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James Goldstone

James Goldstone

Director, also writer · Died November 5, 1999, aged 68 · Los Angeles, California, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James Goldstone (June 8, 1931 in Los Angeles, California – November 5, 1999 in Shaftsbury, Vermont) was an American director of both television and theatrical films during the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Goldstone was noted for the momentum and "fifteen-minute cliffhangers" that he brought to TV pilots such as Star Trek, Ironside, and The Senator. His later career helped pioneer the concept of "thirty-second attention span" pacing over detailed content in his dramatizations of Rita Hayworth, Calamity Jane, and the Kent State shootings for which he won the Emmy. Description above from the Wikipedia article James Goldstone, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 8, 1931
Died
November 5, 1999 (aged 68)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Director, also writer
Titles
26 on Motif · 57 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 25% in 30 days

What are James Goldstone's films like?

Across their 16 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Motif score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Motif score: 47th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
24%
Self
17%
Power
16%
Survival
15%
Society
13%
Bonds
13%
Ideas
2%
Ambition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 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
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 15 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 7 · Intense 3

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

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 6 · 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 9 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Melancholic
7
Contemplative
4
Warm
3
Hopeful
3
Other
14

How their films linger

Hopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • 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 James Goldstone's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 26 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James Goldstone's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

57 credits, 26 with a Motif page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Bride in Black (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Earth Star Voyager: Part 2 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Earth Star Voyager (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Earth Star Voyager (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story(1986)

    Director

    Motif score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Sun Also Rises (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Sentimental Journey (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • Calamity Jane (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess(1983)

    Director

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story(1982)

    Director

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Kent State(1981)

    Director

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all films

  • When Time Ran Out...(1980)

    Director

    Motif score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Studs Lonigan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Rollercoaster(1977)

    Director

    Motif score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Swashbuckler(1976)

    Director

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Eric (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Journey from Darkness (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Things in Their Season(1974)

    Director

    Motif score: 72nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Dr. Max (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Cry Panic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • They Only Kill Their Masters(1972)

    Director

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight(1971)

    Director

    Motif score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Brother John(1971)

    Director

    Motif score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Red Sky at Morning(1971)

    Director

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all films

  • A Clear and Present Danger(1970)

    Director

    Motif score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Winning(1969)

    Director

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Jigsaw (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • A Man Called Gannon (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Shadow Over Elveron (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Ironside(1967)

    Director

    Motif score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Ironside (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Code Name: Heraclitus (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • The Iron Horse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Creator

  • Star Trek(1966)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Scalplock(1966)

    Director · Story

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Blue Light (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Honey West (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Amos Burke: Secret Agent (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea(1964)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Burke's Law (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Fugitive (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • The Outer Limits(1963)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Lieutenant (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Eleventh Hour (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • It's a Man's World (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Case of the Dangerous Robin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 10 episodes · Director · Teleplay · Writer

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Dennis the Menace(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Rawhide (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Bat Masterson(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Tombstone Territory(1957)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Court of Last Resort(1957)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 61st percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Death Valley Days (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Director

Career shape

A full career of 57 titles from 1951 to 1990.

Biggest box office

When Time Ran Out... (1980)

$3.8M worldwide

Highest rated

Brother John (1971)

Motif 61st

Most popular right now

The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing57 of 57: 54 only directing, 3 with another role · typical Motif score61stWriting2 of 57: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 57: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

57 titles, 3 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1950s8 · crew1960s24 · crew1970s13 · crew1980s11 · crew1990s1 · 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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do James Goldstone's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Motif score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 26 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · director

Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story (1982)

85th percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Perry Mason (1957)

Motif 95th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 66/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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 James Goldstone work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Goldstone's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Edward A. Biery shares the most, 14.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers