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Elliott Nugent

Elliott Nugent

Director, actor and writer · Died August 9, 1980, aged 83 · Dover, Ohio, USA

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Elliott Nugent (September 20, 1896, Dover, Ohio - August 9, 1980, New York City) was an American actor, writer, and film director. He successfully made the transition from silent film to sound. He directed The Cat and the Canary (1939), starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. He also directed the Hope films Never Say Die (1939) and My Favorite Brunette (1947). Nugent was a college classmate (and lifelong friend) of fellow Ohioan James Thurber. Together, they wrote the Broadway play The Male Animal (1940) in which Nugent starred with Gene Tierney. He also directed the 1942 Warner Bros. film version of The Male Animal, starring Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland. Nugent's autobiography Events Leading Up to the Comedy (1965) skips over large portions of Nugent's life and work, but deals honestly with the alcoholism that largely ended his career. Nugent was the son of veteran actor J.C. Nugent who sometimes wrote or acted with Elliott. Description above from the Wikipedia article Elliott Nugent, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 20, 1896
Died
August 9, 1980 (aged 83)
From
Dover, Ohio, USA
Works as
Director, actor and writer
Titles
21 on MovieCove · 47 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 24% in 30 days

What are Elliott Nugent's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Drama 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
47%
Self
26%
Morality
13%
Survival
7%
Power
5%
Society
2%
Romantic love12 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 16 · Serious 3 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 12 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 12 · Charged 6 · Intense 1

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 12

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

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 9 · 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 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 3 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Warm
9
Absurd
8
Romantic
7
Tense
5
Other
9

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet1
  • 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 Elliott Nugent's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Elliott Nugent'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

47 credits, 21 with a MovieCove page.

  • Just for You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • She's Working Her Way Through College(1952)

    Theatre Play

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • My Outlaw Brother(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Skipper Surprised His Wife(1950)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Great Gatsby(1949)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Belvedere Goes to College(1949)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • My Girl Tisa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Director · Actor

  • Welcome Stranger(1947)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • My Favorite Brunette(1947)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Up in Arms(1944)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Stage Door Canteen(1943)

    as Elliott Nugent

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Crystal Ball(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Male Animal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director · Theatre Play

  • Nothing But the Truth(1941)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Whistling in the Dark(1941)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Cat and the Canary(1939)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Never Say Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Give Me a Sailor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Professor Beware (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • It's All Yours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Wives Never Know (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • And So They Were Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Splendor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • College Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Love in Bloom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Enter Madame!(1934)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • She Loves Me Not(1934)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Strictly Dynamite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director · as Program Director (uncredited)

  • Two Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • If I Were Free (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Three Cornered Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director · as Mr. Stokes (uncredited)

  • Whistling in the Dark(1933)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Life Begins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Co-Director

  • The Mouthpiece (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Local Boy Makes Good (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Theatre Play

  • The Last Flight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Francis

  • Virtuous Husband(1931)

    as Daniel Curtis

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • For the Love o' Lil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Sandy Jenkins

  • Romance(1930)

    as Harry

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Unholy Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Writer · as Hector McDonald

  • The Sins of the Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Story · Writer · as Johnnie

  • Not So Dumb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Gordon

  • Navy Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Dialogue

  • So This Is College(1929)

    as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Wise Girls(1929)

    Director · Original Story · Producer · Screenplay · as Kempy

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Single Standard(1929)

    as Party Boy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • So This is Eden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Jim

Career shape

A full career of 46 titles from 1927 to 1952.

Highest rated

Nothing But the Truth (1941)

Midcredits 84th

Most popular right now

The Cat and the Canary (1939)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting15 of 46: 9 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score46thDirecting31 of 46: 26 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thWriting8 of 46: 3 only writing, 5 with another roleProducing1 of 46: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

46 titles, 8 with more than one role — directing and acting overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1920s5 · 4 acting · 2 crew1930s27 · 9 acting · 22 crew1940s10 · 2 acting · 9 crew1950s4 · 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 Elliott Nugent's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 21 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 21 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Virtuous Husband (1931)

83rd percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Nothing But the Truth (1941)

Midcredits 84th · 74% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 58/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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.

Who does Elliott Nugent work with?

People who share at least 2 of Elliott Nugent's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Edward Arnold shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers