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Thelma Ritter

Thelma Ritter

Actor · Died February 5, 1969, aged 66 · Brooklyn, New York, USA

Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee

Thelma Ritter (February 14, 1902 – February 5, 1969) was an American actress, best known for her comedic roles as working-class characters and her strong New York accent. She was the recipient of a Tony Award and six nominations for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, more than any other actress in the category.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 14, 1902
Died
February 5, 1969 (aged 66)
From
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 39 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 36% in 30 days

What are Thelma Ritter's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime 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
36%
Self
22%
Morality
18%
Society
10%
Survival
7%
Ideas
4%
Power
3%
Romantic love12 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 23 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 14 · Serious 4 · Dark 5

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

Grounded 15 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 14 · Charged 5 · Intense 4

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

Steady 16 · Shifting 6 · 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 9 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 9

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 11 · 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 13 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

19 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 10 of 19 analyzed roles.

Mentor
10 of 19
Ally
6 of 19
Herald
2 of 19
Threshold guardian
1 of 19
Show the 19 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
10
Tense
7
Warm
7
Romantic
8
Melancholic
6
Other
24

How their films linger

Feel-good15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic1

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 Thelma Ritter's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Thelma Ritter'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

39 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 10 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Footsteps on the Ceiling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Birdie Coonan (archive footage)

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller(2002)

    as Moe Williams (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • What's So Bad About Feeling Good?(1968)

    as Mrs. Schwartz

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Incident(1967)

    as Bertha Beckerman

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Boeing, Boeing(1965)

    as Bertha

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Move Over, Darling(1963)

    as Grace Arden

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • A New Kind of Love(1963)

    as Lena O'Connor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • For Love or Money(1963)

    as Chloe Brasher

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • How the West Was Won(1962)

    as Agatha Clegg

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Birdman of Alcatraz(1962)

    as Elizabeth Stroud

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Second Time Around(1961)

    as Aggie Gates

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Misfits(1961)

    as Isabelle Steers

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Pillow Talk(1959)

    as Alma

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Gillis

  • A Hole in the Head(1959)

    as Sophie Manetta

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Proud and Profane(1956)

    as Kate Connors

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Telephone Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lucy Gallant(1955)

    as Molly Basserman

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Lottie Slocum

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Daddy Long Legs(1955)

    as Alicia Pritchard

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Rear Window(1954)

    as Stella

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Farmer Takes a Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Lucy Cashdollar

  • Pickup on South Street(1953)

    as Moe Williams

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Titanic(1953)

    as Maude Young

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Doris Green

  • With a Song in My Heart(1952)

    as Clancy

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Model and the Marriage Broker(1951)

    as Mae Swasey

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Goodyear Television Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • As Young as You Feel(1951)

    as Della Hodges

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Mating Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Ellen McNulty

  • All About Eve(1950)

    as Birdie Coonan

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • I'll Get By (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Miss Murphy

  • Perfect Strangers(1950)

    as Lena Fassler

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Father Was a Fullback(1949)

    as Geraldine

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • City Across the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Mrs. Katie Cusack

  • A Letter to Three Wives(1949)

    as Sadie Dugan (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Call Northside 777(1948)

    as Captain's Secretary (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Miracle on 34th Street(1947)

    as Peter's Mother (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 39 titles from 1947 to 2013; peak year 1961.

Biggest box office

Rear Window (1954)

$38M worldwide

Highest rated

Rear Window (1954)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19472013

Peak 1961 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 3 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
Acting39 of 39: 39 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score76th

By decade

1940s5 · acting1950s22 · acting1960s10 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
4954

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

10 major nominations and no wins, 1951–1966.

  1. 1966
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
  2. 1963
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  3. 1960
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  4. 1956
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  5. 1954
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  6. 1953
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  7. 1952
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
  8. 1951
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Supporting Actress

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 Thelma Ritter's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 28; across their 23 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Reach · how many have seen their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th4

Shape of the crowd

None of their 29 titles divides audiences: 15 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed3

Most loved · actor

Rear Window (1954)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 54. 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 Thelma Ritter's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and sex & nudity run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles13–37 · median 27 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles8–28 · median 17 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 5 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 48 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles8–53 · median 43 · 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 Thelma Ritter work with?

People who share at least 2 of Thelma Ritter's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Cyril J. Mockridge shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers