Mabel's Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
That's My Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
The Funnymooners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
All Wool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
The Sleuth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Riders of the Kitchen Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Navy Blue Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Twins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
West of Hot Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Off His Trolley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Galloping Bungalows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Detained (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Mandarin Mix-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Fast Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Broken Chains (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)
The Quack Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
Career shape
A full career of 94 titles from 1920 to 1975.
Biggest box office
One Way Passage (1932)
Highest rated
One Way Passage (1932)
Most popular right now
The Valley of Decision (1945)
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 Tay Garnett's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up8
- 50th to 74th12
- 25th to 49th7
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
18 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved2
- Crowd Pleaser18
- Broadly Agreed7
- Mixed2
Reviewers score the atmosphere 63/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 25 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 Tay Garnett work with?
People who share at least 2 of Tay Garnett's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Robert Mitchum shares the most, 3.
Writers
- William Wister HainesShared titles: One Minute to Zero (1952), The Racket (1951)See all 2 shared titles with William Wister Haines
- John MeehanShared titles: The Valley of Decision (1945), Seven Sinners (1940)See all 2 shared titles with John Meehan
- Robert Hardy AndrewsShared titles: Bataan (1943), The Cross of Lorraine (1943)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Hardy Andrews
- Harry TugendShared titles: Seven Sinners (1940), Love Is News (1937)See all 2 shared titles with Harry Tugend
Actors
- Robert MitchumShared titles: The Night Fighters (1960), One Minute to Zero (1952), The Racket (1951)See all 3 shared titles with Robert Mitchum
- Loretta YoungShared titles: Cause for Alarm! (1951), Eternally Yours (1939), Love Is News (1937)See all 3 shared titles with Loretta Young
- Broderick CrawfordShared titles: Seven Sinners (1940), Eternally Yours (1939), Slightly Honorable (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Broderick Crawford
- Robert TaylorShared titles: Cattle King (1963), Bataan (1943)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Taylor
Cinematographers and editors
- George WhiteShared titles: Cattle King (1963), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), Bataan (1943)See all 3 shared titles with George White
- Joseph RuttenbergShared titles: Cause for Alarm! (1951), The Valley of Decision (1945), Mrs. Parkington (1944)See all 3 shared titles with Joseph Ruttenberg
- Sidney WagnerShared titles: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), Bataan (1943), The Cross of Lorraine (1943)See all 3 shared titles with Sidney Wagner
- Dorothy SpencerShared titles: Eternally Yours (1939), Slightly Honorable (1939), Trade Winds (1938)See all 3 shared titles with Dorothy Spencer
Producers
- Edmund GraingerShared titles: One Minute to Zero (1952), The Racket (1951)See all 2 shared titles with Edmund Grainger
- Walter WangerShared titles: Eternally Yours (1939), Trade Winds (1938)See all 2 shared titles with Walter Wanger
