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Leo McCarey

Leo McCarey

Director, writer and producer · Died July 5, 1969, aged 72 · Los Angeles, California, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer. During his lifetime he was involved in nearly 200 movies, especially comedies. French director Jean Renoir once said that "Leo McCarey understood people better than any other Hollywood director." Description above from the Wikipedia article Leo McCarey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 3, 1896
Died
July 5, 1969 (aged 72)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Director, writer and producer
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 153 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 34% in 30 days

What are Leo McCarey's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Short3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Short 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
47%
Morality
17%
Society
13%
Self
13%
Power
6%
Survival
2%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 20 · Serious 3 · Dark 2

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 18 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

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

Steady 17 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 13

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 23 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 25 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
14
Romantic
10
Absurd
8
Warm
5
Hopeful
5
Other
17

How their films linger

Feel-good20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet8
  • Ambiguous3

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 Leo McCarey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Leo McCarey'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

153 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wonder Dogs! Canine Stars of the Silent Era (1898-1928) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Director

  • Mann - Soul's Heart(1999)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Love Affair(1994)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Move Over, Darling(1963)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Satan Never Sleeps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!(1958)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • An Affair to Remember(1957)

    Director · Screenplay · Songs · Story

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Tom and Jerry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • Meet the Governor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director · Writer

  • Screen Director's Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • My Son John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story · as John Jefferson (voice) (uncredited)

  • You Can Change The World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • Good Sam(1948)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Bells of St. Mary's(1945)

    Director · Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Going My Way(1944)

    Director · Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Once Upon a Honeymoon(1942)

    Director · Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • My Favorite Wife(1940)

    Original Story · Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Love Affair(1939)

    Director · Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Cowboy and the Lady(1938)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Awful Truth(1937)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Make Way for Tomorrow(1937)

    Director · Producer · as Passerby / Man in Overcoat / Carpet Sweeper (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Milky Way(1936)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Ruggles of Red Gap(1935)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Belle of the Nineties(1934)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Six of a Kind(1934)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Duck Soup(1933)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Kid from Spain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Indiscreet(1931)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Part Time Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director · Writer

  • Follies of love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Writer

  • Let's Go Native (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director · Producer

  • Radiomanía (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Screenplay

  • Wild Company(1930)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Fast Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Story

  • Hog Wild(1930)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Below Zero(1930)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The golf player (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Writer

  • The golfer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Writer

  • The Night Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Writer

  • Brats(1930)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Blotto(1930)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Angora Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Red Hot Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director · Story

  • Stepping Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Bacon Grabbers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Sky Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Crazy Feet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • The Sophomore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director

  • Perfect Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Snappy Sneezer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Dad's Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Men O' War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Leaping Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Madame Q (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director · Story

  • Berth Marks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • The Big Squawk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Double Whoopee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Movie Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Hurdy Gurdy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Writer

  • Unaccustomed as We Are (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • The Unkissed Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director

  • Big Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Co-Director

  • Thin Twins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Why Is a Plumber? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director · Writer

  • Wrong Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director · Story

  • Off to Buffalo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • A Pair of Tights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Supervising Producer

  • Liberty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director · Writer

  • Ruby Lips (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Story

  • Going Ga-Ga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Supervising Producer · Writer

  • We Faw Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Chasing Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Writer

  • Feed 'em and Weep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Supervising Producer

  • Habeas Corpus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Co-Director

  • The Booster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Writer

  • The Boy Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Writer

  • All Parts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Writer

  • Should Married Men Go Home? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Co-Director · Writer

  • Imagine My Embarrassment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Story

  • Should Women Drive? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Story

  • The Fight Pest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Story

  • From Soup to Nuts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Writer

  • Aching Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Story

  • The Finishing Touch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Co-Director

  • The Family Group (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Pass the Gravy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Writer

  • The Battle of the Century (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Production Supervisor

  • Flaming Fathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director · Writer

  • Fighting Fathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director · Writer

  • Putting Pants on Philip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Story

  • The Way of All Pants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Should Second Husbands Come First? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director · Writer

  • Call of the Cuckoo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Production Supervisor

  • The Second 100 Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Story

  • Sugar Daddies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Co-Director

  • Don't Tell Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Eve's Love Letters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Jewish Prudence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director · Writer

  • Why Girls Say No (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Should Men Walk Home? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Be Your Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Tell 'Em Nothing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Bromo and Juliet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Crazy Like a Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Mighty Like a Moose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Long Fliv the King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Mum's the Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Dog Shy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Mama Behave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Charley My Boy! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • His Wooden Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Uneasy Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director · Writer

  • The Caretaker's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • No Father to Guide Him (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Innocent Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Isn't Life Terrible? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • What Price Goofy? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Looking for Sally (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director · Writer

  • Big Red Riding Hood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Bad Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Is Marriage the Bunk? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Hard Boiled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Should Husbands Be Watched? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Plain and Fancy Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Family Entrance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Fighting Fluid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Hello Baby! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Rat's Knuckles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Royal Razz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • The Poor Fish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Accidental Accidents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Bungalow Boobs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Too Many Mammas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Sittin' Pretty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Outdoor Pajamas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Why Men Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Sweet Daddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Seeing Nellie Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • A Ten-Minute Egg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Why Husbands Go Mad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Stolen Goods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director · Writer

  • Young Oldfield (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Publicity Pays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director · Writer

  • Jeffries, Jr. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director · Writer

  • All Wet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • White Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Assistant Director

  • Drifting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Assistant Director

  • Man Under Cover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Assistant Director

  • The Wise Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Assistant Director

  • Society Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director

  • Outside the Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Assistant Director

  • Christopher Closeup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Freed 'em and Weep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 152 titles, 150 of them dated from 1921 to 2025.

Biggest box office

The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

$21M worldwide

Highest rated

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

An Affair to Remember (1957)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 152: 0 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting102 of 152: 68 only directing, 34 with another role · typical Midcredits score74thWriting72 of 152: 39 only writing, 33 with another role · typical Midcredits score80thProducing14 of 152: 2 only producing, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score88thOther crew8 of 152: 7 only other crew, 1 with another role

152 titles, 36 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 31 of them.

By decade

1920s110 · crew1930s24 · 1 acting · 24 crew1940s5 · crew1950s7 · 1 acting · 7 crew1960s2 · crew1990s1 · crew2020s1 · 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 Leo McCarey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 79th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 25 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 25

Approval · how many liked their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · writer

Mann - Soul's Heart (1999)

60th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, producer

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 67/100 and the pacing 53/100 in their films, across 25 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 Leo McCarey's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles4–18 · median 6 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles0–10 · median 5 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles0–3 · median 0 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles23–29 · median 24 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles0–16 · median 3 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian 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 Leo McCarey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Leo McCarey's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; LeRoy Stone shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers