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Dean Riesner

Dean Riesner

Writer and actor, also director · Died August 18, 2002, aged 83 · New Rochelle, New York, USA

Dean Riesner (November 3, 1918, New Rochelle, New York – August 18, 2002, Encino, California) was an American film and television writer. Riesner's father, Charles Reisner, was a German American silent film director, and Dean began acting in films at the age of five as "Dinky Dean". His most notable role was in Charlie Chaplin's 1923 film The Pilgrim. His career at this young age ended because his mother wanted her son to have a real childhood. As an adult, his first job in films was as a co-writer of the 1939 Ronald Reagan movie Code of the Secret Service. Riesner won an Oscar for directing Bill and Coo (1948), a feature film with a cast of real birds, costumed as humans, acting on the world's smallest film set. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Riesner worked primarily in television, including writing for Rawhide and the "Tourist Attraction" episode of The Outer Limits, although he occasionally contributed to feature films like The Helen Morgan Story. In 1968 he landed a job working on the Clint Eastwood action film Coogan's Bluff, and this in turn would lead to him writing several other Eastwood features throughout the 1970s. Riesner helped pen the screenplays for two Eastwood films in 1971, Play Misty for Me and the original Dirty Harry. In 1973 he provided an uncredited rewrite for High Plains Drifter, and in 1976 he was one of the writers to draft The Enforcer, the third Dirty Harry thriller. That same year he provided the teleplay for NBC's highly rated miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, starring Nick Nolte. In 1979 he wrote an early draft screenplay for The Godfather Part III, but his script was discarded when Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo finally agreed to collaborate on a third entry in the series. Riesner continued to write into the 1980s, though most of his work from that period went uncredited. Those films include Das Boot, The Sting II, and Starman. Riesner died in 2002 of natural causes. He had been married to actress Maila Nurmi, better known as the horror hostess Vampira.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 3, 1918
Died
August 18, 2002 (aged 83)
From
New Rochelle, New York, USA
Works as
Writer and actor, also director
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 64 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 82% in 30 days

What are Dean Riesner's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Western2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Western 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
49%
Survival
20%
Self
18%
Society
5%
Bonds
5%
Power
2%
Justice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 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 5 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 10 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 7

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

Steady 4 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 0

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 9 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 3

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 7 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Thrilling
8
Melancholic
4
Joyful
2
Absurd
2
Other
11

How their films linger

Bittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet10
  • Ambiguous3

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 Dean Riesner's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dean Riesner'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

64 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Fatal Beauty(1987)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Das Boot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 6 episodes · Screenplay

  • Sudden Impact(1983)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Sting II(1983)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Das Boot(1981)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Enforcer(1976)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 4 episodes · Teleplay · Writer

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

    Writer

  • Rich Man, Poor Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 12 episodes · Teleplay · Writer

  • Charley Varrick(1973)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Dirty Harry(1971)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Play Misty for Me(1971)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Vanished (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 2 episodes · Creator · Teleplay

  • The Intruders(1970)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Lost Flight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Writer

  • Coogan's Bluff(1968)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Lancer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · Teleplay

  • Stranger on the Run(1967)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Story

  • The Long, Hot Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 3 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • 12 O'Clock High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • The Man from Galveston(1963)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Outer Limits(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

  • Ben Casey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • The Case of the Dangerous Robin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Surfside 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Bourbon Street Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis(1959)

    Show 9 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Chaplin Revue(1959)

    as Various (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 5 episodes · Writer

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

    Show 1 episode · Writer

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

    Show 3 episodes · Writer

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

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Paris Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Writer

  • The Helen Morgan Story(1957)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Restless Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The Thin Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Sugarfoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 3 episodes · Writer

  • The Big Slide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Writer

  • Conflict (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Cheyenne(1955)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • So You Want to Know Your Relatives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Story

  • Skipalong Rosenbloom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Screenplay

  • Gunfire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Outlaw Mack

  • I Shot Billy the Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Dialogue Coach

  • Operation Haylift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Writer

  • The Traveling Saleswoman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Tom

  • Assigned to Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Dr. Michael Kelly (uncredited)

  • The Cobra Strikes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Detective Brody

  • Bill and Coo(1948)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die(1942)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A Fugitive from Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Additional Writing

  • The Fighting 69th(1940)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Code of the Secret Service(1939)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Everybody Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Tommy Spurgeon

  • It's in the Air(1935)

    as Brave (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Square Shoulders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Cadet (uncredited)

  • A Prince of a King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Gigi, the Prince

  • Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Dean Riesner

  • The Pilgrim(1923)

    as Little Boy

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Grief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Actor

  • Peck's Bad Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Actor

Career shape

A full career of 63 titles from 1921 to 1987.

Biggest box office

The Enforcer (1976)

$46M worldwide

Highest rated

Dirty Harry (1971)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Enforcer (1976)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting14 of 63: 14 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting1 of 63: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting47 of 63: 43 only writing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thOther crew5 of 63: 2 only other crew, 3 with another role

63 titles, 4 with more than one role.

By decade

1920s6 · acting1930s2 · acting1940s6 · 2 acting · 4 crew1950s21 · 3 acting · 18 crew1960s12 · crew1970s10 · crew1980s6 · 1 acting · 5 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 Dean Riesner's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of all 20; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · director, writer

Bill and Coo (1948)

63rd percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Das Boot (1981)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 52/100 and the plot and story 52/100 in their films, across 16 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.

Is Dean Riesner's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and sex & nudity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles66–81 · median 72 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles29–67 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 45 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 64 · intenseMedian 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 Dean Riesner work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dean Riesner's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Don Siegel shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers