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Cornel Wilde

Cornel Wilde

Actor, director and producer, also writer and composer · Died October 16, 1989, aged 77 · Prievidza, Hungary

Cornel Wilde was a Hungarian-American actor and film director. Wilde's acting career began in 1935, when he made his debut on Broadway. In 1936 he began making small, uncredited appearances in films. By the 1940s, he had signed a contract with 20th Century Fox, and by the mid-1940s, he was a major leading man. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in 1945's A Song to Remember. In the 1950s, he moved to writing, producing and directing films, and still continued his career as an actor.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 13, 1912
Died
October 16, 1989 (aged 77)
From
Prievidza, Hungary
Works as
Actor, director and producer, also writer and composer
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 60 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 27Up 7% in 30 days

What are Cornel Wilde's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Adventure10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
27%
Morality
26%
Survival
15%
Self
14%
Power
11%
Society
6%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal5 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 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 10 · Serious 10 · Dark 11

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 21 · Intense 9

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 23 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 13 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 2

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

Easy watch 12 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 7

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

Resolved 29 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

31 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 22 of 31 analyzed roles.

Hero
22 of 31
Shapeshifter
3 of 31
Ally
2 of 31
Mentor
2 of 31
Trickster
1 of 31
Shadow
1 of 31
Show the 31 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Thrilling
14
Romantic
13
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Other
20

How their films linger

Bittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet14
  • Ambiguous4

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 Cornel Wilde's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Cornel Wilde'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

60 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Flesh and Bullets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Police Captain

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Duncan Barnett

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Fifth Musketeer(1979)

    as D'Artagnan

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Norseman(1978)

    as Ragnar

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Fantasy Island(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Daring Danny Ryan

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Sharks' Treasure(1975)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Jim Carnahan

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Gargoyles(1972)

    as Dr. Mercer Boley

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Night Gallery(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • No Blade of Grass(1970)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Comic(1969)

    as Frank Powers

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Beach Red(1967)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Capt. MacDonald / Narrator

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Prey(1965)

    Director · Composer · Producer · as The Man

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as George Press

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Sword of Lancelot(1963)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Sir Lancelot

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Constantine and the Cross(1961)

    as Constantine

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Around the World with Nellie Bly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Steve Roberts / German Captain / Count / Jacque / Sheik

  • Edge of Eternity(1959)

    as Les Martin

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Maracaibo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director · Producer · as Vic Scott

  • The Devil's Hairpin(1957)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Nick Jargin

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Omar Khayyam(1957)

    as Omar Khayyam

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Beyond Mombasa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Matt Campbell

  • Hot Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Stephano Torino

  • Storm Fear(1955)

    Director · Producer · as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Star Stage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Scarlet Coat(1955)

    as Maj. John Boulton

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Big Combo(1955)

    Producer · as Leonard Diamond

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Passion(1954)

    as Juan Obreon

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Woman's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Bill Baxter

  • Star of India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Pierre St. Laurent

  • Saadia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Si Lahssen

  • Treasure of the Golden Condor(1953)

    as Jean-Paul

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Maresy · as Rudy Alberti

  • Operation Secret(1952)

    as Peter Forrester

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • California Conquest(1952)

    as Don Arturo Bordega

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • At Sword's Point(1952)

    as D'Artagnan Jr.

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Greatest Show on Earth(1952)

    as The Great Sebastian

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • I Love Lucy(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Cornel Wilde

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Two Flags West(1950)

    as Mark Bradford

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Swiss Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Stanley Robin

  • Shockproof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Griff Marat

  • The Walls of Jericho(1948)

    as Dave Connors

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Road House(1948)

    as Pete Morgan

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • It Had to Be You(1947)

    as George McKesson

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Forever Amber(1947)

    as Bruce Carlton

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Homestretch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Jock Wallace

  • Centennial Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Philippe Lascalles

  • The Bandit of Sherwood Forest(1946)

    as Robert of Nottingham

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Leave Her to Heaven(1945)

    as Richard Harland

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • A Thousand and One Nights(1945)

    as Aladdin

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • A Song to Remember(1945)

    as Frédéric Chopin

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Wintertime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Freddy Austin

  • Life Begins at Eight-Thirty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Robert Carter

  • Manila Calling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Jeff Bailey

  • The Perfect Snob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mike Lord

  • Kisses for Breakfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Chet Oakley

  • Knockout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Tommy Rossi

  • High Sierra(1941)

    as Louis Mendoza

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Lady with Red Hair(1940)

    as Mr. Williams (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Exclusive(1937)

    as Reporter

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 60 titles from 1937 to 1985; peak year 1966.

Biggest box office

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

$36M worldwide

Highest rated

Leave Her to Heaven (1945)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Film career

19371985

Peak 1966 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 6 MovieCove titles. 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
Acting59 of 60: 52 only acting, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thDirecting8 of 60: 0 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score34thWriting5 of 60: 0 only writing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score29thProducing8 of 60: 0 only producing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score34th

60 titles, 8 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s20 · acting1950s22 · 22 acting · 3 crew1960s8 · 8 acting · 3 crew1970s7 · 6 acting · 2 crew1980s2 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 46% of 13 roles
4151

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 Cornel Wilde's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 34; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

The Norseman (1978)

69th percentile spread · 69% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Leave Her to Heaven (1945)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 31 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 38. 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 Cornel Wilde's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 2 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles13–56 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian 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 Cornel Wilde work with?

People who share at least 2 of Cornel Wilde's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jean Wallace shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers