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David Schwartz

Composer · Born April 14, 1952 (74) · USA

Primetime Emmy winner · 1 other major award body

David Schwartz was born on 14 April 1952 in the USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Arrested Development (2003), Northern Exposure (1990) and Trading Places (1983).

Biography from IMDb.

Born
April 14, 1952 (74)
From
USA
Works as
Composer
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 30 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What are David Schwartz's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Drama 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
39%
Self
22%
Morality
13%
Power
12%
Ideas
5%
Survival
4%
Society
3%
Friendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 6 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 6 · 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 4 · Relentless 1

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 5 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
11
Hopeful
5
Absurd
5
Tense
3
Melancholic
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet8
  • 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 David Schwartz's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Schwartz'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

30 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page.

  • A Man on the Inside(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Lucy and Desi(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Standing Up, Falling Down(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Better Late Than Never (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer

  • Sit Down, Shut Up(2009)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Gonzo(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Carpoolers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 13 episodes · Composer

  • Reaper(2007)

    Show 31 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Write & Wrong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Composer

  • The Thick of It(2007)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Deadwood(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Arrested Development(2003)

    Show 84 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • You Stupid Man(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Ellen Show(2001)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • The Oblongs(2001)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Two of Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Composer

  • My Little Assassin(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Cold Feet(1999)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Magic in the Water(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Dead Man's Revenge(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Northern Exposure(1990)

    Show 110 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Beverly Hills, 90210(1990)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • The Driver(1978)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Jaws(1975)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Godfather Part II(1974)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Chinatown(1974)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Outfit(1973)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Godfather(1972)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Happiness Isn't Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

Career shape

A full career of 23 titles, 22 of them dated from 1972 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Magic in the Water (1995)

$2.7M worldwide

Highest rated

Lucy and Desi (2022)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Music17 of 23: 17 only music, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdOther crew6 of 23: 6 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score98th

By decade

1970s6 · crew1990s4 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s1 · crew2020s2 · 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.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy from 5 major nominations, 1993–2022.

WinNomination
  1. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
  2. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
  3. 2004
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
  4. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
  5. 1993
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television

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 David Schwartz's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 25 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · composer

Cold Feet (1999)

92nd percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

The Thick of It (2007)

Midcredits 99th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 65/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 David Schwartz's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 59 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 39

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

Who does David Schwartz work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Schwartz's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mitchell Hurwitz shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles