Skip to content
MovieCove
Melville Shavelson

Melville Shavelson

Writer, director and producer, also actor · Died August 8, 2007, aged 90 · New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Melville Shavelson (April 1, 1917 – August 8, 2007) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. He was President of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAw) from 1969 to 1971, 1979 to 1981, and 1985 to 1987. He came to Hollywood in 1938 as one of comedian Bob Hope's joke writers, a job he held for the next five years. He is responsible for the screenplays of such Hope films as The Princess and the Pirate (1944), Where There's Life (1947), The Great Lover (1949), and Sorrowful Jones (1949), which also starred Lucille Ball. Shavelson was nominated twice for Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay -- first for 1955's The Seven Little Foys, starring Hope in a rare dramatic role, and then for 1958's Houseboat. He shared both nominations with Jack Rose. He also directed both films. Other films he wrote and directed include Beau James (1957), The Five Pennies (1959) for which he won a Screen Writers Guild Award, It Started in Naples (1960), On the Double (1961), The Pigeon That Took Rome (1962), A New Kind of Love (1963), Cast a Giant Shadow (1966), and Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), which starred Henry Fonda and again with Lucille Ball. The film, a comedy about a widow (Lucille Ball) and a widower (Henry Fonda) raising 18 children together. When Ms. Ball later asked Mr. Shavelson how he enjoyed directing her, The Associated Press reported, he replied, “Lucy, this is the first time I ever made a film with 19 children.” Ms. Ball was not amused. In addition to his film work, Shavelson created two Emmy award-winning television series and wrote for a dozen Academy Award shows. He also wrote,produced and co-directed the six-hour ABC screenplay to the 1979 television miniseries Ike about Dwight D. Eisenhower, based on the World War II exploits of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. He also wrote, miniseries Ike, The War Years. Shavelson's autobiography, published by BearManor Media in April 2007, is entitled How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Really Trying, P.S. - You Can't! Shavelson wrote several other books, including, with Mr. Hope, “Don’t Shoot, It’s Only Me: Bob Hope’s Comedy History of the United States” (Putnam, 1990), and How to Make a Jewish Movie (1971), a memoir of his experiences while producing and directing Cast a Giant Shadow, and the Hollywood-themed novel Lualda (1973). Shavelson was a noted instructor at USC's Master of Professional Writing Program from 1998-2006. He taught screenwriting, who often cracked to his students, "I'm a writer by choice, a producer by necessity and a director in self-defense." Shavelson's first wife, Lucille, died in 2000. He was married to his second wife, Ruth Florea, from 2001 until his death in 2007. He had two children, Lynne Joiner and Richard Shavelson. Description above from the Wikipedia article Melville Shavelson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 1, 1917
Died
August 8, 2007 (aged 90)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Writer, director and producer, also actor
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 43 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 24% in 30 days

What are Melville Shavelson's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
43%
Self
19%
Morality
18%
Society
13%
Survival
4%
Power
3%
Family bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeParenthood2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 21 · Serious 5 · Dark 1

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 18 · Charged 8 · Intense 1

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 8 · 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 4 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 14

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

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 13 · 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 25 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
14
Warm
13
Romantic
11
Absurd
7
Hopeful
6
Other
16

How their films linger

Feel-good20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy19
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • Cyclical1
  • Other1

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 Melville Shavelson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melville Shavelson'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

43 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Yours, Mine & Ours(2005)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Deceptions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Writer

  • Deceptions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Other Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Ike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Ike: The War Years(1979)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

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

    Director

  • The Great Houdinis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Writer

  • The Legend of Valentino(1975)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mixed Company(1974)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Here Comes the Judge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The War Between Men and Women(1972)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Shirley's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show Creator

  • My World and Welcome to It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Creator

  • Yours, Mine and Ours(1968)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Accidental Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show Creator

  • Cast a Giant Shadow(1966)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • A New Kind of Love(1963)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Pigeon That Took Rome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • On the Double(1961)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • It Started in Naples(1960)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Five Pennies(1959)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Houseboat(1958)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Beau James (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director · Writer

  • The Seven Little Foys(1955)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Living It Up(1954)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Danny Thomas Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show Creator

  • Trouble Along the Way(1953)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • April in Paris(1952)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Room for One More(1952)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Double Dynamite(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • I'll See You in My Dreams(1951)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • On Moonlight Bay(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Screenplay · Story

  • Always Leave Them Laughing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Screenplay

  • The Great Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Writer

  • It's a Great Feeling(1949)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Sorrowful Jones(1949)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Where There's Life(1947)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Kid from Brooklyn(1946)

    Adaptation

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Victory Caravan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Writer

  • Wonder Man(1945)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Princess and the Pirate(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 42 titles from 1944 to 1985.

Biggest box office

Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)

$73M worldwide

Highest rated

Room for One More (1952)

Midcredits 85th

Most popular right now

Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing22 of 42: 3 only directing, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thWriting35 of 42: 16 only writing, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thProducing7 of 42: 0 only producing, 7 with another roleOther crew5 of 42: 3 only other crew, 2 with another role

42 titles, 20 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 18 of them.

By decade

1940s9 · crew1950s13 · crew1960s8 · crew1970s9 · crew1980s3 · 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 Melville Shavelson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 26; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · director, writer, producer

Mixed Company (1974)

56th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Room for One More (1952)

Midcredits 85th · 76% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 57/100 and the plot and story 43/100 in their films, across 26 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.

Who does Melville Shavelson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melville Shavelson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jack Rose shares the most, 13.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles