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Dennis Lipscomb

Dennis Lipscomb

Actor · Died July 30, 2014, aged 72 · Westbury, New York, USA

Dennis Lipscomb (March 1, 1942 - July 30, 2014) was an American actor. Lipscomb's first feature film was Union City (1980). From the early 1980s to the 1990s, Lipscomb appeared in key roles in various motion pictures including Love Child (1982), WarGames (1983), Eyes of Fire (1983), The Day After (1983), A Soldier's Story (1984), Crossroads (1986), Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987), Retribution (1987), Sister, Sister (1987), The First Power (1990) and Under Siege (1992). Lipscomb also had a recurring role as mayor of the fictitious town of Sparta, Mississippi in the first season of In the Heat of the Night (1988). In more recent years, Lipscomb has guest starred on television commercials and shows, including WKRP In Cincinnati, T.J. Hooker, and Wiseguy (1987; CBS) as Sid Royce/Elvis Prim. To a younger audience he is perhaps best known as DCI Peter Sterling in Spycraft: The Great Game.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 1, 1942
Died
July 30, 2014 (aged 72)
From
Westbury, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
48 on MovieCove · 68 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 32% in 30 days

What are Dennis Lipscomb's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
Morality
47%
Self
21%
Survival
15%
Society
8%
Bonds
6%
Power
3%
Justice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 10 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 8 · Intense 5

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 12 · 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 2 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
2 of 5
Ally
1 of 5
Hero
1 of 5
Shadow
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Dread
5
Contemplative
5
Melancholic
4
Warm
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Haunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

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 Dennis Lipscomb's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 48 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dennis Lipscomb'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

68 credits, 48 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Medicine Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Dr. Votkiff

  • The Guardian(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • The Invisible Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Mick Callahan

  • Finding Kelly(2000)

    as Book Collector

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Roswell(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Congressman

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Felicity(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Fired Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Donnie Rhymer

  • Apollo 11(1996)

    as George Low

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Sabrina the Teenage Witch(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Mirror Man

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Automatic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Raymond Hammer

  • Without Warning(1994)

    as Dr. Richard Pearson

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Wilson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Party of Five(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Conklin

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • The Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Sykes

  • Diagnosis Murder(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as IA Det. Lloyd Schroeder · as Malcolm Trainor · as Malcolm Trainor (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Stanley Gables

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • SeaQuest 2032(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Tucker

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Leonard Vance

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Undercover Blues(1993)

    as Foster

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Curaçao (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Henry Rawlings

  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as President Ulysses S. Grant

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Under Siege(1992)

    as Trenton

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Renegade(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Melrose Place(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Court-Appointed Doctor

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • Death Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Jessup

  • Jack's Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rewrite for Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Nelson Reiderman

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin(1991)

    as Max LeMar

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Cop Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 8 episodes · as Sidney Weitz

  • Ferris Bueller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Lou

  • The First Power(1990)

    as Commander Perkins

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Prime Target(1989)

    as Officer Rodney

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • She Knows Too Much(1989)

    as Ivan Fletcher

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Retribution(1987)

    as George Miller

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Wiseguy(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Sister, Sister(1987)

    as Cleve Doucet

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit(1987)

    as Michael Light

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Lieutenant Hutchison

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Attorney Belknap

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Slow Burn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Ron McDonald

  • Crossroads(1986)

    as Lloyd

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Les McCall

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Blue Yonder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Finch

  • Amazing Stories(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Val Webster

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Moonlighting(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Simon

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Highway to Heaven(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Tobias Bennett

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • A Soldier's Story(1984)

    as Captain Taylor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Call to Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Child Psychologist

  • The Day After(1983)

    as Reverend Walker

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Eyes of Fire(1983)

    as Rev. Will Smythe

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Gordon Redding

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • WarGames(1983)

    as Watson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The A-Team(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Prince

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Farrell for the People(1982)

    as Jed Carter

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Love Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Arthur Brady

  • Penitentiary II(1982)

    as Announcer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • T.J. Hooker(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Rollins

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Forrest Murdy

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • The Greatest American Hero(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Dave Tanner · as Tom Gardener

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Freddie · as Mr. Vosca

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Union City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Harlan

  • WKRP in Cincinnati(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Pat Perillo

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Wings Of Ash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Dr Renne Allen

  • CHiPs(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Wally Bartell

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Le Grand Silence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Benny Lansing

  • Barney Miller(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Lawrence Pryne

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Little House on the Prairie(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Finch

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 68 titles from 1954 to 2001; peak year 1983.

Biggest box office

WarGames (1983)

$80M worldwide

Highest rated

WarGames (1983)

Midcredits 88th

Film career

19542001

Peak 1983 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting68 of 68: 68 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score55th

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s6 · acting1980s30 · acting1990s27 · acting2000s4 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 20% of 10 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 Dennis Lipscomb's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 48 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 48 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser26
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Finding Kelly (2000)

92nd percentile spread · 60% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

WarGames (1983)

Midcredits 88th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 49. 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 Dennis Lipscomb's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 35 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 44 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

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

Who does Dennis Lipscomb work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dennis Lipscomb's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Fred Silverman shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers

Mixed roles