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William A. Lyon

Editor · Died March 18, 1974, aged 71 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Born
January 21, 1903
Died
March 18, 1974 (aged 71)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Editor
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 75 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 28% in 30 days

What are William A. Lyon's films like?

Across their 41 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
29%
Morality
28%
Self
20%
Power
8%
Survival
8%
Society
6%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition7 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 41 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 11 · Serious 14 · Dark 16

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 25 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 27 · Intense 7

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 20 · 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 24 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 9

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 22 · Even-paced 19 · 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 20 · Engaged 20 · 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 18 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 8

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

Resolved 34 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Melancholic
15
Joyful
9
Warm
9
Romantic
8
Other
43

How their films linger

Bittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet24
  • Tragic3
  • 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 William A. Lyon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William A. Lyon'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

75 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page.

  • Bless the Beasts & Children(1971)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • R.P.M.(1970)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Secret of Santa Vittoria(1969)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Barefoot in the Park(1967)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round(1966)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Lord Love a Duck(1966)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Major Dundee(1965)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Young Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Editor

  • Gidget Goes to Rome(1963)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Man from the Diners' Club(1963)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Diamond Head(1962)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Five Finger Exercise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Editor

  • A Raisin in the Sun(1961)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Sail a Crooked Ship(1961)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Song Without End(1960)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Lace(1960)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • They Came to Cordura(1959)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Gidget(1959)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Me and the Colonel(1958)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Quiz Whizz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Editor

  • Cowboy(1958)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Hard Man(1957)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Horsing Around (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Editor

  • The Garment Jungle(1957)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Shadow on the Window(1957)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Nightfall(1956)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Storm Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Editor

  • Picnic(1955)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Count Three and Pray(1955)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Man from Laramie(1955)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Long Gray Line(1955)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Human Desire(1954)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Caine Mutiny(1954)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • From Here to Eternity(1953)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Fort Ti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Editor

  • The Member of the Wedding(1952)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Happy Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Editor

  • Death of a Salesman(1951)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Ten Tall Men(1951)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Saturday's Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Editor

  • The Fuller Brush Girl(1950)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • No Sad Songs for Me(1950)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Cargo to Capetown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Editor

  • The Walking Hills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Editor

  • To the Ends of the Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Editor

  • The Guilt of Janet Ames(1947)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Mr. District Attorney(1947)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Jolson Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Editor

  • You Were Never Lovelier(1942)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Submarine Raider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Editor

  • Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Editor

  • Texas(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Sweetheart of the Campus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Editor

  • Harvard, Here I Come!(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Arizona(1940)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Too Many Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Editor

  • My Son Is Guilty(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Man They Could Not Hang(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • South of Arizona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Editor

  • West of Cheyenne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Editor

  • Call of the Rockies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Editor

  • One Man Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Editor

  • Two-Fisted Sheriff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Editor

  • Find the Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Editor

  • Slippery Silks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • Code of the Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • Alibi for Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • A Pain in the Pullman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • Disorder in the Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • Movie Maniacs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • Ants in the Pantry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Editor

  • Three Little Beers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Editor

  • His Bridal Sweet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Editor

  • Restless Knights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Editor

  • In the Dog House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Editor

Career shape

A full career of 72 titles from 1934 to 1971.

Biggest box office

The Caine Mutiny (1954)

$22M worldwide

Highest rated

A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

From Here to Eternity (1953)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Editing72 of 72: 72 only editing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score70th

By decade

1930s19 · crew1940s12 · crew1950s27 · crew1960s11 · crew1970s3 · 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 William A. Lyon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 42; across their 41 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 41

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Reach · how many have seen their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · editor

R.P.M. (1970)

66th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 48/100 in their films, across 41 reviewed titles; fans 56, detractors 32. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

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 William A. Lyon's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles14–27 · median 19 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 6 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 31 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 28 · mildMedian 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 William A. Lyon work with?

People who share at least 2 of William A. Lyon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George Duning shares the most, 12.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles