
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. David Silverman (born March 15, 1957) is an American animator who has directed numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons, as well as The Simpsons Movie. Silverman was involved with the series from the very beginning, animating all of the original short Simpsons cartoons that aired on The Tracey Ullman Show. He went on to serve as director of animation for several years.
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Biography from TMDB.
- March 15, 1957 (69)
- New York City, New York, USA
- Director, actor and writer
- 22 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
What are David Silverman's films like?
Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 4 · Wry 2 · Earnest 10
Light 16 · Serious 0 · Dark 0
Grounded 2 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 6
Gentle 12 · Charged 4 · Intense 0
Steady 11 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 10
A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 4
Casual 16 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 15 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 0
Resolved 16 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy14
- Bittersweet2
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 Silverman's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (17).
- Monsters, Inc. (2001) · actor, director
- The Simpsons (1989) · actor, director, writer, producer
- Ice Age (2002) · writer
- The Simpsons Movie (2007) · director
- Werewolf by Night (2022) · actor
- The Longest Daycare (2012) · director
- Playdate with Destiny (2020) · director, writer
- Robots (2005) · additional storyboarding
- The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021) · director
- The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021) · director
- Rogue Not Quite One (2023) · director
- Welcome to the Club (2022) · director
- +5 more
Subscription and free streaming for David Silverman'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
35 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
May the 12th Be with You(2024)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Rogue Not Quite One(2023)
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Feliz Navidad(2022)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Werewolf by Night(2022)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Welcome to the Club(2022)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
When Billie Met Lisa(2022)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
The Simpsons: A Serious Flanders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
The Simpsons | Balenciaga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Extinct(2021)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Playdate with Destiny(2020)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
The Edge of Seventeen(2016)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Planet of the Couches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

The Longest Daycare(2012)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
House of Lies(2012)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
The Simpsons Movie(2007)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Robots(2005)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Ice Age(2002)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Monsters, Inc.(2001)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
The Critic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

Eek! The Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

The Simpsons(1989)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all showsPropagandance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

One Crazy Summer(1986)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Mariner Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

The Strange Case of Mr. Donnybrook's Boredom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Tom Waits for No One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Facttracker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
The Pink Panther (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 35 titles, 33 of them dated from 1979 to 2026.
Film career
- 2021Screen debut· Extinct
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
4 Primetime Emmys from 14 major nominations, 1990–2022.
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program
- Oscar, nominated · Best Short Film, Animated
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Animated Film
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)
Show 5 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
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 Silverman's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 20; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up7
- 50th to 74th5
- 25th to 49th3
- Below 25th7
Shape of the crowd
10 of their 22 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved3
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser8
- Mixed10
Reviewers score the atmosphere 56/100 and the pacing 45/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
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 Silverman's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does David Silverman work with?
People who share at least 2 of David Silverman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Al Jean shares the most, 12.
Writers
- Al JeanShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Longest Daycare (2012), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 12 shared titles with Al Jean

- Matt GroeningShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Longest Daycare (2012), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 12 shared titles with Matt Groening

- Joel H. CohenShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), Extinct (2021), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), The Longest Daycare (2012)See all 7 shared titles with Joel H. Cohen

- David MirkinShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), Feliz Navidad (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Longest Daycare (2012), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 5 shared titles with David Mirkin

Actors
- Nancy CartwrightShared titles: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 7 shared titles with Nancy Cartwright

- Chris EdgerlyShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), Playdate with Destiny (2020)See all 6 shared titles with Chris Edgerly

- Yeardley SmithShared titles: Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 6 shared titles with Yeardley Smith

- Dan CastellanetaShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), Feliz Navidad (2022), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 5 shared titles with Dan Castellaneta

Composers and editors
- Roger InjarusornShared titles: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Longest Daycare (2012)See all 9 shared titles with Roger Injarusorn
- Taylor AllenShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021)See all 2 shared titles with Taylor Allen

- Kara TalveShared titles: Welcome to the Club (2022), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021)See all 2 shared titles with Kara Talve

- Hans ZimmerShared titles: The Longest Daycare (2012), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Hans Zimmer

Producers
- Richard RaynisShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Longest Daycare (2012), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 12 shared titles with Richard Raynis
- Richard SakaiShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Longest Daycare (2012), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 12 shared titles with Richard Sakai

- Peter GaveShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Simpsons Movie (2007)See all 11 shared titles with Peter Gave
- Tom KleinShared titles: May the 12th Be with You (2024), The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2024), Rogue Not Quite One (2023), Feliz Navidad (2022), Welcome to the Club (2022), When Billie Met Lisa (2022), The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), The Simpsons in Plusaversary (2021), Playdate with Destiny (2020), The Longest Daycare (2012)See all 11 shared titles with Tom Klein
Mixed roles
- Andrew StantonShared titles: Animation Outlaws (2020), Monsters, Inc. (2001)See all 2 shared titles with Andrew Stanton

- Pete DocterShared titles: Animation Outlaws (2020), Monsters, Inc. (2001)See all 2 shared titles with Pete Docter
