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Don Murray

Don Murray

Actor, also writer, director and producer · Died February 2, 2024, aged 94 · Hollywood, California, USA

Donald Patrick "Don" Murray (July 31, 1929-February 2, 2024) was an American actor. Murray was born in Hollywood, California. He attended East Rockaway High School (class of 1947) in East Rockaway, New York where he played football and track, was a member of the student government and glee club and joined the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity. From high school he went on to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Murray had a long and varied career in films and television, including his role as Sid Fairgate in the long-running prime-time soap opera Knots Landing from 1979 to 1981. He was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actor in Bus Stop (1956) in which he co-starred with Marilyn Monroe. He starred as a blackmailed United States senator in Advise & Consent (1961), a film version of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Allen Drury that was directed by Otto Preminger and cast Murray opposite Henry Fonda and Charles Laughton. He also co-starred with Steve McQueen in the film Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965) and played the ape-hating Governor Breck in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972). In addition to acting, Murray directed a film based on the book The Cross and the Switchblade (1970) starring Pat Boone and Erik Estrada, and he scripted two episodes of Knots Landing ("Hitchhike" parts 1 & 2) in 1980. Murray starred with Otis Young in the ground breaking ABC western television series The Outcasts (1968-69) featuring an interracial bounty hunter team in the post-Civil War West. Murray decided to leave Knots Landing after two years to concentrate on other projects, although some sources say he left over a salary dispute. The character's death was notable at the time because it was considered rare to "kill off" a star character. The death came in the second episode of season three, following up on season two's cliffhanger in which Sid's car careered off a cliff. To make viewers off doubt the character would actually die, Murray was listed in the newly created credit sequence for season three; the character survived the plunge off the cliff (thus temporarily reassuring viewers), but died shortly afterwards in hospital. Although he effectively distanced himself from the series after his exit in 1981, Murray later contributed an interview segment for Knots Landing: Together Again, a non-fiction reunion special made in 2005. Murray was the first husband of actress Hope Lange. They had two children, including actor Christopher Murray.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 31, 1929
Died
February 2, 2024 (aged 94)
From
Hollywood, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer, director and producer
Titles
41 on MovieCove · 96 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 21% in 30 days

What are Don Murray's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Western2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile
: browse their Western 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
27%
Bonds
25%
Survival
16%
Self
13%
Society
8%
Power
8%
Ideas
4%
Justice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 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 9 · Serious 7 · Dark 15

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

Grounded 22 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 14 · Intense 11

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 21 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 5

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 16 · Even-paced 14 · 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 17 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 8 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 11

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

Resolved 25 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

25 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 8 of 25 analyzed roles.

Hero
8 of 25
Shadow
6 of 25
Mentor
4 of 25
Ally
3 of 25
Trickster
2 of 25
Threshold guardian
1 of 25
Herald
1 of 25
Show the 25 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Melancholic
11
Warm
7
Dread
7
Absurd
5
Other
31

How their films linger

Hopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous6

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 Murray's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 41 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Don Murray'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

96 credits, 41 with a MovieCove page; 24 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Gold of Rio Bravo: Sheriff Kelly's Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Marilyn, Her Final Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Promise(2021)

    as Zacharias

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Marilyn Monroe: In The Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Marilyn despite herself (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Breathe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Producer

  • Island Prey(2001)

    as Parker Gaits

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Headmistress(1998)

    as Reporter

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Reporter

  • Soldier of Fortune, Inc. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as White Dragon / John James / Col. Quentin Shepherd

  • Hearts Adrift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Lloyd Raines

  • The Single Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Chip Bremley

  • Montana Crossroads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Frank Morrow

  • Sons and Daughters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 13 episodes · as Bing Hammersmith

  • Wings(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Dad

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Twin Peaks(1990)

    Show 8 episodes · as Bushnell Mullins

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Ghosts Can't Do It(1989)

    as Winston

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Brand New Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • My Dad Can't Be Crazy... Can He? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Jack Karpinsky

  • Made in Heaven(1987)

    as Ben Chandler

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

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

    as Wyn

  • Norma Jean Alias Marilyn Monroe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as archive footage

  • The Stepford Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Steven Harding

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

    as Sam Kingsley

  • License to Kill(1984)

    as Tom Fiske

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Scorpion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Gifford Lease

  • Something in Common (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Theo Fontana

  • Peggy Sue Got Married(1986)

    as Jack Kelcher

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Radioactive Dreams(1984)

    as Dash Hammer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • T.J. Hooker: Blood Sport (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Senator Stuart Grayle

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as Albert Gordon

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • A Touch of Scandal(1984)

    as Benjamin Gilvey

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Wally Hampton

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Quarterback Princess(1983)

    as Ralph Maida

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • I Am the Cheese (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as David Farmer

  • Thursday's Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Parker Alden

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Burton

  • Return of the Rebels(1981)

    as Sonny Morgan

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Endless Love(1981)

    as Hugh

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen(1981)

    as Pimp

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Fugitive Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Peter Ritchie

  • Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop(1980)

    as Sergeant Jack Leland

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Boy Who Drank Too Much(1980)

    as Ken Saunders

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • If Things Were Different(1980)

    as Robert Langford

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 33 episodes · Writer · as Sid Fairgate

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Crisis in Mid-air(1979)

    as Adam Travis

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Rainbow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Frank Gumm

  • How the West Was Won(1976)

    Show 3 episodes · as Anderson

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Damien's Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • Deadly Hero(1975)

    as Edward A. Lacy

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • A Girl Named Sooner(1975)

    as Sheriff Phil Rotteman

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Amy Prentiss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Connors

  • The Sex Symbol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Sen. Grant O'Neal

  • The Girl on the Late, Late Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as William Martin

  • Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Stanley

  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jack Bonner

  • Cotter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Cotter

  • ABC Afterschool Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Karpinsky

  • Conquest of the Planet of the Apes(1972)

    as Breck

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Justin Morgan Had a Horse(1972)

    as Justin Morgan

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Happy Birthday, Wanda June(1971)

    as Herb Shuttle

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Intruders(1970)

    as Sam Garrison

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Cross and the Switchblade(1970)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Daughter of the Mind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Dr. Alex Lauder

  • Childish Things (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Producer · Writer · as Tom Harris

  • The Outcasts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 26 episodes · as Earl Corey

  • The Viking Queen(1967)

    as Justinian

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Borgia Stick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Tom Harrison

  • Sweet Love, Bitter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as David Hillary

  • The Plainsman(1966)

    as Wild Bill Hickok

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Kid Rodelo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Kid Rodelo

  • Baby the Rain Must Fall(1965)

    as Deputy Sheriff Slim

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • One Man's Way(1964)

    as Norman Vincent Peale

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

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

    as archive footage

  • Escape from East Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Kurt Schröder

  • Advise & Consent(1962)

    as Senator Brigham Anderson

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Hoodlum Priest(1961)

    Original Story · Producer · Screenplay · as Father Charles Dismas Clark

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • One Foot in Hell(1960)

    as Dan Keats

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Winterset (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Mio Romagna

  • Shake Hands with the Devil(1959)

    as Kerry O'Shea

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • These Thousand Hills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Albert Gallatin 'Lat' Evans

  • From Hell to Texas(1958)

    as Tod Lohman

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • A Hatful of Rain(1957)

    as Johnny Pope

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Bachelor Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Charlie Samson

  • Playhouse 90 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Writer · as Randy Bragg

  • Bus Stop(1956)

    as Beauregard 'Bo' Decker

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • A Man Is Ten Feet Tall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Axel Nordman

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

    Show 1 episode · as Justin Morgan

  • Producers' Showcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Henry Antrobus

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Mio · as Parker Alden

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Jimmy

  • Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Taming of the Shrew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Biondello

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Biondello

  • The Philco Television Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Axel Nordman

  • Kraft Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Show 1 episode · as Booth · as George

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 96 titles from 1947 to 2025; peak year 1986.

Biggest box office

Endless Love (1981)

$32M worldwide

Highest rated

Advise & Consent (1962)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Endless Love (1981)

Film career

19472025

Peak 1986 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. 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
Acting93 of 96: 89 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thDirecting3 of 96: 1 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting5 of 96: 0 only writing, 5 with another roleProducing3 of 96: 0 only producing, 3 with another role

96 titles, 6 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1940s3 · acting1950s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew1960s15 · 15 acting · 2 crew1970s19 · 17 acting · 3 crew1980s28 · acting1990s9 · acting2000s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew2010s2 · acting2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 8% of 13 roles
5671

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Don Murray's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 35; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 41 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 41 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Promise (2021)

87th percentile spread · 68% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Twin Peaks (1990)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 36. 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 Don Murray's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 40 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Don Murray work with?

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

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers