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Edmund Purdom

Edmund Purdom

Actor, also director · Died January 1, 2009, aged 84 · Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Edmund Anthony Cutlar Purdom (19 December 1924 – 1 January 2009) was an English actor, voice artist, and director. He worked first on stage in Britain, performing various works by Shakespeare, then later in America on Broadway, until making his way to Hollywood, and eventually spent the remainder of his life appearing in Italian cinema. He is perhaps best known for his starring role in 1954's historical epic The Egyptian. By taking over important roles exited by Mario Lanza and Marlon Brando, Purdom was known by the mid-1950s as "The Replacement Star". Between the 1970s and 90s, he was a regular in European genre cinema, working with directors like Juan Piquer Simón, Joe D'Amato, Sergio Martino, Ruggero Deodato.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 20, 1924
Died
January 1, 2009 (aged 84)
From
Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also director
Titles
30 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 13% in 30 days

What are Edmund Purdom's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 8th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
22%
Self
21%
Morality
20%
Survival
15%
Society
15%
Power
7%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 9 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 16 · Intense 5

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

A split, not a type: Steady 13 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 1

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

A split, not a type: Casual 11 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 14 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 14
Shadow
3 of 14
Herald
2 of 14
Trickster
1 of 14
Mentor
1 of 14
Ally
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Thrilling
9
Romantic
7
Melancholic
7
Dread
5
Other
18

How their films linger

Fun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous5

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 Edmund Purdom's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Edmund Purdom'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, 30 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Knights of the Quest(2001)

    as Ugo di Clarendon

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Seventh Scroll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Pharaoh Mamose

  • Seven Signs of Christ's Return(1997)

    as Host

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Bear Called Arthur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • The Rift(1990)

    as CEO Steensland

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Appointment in Trieste (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 3 episodes · as Groves

  • Don Bosco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Urbano Rattazzi

  • Who's Afraid of Dracula? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Count Vlad

  • The Assisi Underground(1985)

    as Cardinal Della Costa

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Killer vs Killers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as His Excelency

  • Don't Open Till Christmas(1984)

    Director · as Inspector Harris

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Champagne in paradiso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Paola's Father

  • 2019: After the Fall of New York(1983)

    as President of the Pan American Confederacy

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Amok (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Jaarsveld

  • The Winds of War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 2 episodes · as Luigi Gianelli

  • The Scarlet and the Black(1983)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Ator: The Fighting Eagle(1982)

    as Griba

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Invaders of the Lost Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Rex Larson

  • Pieces(1982)

    as The Dean

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Absurd(1981)

    as Father

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Sophia Loren: Her Own Story(1980)

    as Vittorio de Sica

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Deep Thoughts(1980)

    as The Pianist

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • L'altra donna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Phillip

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

    as Robert Sincap

  • The New Godfathers(1979)

    as Secret Service Chief

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Concorde Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Danker

  • Rulers of the City(1976)

    as Luigi Cherico

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Jackpot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Professor Vanderberg

  • Povero Cristo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Man in Tuxedo / Satan

  • Malù (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Actor

  • Together Forever(1975)

    as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Suspects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as American journalist

  • Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Prefect Ewing

  • From the Archives of the Criminal Police (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Teddy Webbs

  • Fifteen Year Old Captain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Admiral Marlowe

  • The Big Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Giovanni Lutture

  • The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Inspector Crosby

  • Karzan, Jungle Lord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Lord Carter (voice) (uncredited)

  • The Devil's Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Gunther

  • The Fifth Cord(1971)

    as Edouard Vermont

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Blackie the Pirate(1971)

    as The Viceroy

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

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

    as Marcus

  • Naked and Violent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Narrator (voice): English version

  • Wages of Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Narrator

  • Witchcraft '70(1969)

    as Narrator (voice) (English version)

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Naked England (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Narrator (English version)

  • The Queer ... The Erotic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Excuse Me, Do You Like Sex? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Narrator of English version

  • Sweden: Heaven and Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Narrator (English version)

  • Gun Shy Piluk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Piluk

  • Chrysanthemums for a Bunch of Swine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Padre

  • The Man Who Laughs(1966)

    as Cesare Borgia

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Texas Jim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Tom Jameson / Jim James

  • Assault on Fort Texan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Major 'Sugar' Patterson

  • The Yellow Rolls-Royce(1964)

    as Fane

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Thursday Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Merton Denver

  • The Comedy Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Julian Baxter

  • The Beauty Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Rex Carrick

  • Theatre 625 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Weislingen

  • The Last Ride to Santa Cruz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Sheriff Kelly

  • Lafayette(1962)

    as Silas Deane

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Suleiman the Conqueror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Ibrahim Pascià

  • White Slave Ship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Dr. Bradley

  • Queen of the Nile(1961)

    as Tumos

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Last of the Vikings(1961)

    as King Sveno

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Das große Wunschkonzert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Harry Mell

  • Fury of the Pagans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Toryok

  • The Night They Killed Rasputin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Rasputin

  • The Loves of Salammbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Narr Havas

  • The Cossacks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Shamil, the Sheik

  • Moment of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Peter Carran

  • The Diary of Anne Frank(1959)

    as British Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Herod the Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Erode

  • Ambush in Tangier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as John Milwood

  • Strange Intruder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Paul Quentin

  • The King's Thief(1955)

    as Michael Dermott

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Prodigal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Micah

  • Athena(1954)

    as Adam Calhorn Shaw

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Egyptian(1954)

    as Sinuhe

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Student Prince(1954)

    as Prince Karl Franz

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Great Lady Has an Interview (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Reporter (uncredited)

  • The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Rutherford

  • Julius Caesar(1953)

    as Strato

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Titanic(1953)

    as Second Officer Lightoller (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 84 titles from 1953 to 2001; peak year 1983.

Biggest box office

Pieces (1982)

$2M worldwide

Highest rated

The Fifth Cord (1971)

Midcredits 67th

Most popular right now

The Egyptian (1954)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19532001

Peak 1983 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 5 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.

  • 1953Screen debut· Titanic
  • 1954First top-billed film· The Egyptian
  • 1954Breakout· The Egyptian

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting84 of 84: 83 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score35thDirecting1 of 84: 0 only directing, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s13 · acting1960s28 · acting1970s20 · acting1980s18 · 18 acting · 1 crew1990s4 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 10% of 20 roles
536378

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 Edmund Purdom's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 35th percentile, the median of all 30; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 34th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 30 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive2
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Seven Signs of Christ's Return (1997)

94th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Scarlet and the Black (1983)

Midcredits 93rd · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 51/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 34. 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 Edmund Purdom's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles10–66 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32

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 Edmund Purdom work with?

People who share at least 2 of Edmund Purdom's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Carlo Maria Cordio shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles