Skip to content
MovieCove
Ross Hunter

Ross Hunter

Producer and actor · Died March 10, 1996, aged 75

Ross Hunter (born Martin Terry Fuss; May 6, 1920 – March 10, 1996) was an American film and television producer and actor. He is best known for producing light comedies such as Pillow Talk (1959), and the glamorous melodramas Magnificent Obsession (1954), Imitation of Life (1959), and Back Street (1961). Over the course of his career, Hunter produced films of various genres but found his greatest success with light-hearted comedies, musicals and melodramatic "tear jerkers" that were high on romance and glamour. (Wikipedia)

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 6, 1920
Died
March 10, 1996 (aged 75)
Works as
Producer and actor
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 59 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 11% in 30 days

What are Ross Hunter's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Action 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
35%
Morality
25%
Self
21%
Society
9%
Ideas
5%
Power
3%
Survival
2%
Romantic love13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 14 · Dark 5

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 18 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 12 · Charged 17 · Intense 7

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

Steady 17 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 2

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 26 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 17 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 8

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

Resolved 33 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Romantic
21
Melancholic
14
Joyful
10
Warm
9
Other
26

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Ross Hunter's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ross Hunter'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

59 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Best Place to Be(1979)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Suddenly, Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Producer

  • A Family Upside Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Producer

  • Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 4 episodes · Producer

  • The Lives of Jenny Dolan(1975)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Lost Horizon(1973)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Airport(1970)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Rosie! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Executive Producer

  • Thoroughly Modern Millie(1967)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Pad and How to Use It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Producer

  • Madame X(1966)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Art of Love(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • I'd Rather Be Rich(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Chalk Garden(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Thrill of It All(1963)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Tammy and the Doctor(1963)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • If a Man Answers(1962)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Flower Drum Song(1961)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Back Street(1961)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Tammy Tell Me True(1961)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Midnight Lace(1960)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Portrait in Black(1960)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Pillow Talk(1959)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Imitation of Life(1959)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • A Stranger in My Arms(1959)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Restless Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Producer

  • This Happy Feeling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Producer

  • Interlude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Producer

  • My Man Godfrey(1957)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Tammy and the Bachelor(1957)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Battle Hymn(1957)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • There's Always Tomorrow(1956)

    Producer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Spoilers(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • All That Heaven Allows(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • One Desire(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Captain Lightfoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Producer

  • The Yellow Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Producer

  • Naked Alibi(1954)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Magnificent Obsession(1954)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Taza, Son of Cochise(1954)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Tumbleweed(1953)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • All I Desire(1953)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Take Me to Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Producer

  • The Duel at Silver Creek(1952)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Son of Ali Baba(1952)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Steel Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Associate Producer

  • The Battle at Apache Pass(1952)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Flame of Araby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Associate Producer

  • When I Grow Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Script Supervisor

  • The Groom Wore Spurs(1951)

    as Austin Tindale (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Woman on the Run(1950)

    Dialogue

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Ted Sloan

  • The Bandit of Sherwood Forest(1946)

    as Robin Hood's Man (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Out of the Depths (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Clayton Shepherd

  • Hit the Hay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Ted Barton

  • A Guy, a Gal and a Pal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Jimmy Jones

  • She's a Sweetheart(1944)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Ever Since Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Bradley Miller

  • Louisiana Hayride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Gordon Pearson

Career shape

A full career of 59 titles from 1944 to 1979.

Biggest box office

Airport (1970)

$100M worldwide

Highest rated

Imitation of Life (1959)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Pillow Talk (1959)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting10 of 59: 9 only acting, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 59: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleProducing48 of 59: 47 only producing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thOther crew1 of 59: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s8 · acting1950s29 · 2 acting · 28 crew1960s15 · crew1970s7 · 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 Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Ross Hunter's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 39; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · producer

The Lives of Jenny Dolan (1975)

83rd percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Imitation of Life (1959)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 33 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 43. 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 Ross Hunter's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 22 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 17 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 26 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 44 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 23 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Ross Hunter work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ross Hunter's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Russell Metty shares the most, 18.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers