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Cliff Robertson

Cliff Robertson

Actor, also director, writer and producer · Died September 10, 2011, aged 88 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Clifford Parker Robertson III (September 9, 1923 – September 10, 2011) was an American actor whose career in film and television spanned half a century. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109, and won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Charly. On television, he portrayed retired astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the 1976 adaptation of Aldrin's autobiographic Return to Earth, played a fictional character based on Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms in the 1977 miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors, and portrayed Henry Ford in Ford: The Man and the Machine (1987). His last well-known film appearances were as Uncle Ben in the 2002–2007 Spider-Man film trilogy.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 9, 1923
Died
September 10, 2011 (aged 88)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also director, writer and producer
Titles
52 on MovieCove · 96 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 63 days to Oct 26Down 24% in 30 days

What are Cliff Robertson's films like?

Across their 45 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th 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
Self
27%
Morality
25%
Bonds
15%
Power
14%
Survival
11%
Society
5%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition7 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themePower5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 45 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 13 · Serious 16 · Dark 16

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

Grounded 31 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 23 · Intense 15

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 3

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

Straight-faced 33 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 17 · Engaged 24 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 12 · Affecting 24 · Heavy 9

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

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

35 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 16 of 35 analyzed roles.

Hero
16 of 35
Mentor
8 of 35
Shadow
7 of 35
Trickster
2 of 35
Threshold guardian
1 of 35
Ally
1 of 35
Show the 35 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
32
Melancholic
21
Contemplative
8
Warm
8
Dread
7
Other
44

How their films linger

Bittersweet21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous12
  • Cyclical1

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 Cliff Robertson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 32 of their 52 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Cliff Robertson'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

96 credits, 52 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse(2023)

    as Uncle Ben (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • A Night at the Movies: Hollywood Goes to Washington(2012)

    as Joe Cantwell

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • Spider-Man 3(2007)

    as Ben Parker

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Riding the Bullet(2004)

    as Farmer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man 2(2004)

    as Ben Parker

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • 13th Child(2002)

    Writer · as Mr. Shroud

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man(2002)

    as Ben Parker

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Falcon Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Buzz Thomas

  • Mach 2(2000)

    as Vice President Pike

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

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

    as Larry

  • Assignment Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Colonel Cliff Garret

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

    as Jack Durmann

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

    as Narrator

  • Escape from L.A.(1996)

    as President

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Dazzle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Mike Kilkullen

  • Dazzle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mike Kilkullen

  • Sonja Henie: Queen of the Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Narrator

  • The Sunset Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Ted Roth

  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Theodore Harris

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The American Revolution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 6 episodes · as George Washington

  • Renaissance Man(1994)

    as Colonel James

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Lincoln (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Noah Brooks (voice)

  • Wind(1992)

    as Morgan Weld

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken(1991)

    as Dr. W.F. Carver

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Dead Reckoning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Daniel Barnard

  • Ford: The Man and the Machine(1987)

    as Henry Ford

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Malone(1987)

    as Charles Delaney

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story(1986)

    as Mel Fisher

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Galapagos: My Fragile World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Narrator

  • Shaker Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Judd Pierson

  • The Key to Rebecca(1985)

    as Maj. William Vandam

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Star 80(1983)

    as Hugh Hefner

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Brainstorm(1983)

    as Alex Terson

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Class(1983)

    as Mr. Burroughs

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Narrator

  • Two of a Kind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Frank Minor

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 28 episodes · as Michael Ranson

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • The Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · as Mike Hagan

  • Dominique(1979)

    as David Ballard

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Little Prince (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Narrator / Pilot

  • Overboard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Mitch Garrison

  • Washington: Behind Closed Doors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 6 episodes · as William Martin

  • Fraternity Row (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Obsession(1976)

    as Michael Courtland

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Midway(1976)

    as Cmdr. Jessop

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

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

    as Rex

  • Return to Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Col. Edwin A. 'Buzz' Aldrin Jr.

  • Three Days of the Condor(1975)

    as J. Higgins

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • My Father's House(1975)

    as Tom Lindholm Jr.

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Out of Season(1975)

    as Joe Tanner

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Johnny Nolan

  • Man on a Swing(1974)

    as Lee Tucker

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Lincoln: Trial by Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Narrator(voice)

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Man Without a Country (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Philip Nolan

  • Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies(1973)

    as Ace Eli Walford

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Narrator

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Raoul Walsh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Narrator

  • The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid(1972)

    Producer · as Cole Younger

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • J W Coop(1971)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as J.W. Coop

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Too Late the Hero(1970)

    as Lt. Sam Lawson

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Sunshine Patriot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Christopher Ross / Arthur Selby

  • Charly(1968)

    as Charlie Gordon

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Brigade(1968)

    as Major Alan Crown

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Honey Pot(1967)

    as William McFly

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Batman(1966)

    Show 5 episodes · as Shame

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Up from the Beach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Sgt. Edward Baxter

  • Masquerade(1965)

    as David Frazer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Love Has Many Faces(1965)

    as Pete Jordon

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • 633 Squadron(1964)

    as Wing Commander Roy Grant

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Best Man(1964)

    as Joe Cantwell

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Sunday in New York(1963)

    as Adam Tyler

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as District Attorney Benjamin Reynolds

  • The Outer Limits(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Alan Maxwell

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • PT 109(1963)

    as Lt. John F, Kennedy

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • My Six Loves(1963)

    as Jim Larkin

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

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

    as Dr. John Paul Otis

  • The Big Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Josef Everard

  • All in a Night's Work(1961)

    as Warren Kingsley Jr.

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Charlie Gordon

  • Underworld U.S.A.(1961)

    as Tolly Devlin

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • As the Sea Rages (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Clements

  • Battle of the Coral Sea(1959)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Conway

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Christian Horn · as Jerry Etherson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Gidget(1959)

    as The Big Kahuna

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Days of Wine and Roses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Joe Clay

  • The Naked and the Dead(1958)

    as Robert Hearn

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

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

    as Danny Carson

  • The Girl Most Likely (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Pete

  • Playhouse 90 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Danny Carson · as Lieutenant

  • Autumn Leaves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Burt Hanson

  • Picnic(1955)

    as Alan Benson

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The United States Steel Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Corvette K-225(1943)

    as Lookout

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • We've Never Been Licked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Adams (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 95 titles from 1943 to 2023; peak year 1975.

Biggest box office

Spider-Man (2002)

$811M worldwide

Highest rated

Spider-Man (2002)

Midcredits 95th

Film career

19432023

Peak 1975 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 16 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
Acting95 of 95: 92 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thDirecting2 of 95: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting2 of 95: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 95: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

95 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1940s2 · acting1950s12 · acting1960s20 · acting1970s22 · 22 acting · 1 crew1980s14 · 14 acting · 1 crew1990s16 · acting2000s7 · 7 acting · 1 crew2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 30% of 33 roles
556065758500

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 Cliff Robertson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 47; across their 45 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Midcredits score across 52 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 52 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

A Night at the Movies: Hollywood Goes to Washington (2012)

84th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 42 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 44. 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 Cliff Robertson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles36–73 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles14–51 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles40–61 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles20–60 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most 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 Cliff Robertson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Cliff Robertson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Henry Fonda shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers