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Hugh O'Brian

Hugh O'Brian

Actor · Died September 5, 2016, aged 91 · Rochester, New York, USA

Hugh O'Brian (born Hugh Charles Krampe) was a prominent American actor and humanitarian best known for starring as the legendary frontier lawman in the ABC Western television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp from 1955 to 1961 and the NBC action television series Search (1972–1973), as well as films, including the Agatha Christie adaptation Ten Little Indians (1965) and a notable supporting role in John Wayne's last film, The Shootist (1976). Known for his athletic, square-jawed build and quick-draw skills, he became one of television's definitive early Western heroes. Beyond acting, he left a massive global legacy as the founder of the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation (HOBY), a nonprofit organization that has trained over 500,000 high school scholars in leadership and service.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 19, 1925
Died
September 5, 2016 (aged 91)
From
Rochester, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 84 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 27% in 30 days

What are Hugh O'Brian's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Western3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Western movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure 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
35%
Bonds
26%
Society
13%
Survival
13%
Self
9%
Power
4%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds11 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival8 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 23 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 21 · Intense 8

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

Steady 15 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 24 · 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 11 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 26 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 2

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 17 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

20 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 5 of 20 analyzed roles.

Trickster
5 of 20
Shadow
5 of 20
Hero
4 of 20
Ally
3 of 20
Mentor
1 of 20
Threshold guardian
1 of 20
Shapeshifter
1 of 20
Show the 20 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Melancholic
14
Thrilling
8
Warm
5
Hopeful
9
Other
21

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

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 Hugh O'Brian's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hugh O'Brian'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

84 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Wyatt Earp

  • The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw(1991)

    as Wyatt Earp

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Gunsmoke: The Last Apache(1990)

    as Gen. Nelson Miles

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Twins(1988)

    as Granger

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as Wyatt Earp

  • Doin' Time on Planet Earth(1988)

    as Richard Camalier

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Raymond Holtz

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Fred Keppard

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Thomas 'Buck' McCune

  • The Seekers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 2 episodes · as Andrew Piggot

  • Game of Death(1978)

    as Steiner

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Cruise Into Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Captain Andy

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Gabriel

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Benny & Barney: Las Vegas Undercover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Jack Davis

  • Fantasy Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Paul Henley

  • Charlie's Angels(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony Mann

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • The Shootist(1976)

    as Jack Pulford

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Killer Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Lewis

  • Murder on Flight 502(1975)

    as Detective Daniel Myerson

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Search (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 23 episodes · as Hugh Lockwood

  • Probe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Hugh Lockwood

  • Harpy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Peter Clune

  • Wild Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Killian

  • Swing Out, Sweet Land(1970)

    as Thomas Jefferson

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Strategy of Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Matt Lacey

  • The Movie Orgy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Wyatt Earp (archive footage)

  • Dial M for Murder(1967)

    as Mark Halliday

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Africa: Texas Style! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Jim Sinclair

  • Ambush Bay(1966)

    as Sgt. Steve Corey

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Ten Little Indians(1965)

    as Hugh Lombard

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Assassination in Rome(1965)

    as Dick Sherman

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • In Harm's Way(1965)

    as U.S. Army Air Corps Major (Liz Eddington's Lover) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Love Has Many Faces(1965)

    as Hank Walker

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · as Detective Matt Lacey

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Mig Semple · as Quinton Morrow

  • The Greatest Show on Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Garve

  • Come Fly with Me(1963)

    as First Officer Ray Winsley

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Christopher Martin

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Taylor

  • Feathertop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Feathertop

  • Alias Jesse James(1959)

    as Wyatt Earp (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Lee Baker

  • The Fiend Who Walked the West(1958)

    as Daniel Slade Hardy

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Bruce Jason

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Invitation to a Gunfighter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Matt Jeffers

  • The Brass Legend(1956)

    as Sheriff Wade Addams

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Twinkle in God's Eye(1955)

    as Marty Callahan

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 226 episodes · as Wyatt Earp

  • White Feather(1955)

    as American Horse

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • There's No Business Like Show Business(1954)

    as Charles Gibbs

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Broken Lance(1954)

    as Mike Devereaux

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Studio 57 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Allen Herrick · as Giff Dillard

  • Drums Across the River(1954)

    as Morgan

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Moby Dick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Starbuck

  • Fireman Save My Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Smitty

  • Saskatchewan(1954)

    as Carl Smith

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Back to God's Country(1953)

    as Frank Hudson

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Duke Cole · as Larry Brown · as Sam Hendricks · as Walter Wallington

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Stand at Apache River(1953)

    as Tom Kenyon

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Man from the Alamo(1953)

    as Lt. Lamar

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Seminole(1953)

    as Kajeck

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Sharp

  • Meet Me at the Fair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Chilton Corr

  • The Lawless Breed(1952)

    as Ike Hanley

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Raiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Hank Purvis

  • The Ford Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Matty Curran

  • Son of Ali Baba(1952)

    as Hussein

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Sally and Saint Anne(1952)

    as Danny O'Moyne

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Red Ball Express(1952)

    as Wilson

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Battle at Apache Pass(1952)

    as Lt. Robert Harley

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Cimarron Kid(1952)

    as Red Buck

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Cave of Outlaws(1951)

    as Garth

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Red Skelton Hour(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Count Mustache

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • On the Loose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Dr. Phillips

  • Little Big Horn(1951)

    as Pvt. Al DeWalt

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Fighting Coast Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Tom Peterson

  • Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Ted Gately

  • Vengeance Valley(1951)

    as Dick Fasken

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Return of Jesse James(1950)

    as Lem Younger

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Beyond the Purple Hills(1950)

    as Jack Beaumont

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Rocketship X-M(1950)

    as Harry Chamberlain

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Never Fear(1950)

    as Len Randall

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • D.O.A.(1949)

    as Jazz Fan (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Kidnapped(1948)

    as Sailor (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 84 titles from 1948 to 1994; peak year 1965.

Biggest box office

Twins (1988)

$217M worldwide

Highest rated

The Shootist (1976)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Twins (1988)

Film career

19481994

Peak 1965 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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
Acting84 of 84: 84 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1940s2 · acting1950s42 · acting1960s16 · acting1970s15 · acting1980s6 · acting1990s3 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 8% of 13 roles
4954

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Hugh O'Brian's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 43; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 51 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed13
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Swing Out, Sweet Land (1970)

88th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Shootist (1976)

Midcredits 94th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 43. 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 Hugh O'Brian's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 29 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Hugh O'Brian work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hugh O'Brian's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Frank Skinner shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers