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Peter Smokler

Peter Smokler

Cinematographer · Born December 12, 1946 (79) · Detroit, Michigan, USA

Peter Smokler is an American cinematographer. Born in Detroit, he's best known for his work on television shows such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-) and The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998). He's also known for being the director of photography on Rob Reiner's cult film This Is Spinal Tap (1982).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 12, 1946 (79)
From
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 44 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 35% in 30 days

What are Peter Smokler's films like?

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

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th 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
40%
Society
23%
Self
18%
Survival
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
3%
Morality
2%
Friendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 0 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 7 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 2

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 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 5

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
10
Warm
9
Absurd
5
Tense
2
Manic
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical2

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 Peter Smokler's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Peter Smokler'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

44 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page.

  • Broke(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • Game On! A Comedy Crossover Event(2020)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Mr. Iglesias(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Man of the House(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Disjointed(2017)

    Show 20 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Kevin Can Wait(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • Anger Management(2012)

    Show 10 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Blake Shelton's Not So Family Christmas(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • How to Be a Gentleman(2011)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

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

    Cinematographer

  • Parks and Recreation(2009)

    Show 6 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

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

    Cinematographer

  • Freddie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 22 episodes · Cinematographer

  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 90 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Office(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Jimi Plays Berkeley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Camera Operator

  • Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy(2003)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • George Lopez(2002)

    Show 120 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • The Last Real Cowboys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • Sports Night(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Problem Child 3: Junior in Love(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Bethie's Really Silly Clubhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Problem Child 2(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Camp Cucamonga(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Tour of Duty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • North Shore(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Scorned and Swindled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • This Is Spinal Tap(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hooker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • The Orson Welles Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • The Killing of America(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Spinal Tap: The Final Tour(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Alligator(1980)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Today Is For The Championship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Eat My Dust(1976)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Poor Pretty Eddie(1975)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Dirty O'Neil(1974)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Wrestler(1974)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Your Three Minutes Are Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Second Assistant Camera

  • An American Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 12 episodes · Camera Operator

  • Celebration at Big Sur(1971)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Punishment Park(1971)

    Additional Photography · Assistant Camera · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Chicago (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Camera Operator

Career shape

A full career of 38 titles from 1968 to 2020.

Biggest box office

Problem Child 2 (1991)

$33M worldwide

Highest rated

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Mr. Iglesias (2019)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography27 of 38: 27 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thOther crew11 of 38: 11 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score33rd

By decade

1960s1 · crew1970s8 · crew1980s9 · crew1990s5 · crew2000s10 · crew2010s4 · crew2020s1 · 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 Peter Smokler's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 29 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · cinematographer

Blake Shelton's Not So Family Christmas (2012)

88th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The Office (2005)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 49/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 58, detractors 35. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

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 Peter Smokler's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 28 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 63 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 28 · 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 Peter Smokler work with?

People who share at least 2 of Peter Smokler's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Victor Gonzalez shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles