Skip to content
Motif

James H. Nicholson

Producer, also writer · Died December 10, 1972, aged 56 · Seattle, Washington, USA

Born
September 14, 1916
Died
December 10, 1972 (aged 56)
From
Seattle, Washington, USA
Works as
Producer, also writer
Titles
97 on Motif · 106 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 16% in 30 days

What are James H. Nicholson's films like?

Across their 94 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 24th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Drama17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile
: browse their Biography 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
Morality
22%
Bonds
19%
Survival
18%
Self
16%
Power
12%
Society
7%
Ideas
6%
Romantic love20 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival18 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession12 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity12 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception12 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice10 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 94 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 38 · Serious 27 · Dark 29

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

Grounded 33 · Stylized 37 · Heightened 24

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

Gentle 12 · Charged 58 · Intense 24

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

Steady 33 · Shifting 53 · Whiplash 8

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 56 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 21

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

Slow burn 33 · Even-paced 54 · Relentless 7

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

Casual 61 · Engaged 29 · Full focus 4

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

Easy watch 53 · Affecting 31 · Heavy 10

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

Resolved 76 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
71
Dread
30
Melancholic
39
Absurd
22
Thrilling
20
Other
59

How their films linger

Fun37 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling33 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting26 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good29 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 14 with a twist

  • Happy31
  • Bittersweet33
  • Tragic19
  • Ambiguous9
  • Cyclical2

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 James H. Nicholson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 84 of their 97 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (55).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James H. Nicholson'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

106 credits, 97 with a Motif page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Dirty Mary Crazy Larry(1974)

    Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Legend of Hell House(1973)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Unholy Rollers(1972)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Blacula(1972)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Slaughter(1972)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Deathmaster (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Executive Producer

  • Dr. Phibes Rises Again(1972)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Boxcar Bertha(1972)

    Executive Producer · Presenter

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Frogs(1972)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Baron Blood(1972)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?(1972)

    Executive Producer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Thing with Two Heads(1972)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Bunny O'Hare (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    Executive Producer

  • Murders in the Rue Morgue(1971)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Abominable Dr. Phibes(1971)

    Executive Producer · Presenter

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Up in the Cellar(1970)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Wuthering Heights(1970)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Bloody Mama(1970)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Dunwich Horror(1970)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe(1970)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • De Sade(1969)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Two Gentlemen Sharing(1969)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Three in the Attic(1968)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Wild in the Streets(1968)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Witchfinder General(1968)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Psych-Out(1968)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Savage Seven(1968)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Thunder Alley(1967)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Devil's Angels(1967)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Trip(1967)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • What's Up, Tiger Lily?(1966)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs(1966)

    Executive Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Wild Angels(1966)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Fireball 500(1966)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini(1966)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Big T.N.T. Show(1965)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Presenter

  • Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine(1965)

    Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Die, Monster, Die!(1965)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Sergeant Dead Head(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • How to Stuff a Wild Bikini(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Ski Party(1965)

    Co-Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Beach Blanket Bingo(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • City in the Sea(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Frankenstein vs. Baragon(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Planet of the Vampires(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Pajama Party(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Tomb of Ligeia(1964)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Bikini Beach(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Muscle Beach Party(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Comedy of Terrors(1963)

    Presenter · Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Crypt of the Vampire(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Haunted Palace(1963)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Beach Party(1963)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes(1963)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Operation Bikini(1963)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Raven(1963)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Attack of the Mushroom People(1963)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Hercules and the Masked Rider(1963)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Panic in Year Zero!(1962)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Tales of Terror(1962)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Fury of Achilles(1962)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Night of the Eagle(1962)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Pit and the Pendulum(1961)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Master of the World(1961)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • House of Usher(1960)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Alakazam the Great(1960)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Black Sunday(1960)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Tank Commandos(1959)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Paratroop Command(1959)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • A Bucket of Blood(1959)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Terror from the Year 5000 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Executive Producer

  • The Spider(1958)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Hot Rod Gang(1958)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • How to Make a Monster(1958)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Teenage Cave Man(1958)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • War of the Colossal Beast(1958)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Bonnie Parker Story(1958)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Machine-Gun Kelly(1958)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Jet Attack (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Executive Producer

  • High School Hellcats(1958)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Submarine Seahawk(1958)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent(1957)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Amazing Colossal Man(1957)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Sorority Girl(1957)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Reform School Girl(1957)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Invasion of the Saucer Men(1957)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Voodoo Woman(1957)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Rock All Night(1957)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • I Was a Teenage Werewolf(1957)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Naked Paradise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Executive Producer

  • It Conquered the World(1956)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Girls in Prison(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Female Jungle(1955)

    Executive Producer · Presenter

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Oklahoma Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Executive Producer

  • Gunslinger(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Hot Rod Girl(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Shake, Rattle & Rock!(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The She-Creature(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Executive Producer

  • Apache Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Executive Producer

  • Day the World Ended(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Five Guns West(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Outlaw Treasure(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Beast with a Million Eyes(1955)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Fast and the Furious(1954)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 78 titles from 1955 to 1974.

Biggest box office

Boxcar Bertha (1972)

$8.4K worldwide

Highest rated

Black Sunday (1960)

Midcredits 85th

Most popular right now

The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing3 of 78: 0 only writing, 3 with another roleProducing75 of 78: 68 only producing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score28thOther crew7 of 78: 3 only other crew, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score36th

78 titles, 7 with more than one role — producing and other crew overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1950s25 · crew1960s34 · crew1970s19 · 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 James H. Nicholson's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 28th percentile, the median of all 97; across their 94 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 35th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 94

Approval · how many liked their films

24thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 94

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 94

Midcredits score across 97 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th32
  • Below 25th42

Shape of the crowd

51 of their 97 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned10
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed14
  • Mixed51

Most divisive · producer

Outlaw Treasure (1955)

90th percentile spread · 18% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

The Big T.N.T. Show (1965)

Midcredits 90th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 45/100 and the plot and story 41/100 in their films, across 92 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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.

Is James H. Nicholson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 18 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films and profanity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles37–74 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity18 titles12–56 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles4–61 · median 20 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles13–38 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles43–74 · median 54 · moderateheavier 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 James H. Nicholson work with?

People who share at least 2 of James H. Nicholson's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Samuel Z. Arkoff shares the most, 85.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

  • Les Baxter24 titles    See newest 12 of 24 shared titles with Les Baxter
  • Floyd Crosby20 titles    See newest 12 of 20 shared titles with Floyd Crosby
  • Ronald Sinclair18 titles    See newest 12 of 18 shared titles with Ronald Sinclair
  • Ronald Stein14 titles    See newest 12 of 14 shared titles with Ronald Stein

Producers

Mixed roles