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Paul Nicholas

Paul Nicholas

Actor · Born December 3, 1944 (81) · Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Paul Nicholas is an English actor and singer. He started out with a pop career, but soon changed to musical theatre. Later, in the 1970s, he began an acting career. He returned to the pop charts, starring in the 1983 BBC sitcom Just Good Friends, for which he is best known. The show won a BAFTA and Nicholas was also nominated for best comedy performance. After the show ended, he returned to musical theatre and various other entertainment roles, including producing and directing. Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Nicholas, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 3, 1944 (81)
From
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 41 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 37 days to Oct 26Up 34% in 30 days

What are Paul Nicholas' films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 17th percentile
: browse their Comedy 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%
Self
25%
Power
17%
Society
13%
Survival
12%
Morality
3%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 3

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

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 3

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 6 · 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 7 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Trickster
2 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6
Shapeshifter
1 of 6
Herald
1 of 6
Hero
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Romantic
5
Joyful
3
Melancholic
3
Absurd
3
Other
9

How their films linger

Feel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Paul Nicholas' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Nicholas' 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

41 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Fawlty Towers: The Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Major Gowen

  • A Prominent Patient (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Neville Chamberlain

  • The Gridiron(2016)

    as Mr. Stanyer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Consuming Passion(2008)

    as Alan Boon

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Royal Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 50 episodes · as Mr Woods

  • Only Fools on Horses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Screaming Lord Sutch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Songs of Praise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Burnside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ronnie Buchan

  • Sunburn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 8 episodes · as David Janus

  • Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh(1998)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Children of Captain Grant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Screenplay

  • Spot's Magical Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Sam(voice: UK version)

  • Heartbeat(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Sven Larson

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Close to Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 19 episodes · as James Shepherd

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

    Show 12 episodes · as Neil Walsh

  • The Adventures of Spot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 26 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • Royal Variety Performance 1984(1984)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Just Good Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 22 episodes · as Vince Pinner

  • Doubting Thomas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Thomas Didymus

  • Invitation to the Wedding(1983)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Nutcracker(1982)

    as Mike McCann

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

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

    as Cheshire Cat / Caterpillar

  • Plays for Pleasure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam

  • The Jazz Singer(1980)

    as Keith Lennox

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Lady Killers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Hogg

  • Two Up, Two Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Yesterday's Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Clint

  • The World Is Full of Married Men(1979)

    as Gem Gemini

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(1978)

    as Dougie Shears

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Early Struggles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Kevin

  • Lisztomania(1975)

    as Richard Wagner

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Three for All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Gary

  • Tommy(1975)

    as Cousin Kevin

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Stardust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Johnny

  • What Became of Jack and Jill? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Johnnie Tallent

  • See No Evil(1971)

    as Jacko

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Mafia Wants Blood(1970)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Season of the Witch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Jake

  • Screaming Lord Sutch: Jack the Ripper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • The Wednesday Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Jake

Career shape

Star power in the 84th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 39 titles from 1964 to 2025; peak year 1979.

Biggest box office

Tommy (1975)

$35M worldwide

Highest rated

Tommy (1975)

Midcredits 71st

Film career

19642025

Peak 1979 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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
Acting38 of 39: 38 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thWriting1 of 39: 1 only writing, 0 with another role

By decade

1960s2 · acting1970s12 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s5 · 4 acting · 1 crew2000s6 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

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.

How do Paul Nicholas' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 28th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

21stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 14 titles are Mixed.

  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Royal Variety Performance 1984 (1984)

93rd percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (1998)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 45/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 61, detractors 24. 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 Paul Nicholas' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 45 · 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 Paul Nicholas work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Nicholas' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Fleischer shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Editors

Producers