Skip to content
MovieCove
Willard E. Pugh

Willard E. Pugh

Actor, also producer · Born June 16, 1959 (67) · Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Willard E. Pugh (born June 16, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in The Color Purple (1985), Robocop 2 (1990), and Air Force One (1997).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 16, 1959 (67)
From
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 41 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 28Up 56% in 30 days

What are Willard E. Pugh's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 14th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
26%
Survival
25%
Society
15%
Self
13%
Bonds
12%
Power
7%
Ideas
3%
Survival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 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 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 5

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 2

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

A split, not a type: Casual 6 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Thrilling
5
Absurd
3
Hopeful
2
Dread
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Fun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous1

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 Willard E. Pugh's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Willard E. Pugh'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

41 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page.

  • Lucky Louie(2023)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Haunting of Cellblock 11(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Tornado Warning(2012)

    as Norm Mackey

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Police Chief

  • Medium(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Security Guard

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Up Against Amanda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Officer Wharton

  • Family Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Leary

  • Spoiler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Bounty #2

  • High Freakquency (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • Air Force One(1997)

    as White House Commanding Officer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Grace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael

  • Puppet Master 5(1994)

    as Jason

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Eddie Presley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Nick

  • CB4(1993)

    as Trustus

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Martin(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Country Payne

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Ambition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Freddie

  • A Rage in Harlem(1991)

    as Claude X

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Guyver(1991)

    as Col. Castle

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • RoboCop 2(1990)

    as Mayor Kuzak

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones(1990)

    as Harpo

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The California Raisin Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 15 episodes · Actor

  • The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Little Robert

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

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

    as Deeter

  • Made in Heaven(1987)

    as Guy Blanchard / Brian Dutton

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Beauty and the Beast(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · as Maurice

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Amazon Women on the Moon(1987)

    as Speaking Cop (segment "Video Date")

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Native Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Gus

  • Blue City(1986)

    as Leroy

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Color Purple(1985)

    as Harpo

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • 227(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Stand Alone(1985)

    as Macombers

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Hills Have Eyes Part II(1984)

    as Foster

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Moving Violations(1985)

    as Jeff Roth

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • MacGruder and Loud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 14 episodes · as Bobby

  • Toy Soldiers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Ace (as Willard Pugh)

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • T.J. Hooker(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Roller

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 1 episode · as Gus

  • Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Divided We Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Runaway Slave

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 39 titles from 1981 to 2023; peak year 1985.

Biggest box office

The Color Purple (1985)

$98M worldwide

Highest rated

The Color Purple (1985)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

19812023

Peak 1985 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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.

  • 1985Screen debut· Moving Violations

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting39 of 39: 39 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score45th

By decade

1980s21 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s3 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
8590

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 Willard E. Pugh's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 35th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 29th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 25 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned2
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Lucky Louie (2023)

90th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Color Purple (1985)

Midcredits 96th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 56/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 32. 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 Willard E. Pugh'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 67 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 49 · moderateMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 70 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

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

Who does Willard E. Pugh work with?

People who share at least 2 of Willard E. Pugh's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeff Burr shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers