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Ted Kotcheff

Ted Kotcheff

Director, also actor, producer and writer · Died April 10, 2025, aged 94 · Toronto, Ontario, Canada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Ted Kotcheff (April 7, 1931 – April 10, 2025), sometimes credited as William Kotcheff or William T. Kotcheff, was a Canadian film and television director, who is well known for his work on several high-profile British television productions and as a director of films such as First Blood. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ted Kotcheff, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 7, 1931
Died
April 10, 2025 (aged 94)
From
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Works as
Director, also actor, producer and writer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 62 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 14% in 30 days

What are Ted Kotcheff's films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
30%
Morality
19%
Self
16%
Survival
15%
Power
12%
Society
8%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 26 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 21 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 14 · Intense 8

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 14 · 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 14 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 2

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

A split, not a type: Casual 11 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

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 9 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 9

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Absurd
7
Melancholic
9
Warm
9
Thrilling
5
Other
17

How their films linger

Bittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic1
  • Cyclical1

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 Ted Kotcheff's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ted Kotcheff'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

62 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Planters(2019)

    as Cliff Man / Last 'Hello' Man (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Soul of an Artist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · as Self

  • Fearless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Barney's Version(2010)

    as Train Conductor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Shattered Glass(2003)

    as Marty Peretz

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Drawing First Blood: 20 Years Later (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 22 episodes · Director · Co-Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Return of Alex Kelly(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Borrowed Hearts(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • A Husband, a Wife and a Lover(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Hidden Assassin(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Family of Cops(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Red Shoe Diaries 5: Weekend Pass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • Love on the Run(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Red Shoe Diaries 3: Another Woman's Lipstick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Red Shoe Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Folks!(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Weekend at Bernie's(1989)

    Director · as Jack Parker

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Winter People(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Switching Channels(1988)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Casualty(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The Check Is in the Mail...(1986)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Joshua Then and Now(1985)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Uncommon Valor(1983)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • First Blood(1982)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Split Image(1982)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • North Dallas Forty(1979)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Fun with Dick and Jane(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz(1974)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Billy Two Hats(1974)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Rx for the Defense(1973)

    Director

  • Who's Afraid of Opera? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Ackerman, Dougall & Harker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Lights Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Edna: The Inebriate Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Wake in Fright(1971)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Two Gentlemen Sharing(1969)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • ITV Saturday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Of Mice and Men(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Desperate Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • ABC Stage 67 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Human Voice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • Life at the Top(1965)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Trial of Dr. Fancy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director

  • Espionage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Into the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Director

  • The Hard Knock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • Tiara Tahiti(1962)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Drama 61-67 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • I'll Have You to Remember (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Lena, O My Lena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • After the Funeral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Where I Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • After the Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • The Bird, the Bear and the Actress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • Hot Summer Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • The Greatest Man in the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Emperor Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Armchair Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 22 episodes · Director

Career shape

A full career of 61 titles from 1956 to 2019.

Biggest box office

First Blood (1982)

$125M worldwide

Highest rated

First Blood (1982)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting5 of 61: 4 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting57 of 61: 51 only directing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdWriting2 of 61: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing3 of 61: 0 only producing, 3 with another role

61 titles, 6 with more than one role — directing and acting overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1950s6 · crew1960s18 · crew1970s12 · crew1980s8 · 1 acting · 8 crew1990s11 · crew2000s2 · acting2010s4 · 2 acting · 2 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 Ted Kotcheff's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of the 28 of 29 with a score; across their 26 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Approval · how many liked their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · director

Casualty (1986)

78th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

First Blood (1982)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 65/100 and the pacing 46/100 in their films, across 22 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.

Is Ted Kotcheff's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 59 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles10–50 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 58 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 46 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 52 · 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 Ted Kotcheff work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ted Kotcheff's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; François Protat shares the most, 6.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers