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Kurt Neumann

Kurt Neumann

Director, producer and writer · Died August 21, 1958, aged 50 · Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany

Kurt Neumann (5 April 1908, Nuremberg, Germany - 21 August 1958, Los Angeles) was a german Hollywood film director who specialized in science fiction movies in his later career. Neumann came to the US in the early talkie era, hired to direct German language versions of Hollywood films. Once he mastered English and established himself as technically proficient in filmmaking, Neumann directed such low-budget programmers as The Big Cage (1932), Secret of the Blue Room (1933) with Paul Lukas and Gloria Stuart, Hold 'Em Navy (1936), It Happened in New Orleans (1936) with child star Bobby Breen, Wide Open Faces (1937) with Joe E. Brown, and Ellery Queen: Master Detective (1939). Neumann was signed by producer Hal Roach in 1941 to direct a series of "streamliners", 45-minute features designed to fill out short double bills. Among these 4-reel comedies were About Face (1942), Brooklyn Orchid (1942), Taxi, Mister? (1943) and Yanks Ahoy (1943). In 1945, he joined the company of producer Sol Lesser, who engaged Neumann as coproducer and principal director of the Tarzan series produced by Lesser 1945-1954. The Tarzan films were produced for RKO and starred Johnny Weissmuller and later Gordon Scott. Neumann became known as a specialist in science fiction movies due to his producing and directing such productions as Rocketship X-M (1950) and The Fly (1958). Neumann directed other sci-fi and horror films such as Kronos (1957) and She-Devil (1957), and directed non-scifi films such as The Ring (1952) an independent feature co-starring Rita Moreno, Carnival Story (1954), Mohawk (1956), and The Deerslayer (1957) Contrary to some published reports, Neumann did not die as a result of suicide, but, rather, from natural causes in Los Angeles on 21 August 1958, shortly after a preview screening of The Fly but before the official premiere. Thus, Neumann never knew what a boxoffice hit The Fly was. He was entombed at Utter McKinley Cemetery in Los Angeles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kurt Neumann (director), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 5, 1908
Died
August 21, 1958 (aged 50)
From
Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany
Works as
Director, producer and writer
Titles
31 on Motif · 77 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 14% in 30 days

What are Kurt Neumann's films like?

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

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their Motif 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
34%
Morality
32%
Power
9%
Survival
8%
Society
7%
Self
7%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 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 13 · Serious 10 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 8 · Charged 16 · Intense 1

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

Steady 16 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

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 13 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 12 · 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 18 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Dread
5
Thrilling
8
Warm
5
Joyful
5
Other
22

How their films linger

Feel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic3

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 Kurt Neumann's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 31 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kurt Neumann's titles on Motif; 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

77 credits, 31 with a Motif page.

  • Fear on Trial (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Production Manager

  • 99 and 44/100% Dead!(1974)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Stranger Who Looks Like Me(1974)

    Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Brotherhood of the Bell(1970)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The President's Analyst(1967)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Enter Laughing (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Assistant Director

  • Counterplot(1959)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Watusi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • The Witches from Another World(1958)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Fly(1958)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Deerslayer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Apache Warrior (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Screenplay · Story

  • She Devil(1957)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Kronos (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Director · Producer

  • The Desperados Are in Town (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Mohawk(1956)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Adventure in Rio (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • Three from Variety (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • They Were So Young (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Circus of Love (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    Director · Writer

  • Carnival Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Regina Amstetten (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Tarzan and the She-Devil(1953)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Hiawatha(1952)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Ring (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • Son of Ali Baba(1952)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Reunion in Reno (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    Director

  • Cattle Drive(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Rocketship X-M(1950)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Kid from Texas(1950)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Bad Boy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    Director

  • Bad Men of Tombstone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    Director

  • The Dude Goes West(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Tarzan and the Huntress(1947)

    Director · Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Susie Steps Out (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1946)

    Story

  • Tarzan and the Leopard Woman(1946)

    Director · Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Tarzan and the Amazons(1945)

    Director · Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Tarzan's Desert Mystery(1943)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Return of the Vampire(1943)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Unknown Guest (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Yanks Ahoy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • Action in the North Atlantic(1943)

    as German (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Above Suspicion(1943)

    as Gestapo Man (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Taxi, Mister (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • The McGuerins from Brooklyn (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Fall In (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • About Face (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Brooklyn Orchid(1942)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • A Night at Earl Carroll's (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)

    Director

  • Ellery Queen, Master Detective (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)

    Director

  • All Women Have Secrets(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Island of Lost Men(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Unmarried (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Ambush(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Touchdown, Army(1938)

    Director

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

  • Wide Open Faces (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Hold 'Em Navy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Make a Wish(1937)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Espionage (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Rainbow on the River (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Violets in Spring (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Dracula's Daughter(1936)

    treatment · Writer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Let's Sing Again (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • The Affair of Susan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Alias Mary Dow (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Wake Up and Dream (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Half a Sinner (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Let's Talk It Over (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • King for a Night (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Secret of the Blue Room(1933)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Big Cage (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Fast Companions (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • My Pal, the King (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • The Red Shadow (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • House of Mystery (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Sealed Lips (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Trapped (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 77 titles from 1931 to 1975.

Biggest box office

The Fly (1958)

$1.5K worldwide

Highest rated

The Fly (1958)

Midcredits 82nd

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 77: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting64 of 77: 50 only directing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score33rdWriting12 of 77: 3 only writing, 9 with another roleProducing12 of 77: 1 only producing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thOther crew7 of 77: 7 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score51st

77 titles, 14 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 11 of them.

By decade

1930s27 · crew1940s20 · 2 acting · 18 crew1950s24 · crew1960s2 · crew1970s4 · 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 Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Kurt Neumann's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · director

Touchdown, Army (1938)

78th percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

The Fly (1958)

Midcredits 82nd · 74% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 58/100 and the pacing 51/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif 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 Kurt Neumann work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kurt Neumann's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Karl Struss shares the most, 10.

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles