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Edmund H. North

Edmund H. North

Writer · Died August 28, 1990, aged 79 · New York, New York, U.S.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Edmund Hall North (March 12, 1911 – August 28, 1990), was an American screenwriter who shared an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with Francis Ford Coppola in 1970 for their script for Patton. North wrote the screenplay for the 1951 science-fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still and is credited for creating the famous line from the film, "Klaatu barada nikto". He was a son of Bobby North and Stella Maury who performed in vaudeville and the Ziegfeld Follies. North began writing plays while attending Culver Military Academy in Indiana and at Stanford University. As a major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II he made training and educational films. North was a former president of the screen branch of the Writers Guild of America in which he served on more than 40 committees, including the contract-bargaining panel. North and his wife, Collette had two daughters, Susan and Bobbie. He lived in Brentwood, California, and was 79 when he died.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 12, 1911
Died
August 28, 1990 (aged 79)
From
New York, New York, U.S.
Works as
Writer
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 32 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 22% in 30 days

What are Edmund H. North's films like?

Across their 22 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
34%
Self
19%
Survival
13%
Power
12%
Bonds
11%
Ideas
8%
Society
2%
Redemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 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 5 · Serious 6 · Dark 11

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 9 · Intense 10

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 11 · 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 7 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
6
Romantic
6
Hopeful
8
Contemplative
6
Other
15

How their films linger

Bittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic1

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 Edmund H. North's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Edmund H. North'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

32 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Day the Earth Stopped(2008)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Day the Earth Stood Still(2008)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Race to Oblivion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Producer · Writer

  • Gideon's Trumpet(1980)

    as Supreme Court Justice

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Meteor(1979)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Murdock's Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Writer

  • Fireball Forward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Writer

  • Patton(1970)

    Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Submarine X-1(1968)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Rogues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Damn the Defiant!(1962)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Fiercest Heart(1961)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sink the Bismarck!(1960)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Lady Takes a Flyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Story

  • Cowboy(1958)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Proud Ones(1956)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Far Horizons(1955)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Destry(1954)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Outcasts of Poker Flat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Writer

  • The Day the Earth Stood Still(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Only the Valiant(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • In a Lonely Place(1950)

    Adaptation

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Young Man with a Horn(1950)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Colorado Territory(1949)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Flamingo Road(1949)

    Additional Dialogue · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Dishonored Lady(1947)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • I'm Still Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Screenplay

  • Shall We Dance(1937)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Bunker Bean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Screenplay

  • Murder on a Bridle Path(1936)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • I Dream Too Much (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Screenplay

  • One Night of Love(1934)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 30 titles from 1934 to 2008.

Biggest box office

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

$233M worldwide

Highest rated

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 30: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleWriting28 of 30: 27 only writing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thProducing1 of 30: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 30: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1930s4 · crew1940s4 · crew1950s10 · crew1960s5 · crew1970s4 · crew1980s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew2000s1 · 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 Edmund H. North's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · writer

The Day the Earth Stopped (2008)

74th percentile spread · 75% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 55/100 and the plot and story 50/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Edmund H. North's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films and profanity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 9 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles2–55 · median 6 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles35–56 · median 51 · 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 Edmund H. North work with?

People who share at least 2 of Edmund H. North's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; James Gow shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles