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Don Mischer

Don Mischer

Director and producer · Died April 11, 2025, aged 85 · San Antonio, Texas, USA

Donald Leo Mischer (March 5, 1940 – April 11, 2025) was an American producer and director of television and live events, and president of Don Mischer Productions. As a producer/director, his credits include the Oscars, We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, the Kennedy Center Honors, the 100th anniversary of Carnegie Hall, Motown 25, the Super Bowl Halftime Shows (Michael Jackson, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen), the Democratic National Convention, and the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2002 Winter Olympics. Mischer has also produced specials with Beyoncé, Bono, Prince, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Springsteen, James Taylor, Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Garth Brooks, Mary J. Blige, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Yo Yo Ma, and Morgan Freeman, among others.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 5, 1940
Died
April 11, 2025 (aged 85)
From
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Works as
Director and producer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 2% in 30 days

What are Don Mischer's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Ideas.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Music2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Music 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
Society
67%
Ideas
22%
Morality
5%
Survival
3%
Self
3%
Legacy8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 11 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 6 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 2 · Intense 0

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 2 · 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 9 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
11
Joyful
10
Contemplative
2
Melancholic
1
Elegiac
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet1
  • 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 Don Mischer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, none of Don Mischer's 12 MovieCove titles is streaming on a subscription or free service.

Subscription and free streaming for Don Mischer's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted.

Filmography

48 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • Mickey's 90th Spectacular(2018)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Don Rickles: One Night Only(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Eddie Murphy: One Night Only(2012)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • FOX 25th Anniversary Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Executive Producer

  • Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • James Taylor | One Man Band (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Producer

  • ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration(2003)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Timeless: Live in Concert(2001)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • HIStory on Film, Volume II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Producer

  • Atlanta 1996: Games of the XXVI Olympiad - Opening Ceremony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Bob Hope: The First 90 Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Producer

  • The Please Watch the Jon Lovitz Special, Live! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Euro Disney : L'Ouverture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • The Grand Opening of Euro Disneyland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director · Executive Producer

  • The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic(1991)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson(1990)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Normal Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Executive Producer

  • Willie Nelson, Texas Style (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Dolly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • The Pointer Sisters: Up All Nite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Producer

  • Barbara Mandrell's Christmas: A Family Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Producer

  • Liza in London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Producer

  • Nell Carter... Never Too Old to Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Producer

  • The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • The Shirley MacLaine Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • Motown Returns to the Apollo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Producer

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Lynda Carter: Body and Soul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Executive Producer

  • Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever(1983)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • An Evening with Robin Williams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Shirley MacLaine... Illusions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director

  • Ain't Misbehavin' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director

  • Baryshnikov in Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Producer

  • The Best of Times(1981)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Cheryl Ladd Special: Souvenirs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Goldie and Liza Together (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • The Donna Summer Special(1980)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The 3rd Barry Manilow Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

  • The Kennedy Center Honors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 33 episodes · Producer

  • The Goldie Hawn Special(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Eagles: The Broadcast Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Tony Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 3 episodes · Executive Producer

  • The Oscars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 38 episodes · Producer

  • From the Top at Carnegie Hall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 26 episodes · Executive Producer

Career shape

A full career of 47 titles, 46 of them dated from 1953 to 2018.

Highest rated

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (1990)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Murder, She Wrote (1984)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing39 of 47: 25 only directing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stWriting1 of 47: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing22 of 47: 8 only producing, 14 with another role

47 titles, 14 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 14 of them.

By decade

1950s2 · crew1970s4 · crew1980s21 · crew1990s10 · crew2000s5 · crew2010s4 · 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 Don Mischer's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 81st percentile, the median of all 11; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 93rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · producer

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003)

99th percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 67/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 35. 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.

Who does Don Mischer work with?

People who share at least 2 of Don Mischer's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Sara Lukinson shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles