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Bill Phillips

Bill Phillips

Writer, also director · Born January 1, 1949 (77) · Brockton, Massachusetts, USA

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts. First Play was a one-act performed at the Massachusetts Drama Festival in 1966: To Be or Not. Second Play was performed there in 1967: The Madison Avenue Muse. Attended Dartmouth College, where he was a Senior Fellow in Film in 1971. Attended U.S.C., where he received an M.F.A. in Cinema, writing & production in 1973. Worked in medical film and television from 1973-78. Produced commercials in 1979. Moved to L.A. in 1979. Worked as a cinematographer/editor for children's educational films in 1979. Worked as a film writer and director for General Dynamics in 1980. Became a member of the WGAw in 1980 with Summer Solstice. Moved back from L.A. to N.H. in 1984, where he continues to write and to teach screenwriting at Dartmouth College. Taught screenwriting one year at Boston University, in 2000. Taught screenwriting at the University of Glasgow, in Scotland, in 2001. Has taught screenwriting at various workshops, such as the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA and The Cranbrook School in Michigan.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
January 1, 1949 (77)
From
Brockton, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Writer, also director
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 18 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 37% in 30 days

What are Bill Phillips' films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: 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
Morality
40%
Bonds
22%
Power
19%
Self
14%
Survival
3%
Ideas
2%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 12 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 9 · Intense 4

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 9 · 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 5 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Contemplative
6
Melancholic
4
Hopeful
5
Absurd
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Bill Phillips' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bill Phillips' 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

18 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Seduction in a Small Town(1997)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Shadow of a Doubt(1995)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Voice from the Grave(1996)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Jack Reed: One of Our Own(1995)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Jack Reed: A Search for Justice(1994)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Beans of Egypt, Maine(1994)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • There Goes the Neighborhood(1992)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • In a Child's Name (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • Rising Son(1990)

    Story · Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • El Diablo(1990)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Rainbow Drive(1990)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Physical Evidence(1989)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Fire with Fire(1986)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Christine(1983)

    Screenplay · as Wrecker's Yard Guy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Summer Solstice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Writer

Career shape

A full career of 17 titles from 1981 to 1997.

Biggest box office

Christine (1983)

$21M worldwide

Highest rated

Christine (1983)

Midcredits 74th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 17: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting1 of 17: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting17 of 17: 15 only writing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rd

By decade

1980s5 · 1 acting · 5 crew1990s12 · 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 Bill Phillips' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 15; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 15 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · writer

Seduction in a Small Town (1997)

69th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, writer

Christine (1983)

Midcredits 74th · 63% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 50/100 and the plot and story 45/100 in their films, across 14 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.

Who does Bill Phillips work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bill Phillips' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Brian Dennehy shares the most, 6.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles