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Donovan Scott

Donovan Scott

Actor · Born September 29, 1946 (80) · Chico, California, USA

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Donovan Scott (born 29 September 1946) is an American character film actor best known for his role of cadet Leslie Barbara in the 1984 film Police Academy starring together with Steve Guttenberg. He also appeared in the music video for Olivia Newton-John's 1981 hit "Physical", and co-starred in Lucille Ball's 1986 ABC-TV series Life with Lucy. Description above from the Wikipedia article Donovan Scott, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 29, 1946 (80)
From
Chico, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 52 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 64 days to Oct 27Up 2% in 30 days

What are Donovan Scott's films like?

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

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 24th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
52%
Self
21%
Society
8%
Power
7%
Morality
7%
Ideas
3%
Survival
2%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 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 1 · Dark 0

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 13 · Charged 2 · Intense 0

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

Steady 14 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 4

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 14 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 8 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 8
Mentor
2 of 8
Herald
1 of 8
Threshold guardian
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
10
Joyful
8
Hopeful
6
Romantic
4
Absurd
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous2

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 Donovan Scott's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Donovan Scott'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

52 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page.

  • Sleigh Bells Ring(2016)

    as Mr. Winter

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Superstore(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Northpole: Open for Christmas(2015)

    as Santa

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Life in Pieces(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Death to Cupid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Santa Claus

  • Santa Switch(2013)

    as Santa

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Matchmaker Santa(2012)

    as Chris

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Baby Daddy(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa Claus

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • 3 Holiday Tails(2011)

    as Michael

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Backlight(2010)

    as old farmer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Three Gifts(2009)

    as Santa

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • A Very Sunny Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Santa Claus in Mall

  • The Middle(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • I Know Who Killed Me(2007)

    as Sheriff Leon Cardero

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Enigma with a Stigma(2006)

    as Rober Riley

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • My Name Is Earl(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Therapist

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa Larry

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa Claus in Mall

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Uh-Oh! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Captain Squid

  • Boston Legal(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Christopher Serra

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Fish Don't Blink(2002)

    as Leonard

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Blast from the Past(1999)

    as Ron

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Martial Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as George Calvin

  • The Children of Captain Grant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Screenplay · as Willie

  • You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa Claus

  • Babylon 5(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Jack

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Alaska Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 13 episodes · as Shorty

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Santa

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Crazies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as the robber with the frog

  • Back to the Future Part III(1990)

    as Deputy

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Meet the Hollowheads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Cop #2

  • Splash, Too(1988)

    as Freddie Bauer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Annie Oakley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Joe

  • Life with Lucy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 8 episodes · as Leonard Stoner

  • Psycho III(1986)

    as Kyle

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Best of Times(1986)

    as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Pecos Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Man in the Moon

  • Tall Tales & Legends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe · as Man in the Moon

  • Sheena(1984)

    as Fletcher ("Fletch")

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Thumbelina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Herman Toad

  • Police Academy(1984)

    as Leslie Barbara

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Goldilocks and the Three Bears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Cubby Bear

  • Faerie Tale Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Cubby Bear · as Guest Interviewee · as Hendrix / The French Chef · as Herman Toad

  • The Tale of the Frog Prince (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Hendrix / The French Chef

  • Savannah Smiles(1982)

    as Boots

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Guy getting powdered

  • Zorro: The Gay Blade(1981)

    as Paco

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Incredible Shrinking Woman(1981)

    as Neighbor

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Popeye(1980)

    as Castor Oyl

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Owner

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • 1941(1979)

    as Kid Sailor

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Presenting Susan Anton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 50 titles from 1979 to 2015; peak year 1985.

Biggest box office

Police Academy (1984)

$81M worldwide

Highest rated

Savannah Smiles (1982)

Midcredits 81st

Most popular right now

Police Academy (1984)

Film career

19792015

Peak 1985 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 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
Acting50 of 50: 49 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thDirecting1 of 50: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 50: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s3 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s9 · 9 acting · 1 crew2000s11 · acting2010s8 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
808595

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 Donovan Scott's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 35th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 33 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

I Know Who Killed Me (2007)

80th percentile spread · 62% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Midcredits 91st · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 33. 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 Donovan Scott'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 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

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

Who does Donovan Scott work with?

People who share at least 2 of Donovan Scott's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David S. Cass Sr. shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers