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Paula Prentiss

Paula Prentiss

Actor · Born March 4, 1938 (88) · San Antonio, Texas, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee

Paula Prentiss (born March 4, 1938) is an American actress. She is best known for her film roles in Where the Boys Are (1960), What's New Pussycat? (1965), Catch-22 (1970), The Parallax View (1974), and The Stepford Wives (1975). From 1967 to 1968, Prentiss co-starred with her husband Richard Benjamin in the CBS sitcom He & She, for which she received a nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Description above from the Wikipedia article Paula Prentiss, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 4, 1938 (88)
From
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 35 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 64 days to Oct 27Down 30% in 30 days

What are Paula Prentiss' films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Self
32%
Bonds
28%
Survival
11%
Power
9%
Morality
9%
Society
6%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 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 11 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 5 · 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 11 · Charged 6 · Intense 4

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

A split, not a type: Steady 11 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 9

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 11 · 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 14 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 5 of 11 analyzed roles.

Ally
5 of 11
Shapeshifter
3 of 11
Trickster
1 of 11
Herald
1 of 11
Shadow
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
9
Joyful
9
Melancholic
8
Tense
5
Romantic
7
Other
17

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic4
  • 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 Paula Prentiss' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paula Prentiss' 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

35 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed(2023)

    as Abigail Page

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Ida Western Exile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Thanks

  • I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House(2016)

    as Iris Blum

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Hard Four (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Sweet Cherrie

  • Mrs. Winterbourne(1996)

    as Nurse Allmeyer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Carla Martinet

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Leonora Holt

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • M.A.D.D.: Mothers Against Drunk Drivers(1983)

    as Lynne Wiley

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Packin' It In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Dianne Webber

  • Saturday the 14th(1981)

    as Mary

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Buddy Buddy(1981)

    as Celia Clooney

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Black Marble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman

  • Top of the Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 2 episodes · as Norma Ellsworth Cully

  • Friendships, Secrets and Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Sandy

  • Having Babies II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Trish Canfield

  • No Room to Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Terry McKenna

  • The Stepford Wives(1975)

    as Bobbie Markowe

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Parallax View(1974)

    as Lee Carter

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Crazy Joe(1974)

    as Anne

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Couple Takes a Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Barbara Hamilton

  • Last of the Red Hot Lovers(1972)

    as Bobbi Michele

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Born to Win(1971)

    as Veronica

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Move (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Dolly

  • Catch-22(1970)

    as Nurse Duckett

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • He & She (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 26 episodes · as Paula Hollister

  • What's New Pussycat(1965)

    as Liz Bien

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • In Harm's Way(1965)

    as Beverly McConnell

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The World of Henry Orient(1964)

    as Stella Dunnworthy

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Man's Favorite Sport?(1964)

    as Abigail Page

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Follow the Boys(1963)

    as Toni

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Horizontal Lieutenant(1962)

    as Lt. Molly Blue

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Bachelor in Paradise(1961)

    as Linda Delavane

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Honeymoon Machine(1961)

    as Pam Dunstan

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Where the Boys Are(1960)

    as Tuggle Carpenter

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Soap model (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 34 titles from 1958 to 2017; peak year 1980.

Biggest box office

Buddy Buddy (1981)

$7.3M worldwide

Highest rated

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023)

Midcredits 87th

Most popular right now

Catch-22 (1970)

Film career

19582017

Peak 1980 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 2 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
Acting33 of 34: 33 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thOther crew1 of 34: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s10 · acting1970s11 · acting1980s7 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
6070

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.

Awards

Nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1968, Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Paula Prentiss' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

M.A.D.D.: Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (1983)

74th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023)

Midcredits 87th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 46. 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 Paula Prentiss' work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles23–67 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles13–46 · median 23 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles11–50 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles19–46 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles33–55 · median 48 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Paula Prentiss work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paula Prentiss' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jim Hutton shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles