Bob Gunton

Actor · Born November 15, 1945 (80) · Santa Monica, California, USA

Robert Patrick "Bob" Gunton, Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for playing strict, authoritarian characters, with his best known roles as Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison film The Shawshank Redemption, Chief George Earle in 1993's Demolition Man, and President Juan Peron in the original Broadway cast of Evita. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bob Gunton , licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Biography from TMDB.

Born: November 15, 1945 (80)
From: Santa Monica, California, USA
Works as: Actor
Titles: 104 on MovieCove · 133 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 155 days to Oct 26Up 9% in 30 days

What are Bob Gunton's films like?

Across their 57 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama19 titles54^th

Action7 titles59^th

Biography7 titles74^th

Comedy7 titles29^th

Crime7 titles82^nd

Horror4 titles6^th

Adventure2 titles36^th

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%

Self

16%

Bonds

14%

Society

12%

Power

10%

Survival

10%

Ideas

Justice16 Redemption12 Family bonds11 Purpose8 Survival8 Identity7 Sacrifice5 Ambition6

What they feel like to watch

their average across 55 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 2 · Wry 1 · Earnest 52

Serious

Tone · Weight

lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 20 · Dark 24

Grounded

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 42 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 1

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 24 · Intense 24

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 20 · Shifting 31 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 36 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 5

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 20 · Even-paced 28 · Relentless 7

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 21 · Engaged 30 · Full focus 4

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 14 · Affecting 22 · Heavy 19

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 42 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

27 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 12 of 27 analyzed roles.

Shadow

12 of 27

Mentor

8 of 27

Threshold guardian

4 of 27

Ally

2 of 27

Shapeshifter

1 of 27

Show the 27 roles

Shadowas Sal Naftari in Rollover (1981)
Shapeshifteras C.E. Lively in Matewan (1987)
Shadowas Governor George Wallace in Unconquered (1989)
Shadowas Monsignor Beauvais in Judgment (1990)
Mentoras Hugh Auchincloss in A Woman Named Jackie (1991)
Mentoras Chaplain in Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis (1991)
Allyas Larry Dietrick in Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992)
Shadowas Warden Norton in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Shadowas Col. John Hardesty in In Pursuit of Honor (1995)
Shadowas Franklin D. Roosevelt in Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long (1995)
Shadowas Frank Deverell in The Glimmer Man (1996)
Mentoras Col. Benjamin Grierson in Buffalo Soldiers (1997)
Threshold guardianas Richard M. Nixon in Elvis Meets Nixon (1997)
Shadowas Dean Walcott in Patch Adams (1998)
Shadowas Dr. Alexander McCabe in Bats (1999)
Mentoras Sen. Terrence Randall in Running Mates (2000)
Shadowas High Priest Caiaphas in Judas (2004)
Mentoras Dr. Max Sorkosky in Pandemic (2007)
Threshold guardianas Edward Ashen in Dead Silence (2007)
Allyas Father Thomas Peters in The Least of These (2008)
Mentoras Father Ezra in The Lazarus Project (2008)
Mentoras William Thurber in Tenure (2008)
Shadowas Joe Whetstone in The Trial (2010)
Mentoras Cecil Dobbs in The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
Threshold guardianas Sheriff Brinson in Jimmy (2013)
Shadowas Charles Abernathy in The Inheritance (2024)
Threshold guardianas Horatio Grimes in Purgatory Station (2024)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

Melancholic

Hopeful

Warm

Contemplative

Other

How their films linger

Thought-provoking25 Hopeful18 Bittersweet15 Feel-good12 Fun9 Unsettling10

How their films end · 6 with a twist

Happy15
Bittersweet29
Tragic5
Ambiguous8

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 Bob Gunton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 62 of their 104 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (24).

Also on these channels

Howdy6 titles, show their 6 titles on Howdy
ViX4 titles, show their 4 titles on ViX
Great American Pure Flix2 titles, show their 2 titles on Great American Pure Flix
MovieSphere+2 titles, show their 2 titles on MovieSphere+
Shout! TV2 titles, show their 2 titles on Shout! TV
Dove Channel1 title, show their title on Dove Channel
FOX One1 title, show their title on FOX One
Fuse+1 title, show their title on Fuse+
Indie Club1 title, show their title on Indie Club
Lionsgate+1 title, show their title on Lionsgate+
Midnight Pulp1 title, show their title on Midnight Pulp
UP Faith & Family1 title, show their title on UP Faith & Family

Subscription and free streaming for Bob Gunton'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

133 credits, 104 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

The Gettysburg Address(2025)
as William Herndon (voice)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Purgatory Station(2024)
as Horatio Grimes
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
The Inheritance(2024)
as Charles Abernathy
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Scarlett(2021)
as Danny
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Ghostbusters: Afterlife(2021)
as The Ghost Farmer
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Project Blue Book(2019)
Show 1 episode · as Harry S. Truman
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
The Cool Kids(2018)
Show 1 episode · as Colonel Christianson
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows
Unbroken: Path to Redemption(2018)
as Major
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Alex & The List(2017)
as Mr. Stern
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Trial & Error(2017)
Show 6 episodes · as Jeremiah Davis
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
Mountain Top(2017)
as Maxwell Forrest
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
The 33(2015)
as President Sebastián Piñera
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant(2015)
as Flight School Instructor
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Daredevil(2015)
Show 9 episodes · as Leland Owlsley
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Decoding Annie Parker(2013)
as Dr. Benton
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Live at the Foxes Den(2013)
as Tony O'Hara
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Runner Runner(2013)
as Dean Alex Monroe
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
The Blacklist(2013)
Show 2 episodes · as Nicholas Moore
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Highland Park(2013)
as Bert
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Jimmy(2013)
as Sheriff Brinson
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Argo(2012)
as Cyrus Vance
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Elementary(2012)
Show 1 episode · as Frederick Wentz
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Trouble with the Curve(2012)
as Watson
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Get the Gringo(2012)
as Mr. Kaufmann
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
New Girl(2011)
Show 1 episode · as Ed
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Up All Night(2011)
Show 1 episode · as Tom
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
The Least of These(2008)
as Father Thomas Peters
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
The Lincoln Lawyer(2011)
as Cecil Dobbs
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Kill the Irishman(2011)
as Jerry Merke
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
The Trial(2010)
as Joe Whetstone
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Tenure(2008)
as William Thurber
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
World War Two: Behind Closed Doors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Show 6 episodes · as Franklin Roosevelt
The Lazarus Project(2008)
as Father Ezra
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
The Mentalist(2008)
Show 1 episode · as Alexander Harrington
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Player 5150 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
as Nick
Veronica in the FBI (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
as Principal Harris
Women's Murder Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Rendition(2007)
as Lars Whitman
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Pandemic(2007)
Show 2 episodes · as Max Sorkosky
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows
Numb(2007)
as Dr. Townshend
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Fracture(2007)
as Judge Gardner
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Dead Silence(2007)
as Edward Ashen
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Believe in Me(2006)
as Hugh Moreland
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Pepper Dennis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Show 4 episodes · as Dick Dinkle
E-Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Dallas 362(2003)
as Joe
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Numb3rs(2005)
Show 1 episode · as Boyd Resnick
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
Boston Legal(2004)
Show 1 episode · as Attorney William Connolly
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Desperate Housewives(2004)
Show 10 episodes · as Noah Taylor
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
The Batman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Show 1 episode · as Gorman (voice)
I Heart Huckabees(2004)
as Mr. Silver
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Judas(2004)
as Caiaphas
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Iron Jawed Angels(2004)
as President Woodrow Wilson
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Broadway's Lost Treasures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
as Juan Perón (segment "Evita")
Peacemakers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Show 4 episodes · as Mayor Smith
Nip/Tuck(2003)
Show 3 episodes · as Agent Sagamore
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Mister Sterling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Show 4 episodes · as California Governor Marino
The Pact(2002)
as James Harte
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Boat Trip(2002)
as Boat Captain
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Monk(2002)
Show 1 episode · as Dwight Ellison
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Scenes of the Crime(2001)
as Steven, Jimmy's Partner
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Greg the Bunny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Show 33 episodes · as "Junction" Jack Mars
The Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Show 1 episode · Actor
24(2001)
Show 31 episodes · as Ethan Kanin
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
61*(2001)
as Dan Topping
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
When Billie Beat Bobby(2001)
as Jerry Perenchio
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)
Show 1 episode · as Robert Carvallo
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
Running Mates(2000)
as Sen. Terrence Randall
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
The Perfect Storm(2000)
as Alexander McAnally III
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Bats(1999)
as Dr. Alexander McCabe
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
Family Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Show 1 episode · as Judge Mason
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)
Show 1 episode · as Lawrence Hendricks Sr.
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Alan Foster
Family Guy(1999)
Show 1 episode · as Warden (voice)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Patch Adams(1998)
as Dean Walcott
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Buffalo Soldiers(1997)
as Col. Benjamin Grierson
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil(1997)
as Finley Largent
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
A Thousand Acres(1997)
as Judge (uncredited)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Ally McBeal(1997)
Show 1 episode · as Michaelson
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
Elvis Meets Nixon(1997)
as Richard M. Nixon
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Changing Habits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
as Bishop Creighton
The Glimmer Man(1996)
as Frank Deverell
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Spin City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Show 1 episode · as Governor Riley
The Siege at Ruby Ridge(1996)
as Bo Gritz
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
The Siege at Ruby Ridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Show 2 episodes · as Bo Gritz
Broken Arrow(1996)
as Pritchett
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls(1995)
as Burton Quinn
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Courthouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Show 11 episodes · as Homer Conklin
The Outer Limits(1995)
Show 1 episode · as Clute Nichols
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Dolores Claiborne(1995)
as Mr. Pease
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
In Pursuit of Honor(1995)
as Col. John Hardesty
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long(1995)
as Franklin D. Roosevelt
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Cosmic Slop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
as President Ellis (segment 'Space Traders')
The Shawshank Redemption(1994)
as Warden Norton
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Touched by an Angel(1994)
Show 1 episode · as Sidney Alcott
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
Roswell(1994)
as Frank Joyce
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Demolition Man(1993)
as Chief George Earle
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Father Hood(1993)
as Lazzaro
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Wild Palms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Show 5 episodes · as Dr. Tobias Schenkl
Sinatra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Show 2 episodes · as Tommy Dorsey
Jennifer 8(1992)
as Goodridge
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
The Public Eye(1992)
as Older Agent
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Ladykiller(1992)
as Wolkowski
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster(1992)
as Larry Dietrick
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Patriot Games(1992)
as Interviewer
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life(1992)
as Texas Preacher
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Missing Pieces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
as Mr Gabor
JFK(1991)
as TV Newsman #3
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
A Woman Named Jackie(1991)
Show 3 episodes · as Hugh Auchincloss
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis(1991)
as Chaplain
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin(1991)
as Asst. D.A. Scott Willard
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
The Bride in Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
as Sydney
Judgment(1990)
as Monsignor Beauvais
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Law & Order(1990)
Show 1 episode · as Gil Himes
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
Born on the Fourth of July(1989)
as Doctor
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Glory(1989)
as Gen. Charles Garrison Harker
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Cookie(1989)
as Richie Segretto
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Unconquered(1989)
as Gov. George Wallace
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Hothouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Show 7 episodes · as Dr. Leonard Schrader
Forever James Dean(1988)
as Narrator (voice)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)
Show 1 episode · as Capt. Benjamin Maxwell
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
The Pick-up Artist(1987)
as Fernando Portacarrero
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Matewan(1987)
as C.E. Lively
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Adam: His Song Continues(1986)
as Edgar Milton
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
L.A. Law(1986)
Show 1 episode · as Bob Westin
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows
Static (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
as Frank
The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Show 1 episode · as Cronin
Finnegan Begin Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
as Christian Jameson
Soldiers in Hiding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
as Narrator
Miami Vice(1984)
Show 1 episode · as Rivas
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal(1982)
as Harry Gibbs
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Rollover(1981)
as Sal Naftari
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Ghostkiller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
as Fr. Wilson O'Rourke

Career shape

Star power in the 99^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 133 titles, 132 of them dated from 1981 to 2025; peak year 1995.

Biggest box office

The Perfect Storm (2000)

$329M worldwide

Highest rated

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Midcredits 99^th

Film career

19812025

Peak 1995 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. 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.

1981Screen debut· Rollover
1994Career best· The Shawshank Redemption
2001Career best· 24
2024First top-billed film· The Inheritance

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting133 of 133 · 60^th

By decade

1980s18 · acting1990s45 · acting2000s38 · acting2010s26 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 2% of 46 roles

8191960111

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Bob Gunton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54^th percentile, the median of all 77; across their 55 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53^rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53^rdpercentile

Typical film, the median of 55

Approval · how many liked their films

51^stpercentile

Typical film, the median of 55

Reach · how many have seen their films

59^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 55

Midcredits score across 104 titles, by percentile

75^th and up40
50^th to 74^th26
25^th to 49^th25
Below 25^th13

Shape of the crowd

44 of their 104 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved16
Universally Panned2
Divisive2
Cult Classic5
Crowd Pleaser44
Broadly Agreed8
Mixed27

Most divisive · actor

Scarlett (2021)

99^th percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Midcredits 99^th · 96% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 51 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 42. 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 Bob Gunton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 20 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Violence & Gore15 titles38–89 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most films

Sex & Nudity20 titles9–52 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all films

Profanity14 titles39–81 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most films

Alcohol & Drugs14 titles27–71 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all films

Frightening / Intense13 titles28–79 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most films

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.