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Ray Harryhausen

Ray Harryhausen

Actor, producer and writer · Died May 7, 2013, aged 92 · Los Angeles, California, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Raymond "Ray" Harryhausen (June 29, 1920 – May 7, 2013) was an American visual effects creator, writer, and producer who lived in London, England, from 1960 until his death in 2013. He created a brand of stop-motion model animation known as "Dynamation." His most important works include the animation on Mighty Joe Young, with pioneer Willis O'Brien, which won the Academy Award for special effects (1949); The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, his first color film; and Jason and the Argonauts, featuring a famous sword fight against seven skeleton warriors.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 29, 1920
Died
May 7, 2013 (aged 92)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, producer and writer
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Up 8% in 30 days

What are Ray Harryhausen's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Power.

Genres

Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Adventure 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
Bonds
32%
Power
17%
Survival
14%
Ideas
12%
Self
12%
Society
9%
Morality
4%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 2 · Dark 0

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 1 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 6 · Intense 2

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

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 8 · 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 7 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
8
Warm
3
Tense
3
Contemplative
2
Hopeful
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet3

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 Ray Harryhausen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ray Harryhausen'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

48 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 28 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wonderful Tales by Ray Harryhausen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Burke and Hare(2010)

    as Distinguished Doctor

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Boneyard Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Ray Harryhausen (segment "Her Morbid Desires")

  • Unsung Maestros: A Directors Tribute (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Thanks

  • Adventures of Baron Munchausen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · Actor

  • Cave Bear & Dinosaurs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · Camera Operator · as (Commentary) (Voice)

  • Color, Split Screen and Rear Projection Tests (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Commercial Demo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • The Elementals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · as Unnamed Man

  • The Jupiterian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • War of the Worlds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · Actor

  • Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · as Self

  • The Making of the Tortoise & the Hare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Comic Book: The Movie(2004)

    as Ray Harryhausen

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Elf(2003)

    as Polar Bear Cub (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Story of The Tortoise & the Hare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Mighty Joe Young(1998)

    as Gentleman at Party

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Beverly Hills Cop III(1994)

    as Bar Patron

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dinosaur Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Spies Like Us(1985)

    as Dr. Marston

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Clash of the Titans(1981)

    Producer · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger(1977)

    Producer · Story · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Golden Voyage of Sinbad(1973)

    Producer · Story · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Valley of Gwangi(1969)

    Associate Producer · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • One Million Years B.C.(1966)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • First Men in the Moon(1964)

    Producer · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Jason and the Argonauts(1963)

    Associate Producer · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Mysterious Island(1961)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The 3 Worlds of Gulliver(1960)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The 7th Voyage of Sinbad(1958)

    Associate Producer · Story · Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • 20 Million Miles to Earth(1957)

    Visual Effects · Writer · as Man Feeding Elephant (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The 27th Day(1957)

    Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Earth vs. the Flying Saucers(1956)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Animal World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Special Effects

  • It Came from Beneath the Sea(1955)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms(1953)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Story of King Midas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director · Producer

  • The Story of Hansel and Gretel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Director

  • The Story of Rapunzel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Director

  • Mighty Joe Young(1949)

    Visual Effects

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Story of Little Red Riding Hood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Director

  • Nursery Rhyme Review (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director · Animation · Producer

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

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer

  • Tulips Shall Grow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Animation

  • How to Bridge a Gorge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director · Animation · Cinematographer

  • Evolution of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Director · Visual Effects

  • The AckerMonster Chronicles! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

A full career of 48 titles, 47 of them dated from 1940 to 2018.

Biggest box office

Clash of the Titans (1981)

$41M worldwide

Highest rated

Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (2011)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Film career

  • 1957Screen debut· 20 Million Miles to Earth

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting16 of 48: 11 only acting, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score44thDirecting18 of 48: 9 only directing, 9 with another roleWriting3 of 48: 0 only writing, 3 with another roleProducing9 of 48: 0 only producing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thCinematography2 of 48: 0 only cinematography, 2 with another roleOther crew23 of 48: 12 only other crew, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score60th

48 titles, 16 with more than one role — other crew and directing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1940s7 · crew1950s10 · 1 acting · 10 crew1960s7 · 1 acting · 6 crew1970s2 · crew1980s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew1990s3 · acting2000s14 · 8 acting · 10 crew2010s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 19th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

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.

How do Ray Harryhausen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Comic Book: The Movie (2004)

62nd percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Midcredits 89th · 79% liked

Reviewers score the acting 45/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 52, detractors 28. 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 Ray Harryhausen's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 4 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 35 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles9–42 · median 24 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 16 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 35 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

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.

Who does Ray Harryhausen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ray Harryhausen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Charles H. Schneer shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers