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Norman Taurog

Norman Taurog

Director · Died April 7, 1981, aged 82 · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Norman Rae Taurog (February 23, 1899 - April 7, 1981) was an American film director and screenwriter. Between 1920 and 1968, Taurog directed over 140 films, and directed Elvis Presley in nine films, more movies than any other director. He won the 1931 Academy Award for Best Director for the film Skippy and held the record as the youngest director (32) to win for 86 years. He was later nominated for Best Director for the 1938 film, Boys Town. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Norman Taurog has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1600 Vine Street.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 23, 1899
Died
April 7, 1981 (aged 82)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Director
Titles
44 on MovieCove · 123 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 35% in 30 days

What are Norman Taurog's films like?

Across their 43 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy34 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Musical2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Musical 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
44%
Self
26%
Morality
11%
Society
8%
Power
7%
Ideas
2%
Survival
2%
Romantic love20 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 43 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 40 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 16 · Stylized 24 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 33 · Charged 10 · Intense 0

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

Steady 35 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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 2 · Some laughs 20 · Funny 21

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 23 · Even-paced 19 · 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 41 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 42 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
34
Romantic
18
Warm
15
Absurd
14
Hopeful
10
Other
21

How their films linger

Feel-good39 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun26 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy36
  • Bittersweet7

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 Norman Taurog's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 44 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Norman Taurog'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

123 credits, 44 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Live a Little, Love a Little(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Speedway(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Double Trouble(1967)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Spinout(1966)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine(1965)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Sergeant Dead Head(1965)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Tickle Me(1965)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Palm Springs Weekend(1963)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • It Happened at the World's Fair(1963)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Girls! Girls! Girls!(1962)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Blue Hawaii(1961)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • All Hands on Deck(1961)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • G.I. Blues(1960)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Visit to a Small Planet(1960)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Don't Give Up the Ship(1959)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Onionhead(1958)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown(1957)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Bundle of Joy(1956)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Pardners(1956)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Birds and the Bees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Director

  • You're Never Too Young(1955)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Living It Up(1954)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Caddy(1953)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Stars Are Singing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Jumping Jacks(1952)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Room for One More(1952)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Stooge(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Rich, Young and Pretty(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone(1950)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Toast of New Orleans(1950)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Please Believe Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • That Midnight Kiss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Director

  • Words and Music(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Big City(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Bride Goes Wild(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Beginning or the End(1947)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Hoodlum Saint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • Girl Crazy(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Presenting Lily Mars(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • A Yank at Eton(1942)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Are Husbands Necessary? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Design for Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • Men of Boys Town(1941)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Little Nellie Kelly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Director

  • Young Tom Edison(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Broadway Melody of 1940(1940)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Lucky Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • The Girl Downstairs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Boys Town(1938)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Mad About Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer(1938)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • You Can't Have Everything(1937)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Fifty Roads to Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Rhythm on the Range(1936)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Strike Me Pink (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • The Big Broadcast of 1936 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • College Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Hollywood Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Actor

  • Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • We're Not Dressing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • The Way to Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • A Bedtime Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • If I Had a Million(1932)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Phantom President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Hold 'Em Jail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director

  • Sooky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Huckleberry Finn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Newly Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Cab Waiting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Skippy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Finn and Hattie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • It Might Be Worse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Follow the Leader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Song Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Hot Curves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Sunny Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Plastered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Meet the Boy Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Troopers Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • In Holland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director

  • Lucky Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director

  • A Home Made Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Scenario Writer

  • Blazing Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Papa's Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Breezing Along (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • The Draw-Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Somebody's Fault (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Drama Deluxe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Howdy Duke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Movieland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Move Along (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director · Writer

  • Honest Injun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Who's My Wife? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Scenario Writer · Story

  • Creeps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Nobody's Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Careful Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director · Writer

  • Cheap Skates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Below Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Cloudhopper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Motor Mad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • What a Night! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Andy's Stump Speech (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Fast and Furious (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Flying Finance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Oh! What a Day! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Director

  • The Yankee Spirit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Director

  • Aladdin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director

  • A Pair of Kings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director · Writer

  • The Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director · Writer

  • The Sawmill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director · Writer

  • The Bell Hop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Story

  • The Fall Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Story

  • The Bakery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Writer

  • The Rent Collector (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Writer

  • The Hick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director

  • The Sportsman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Director · Story

  • The Suitor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director

  • The Stage Hand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director · Writer

  • School Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director · Writer

  • The Fly-Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Director · as Bit Part (uncredited)

Career shape

A full career of 123 titles from 1920 to 2003.

Biggest box office

Blue Hawaii (1961)

$5.3K worldwide

Highest rated

Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)

Midcredits 86th

Most popular right now

Blue Hawaii (1961)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 123: 2 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting119 of 123: 105 only directing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdWriting14 of 123: 1 only writing, 13 with another roleOther crew1 of 123: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

123 titles, 14 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 13 of them.

By decade

1920s41 · 1 acting · 41 crew1930s34 · 1 acting · 33 crew1940s15 · crew1950s17 · crew1960s14 · crew1970s1 · crew2000s1 · acting

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 Norman Taurog's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 44; across their 43 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Midcredits score across 44 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 44 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · director

Sergeant Dead Head (1965)

66th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)

Midcredits 86th · 76% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 58/100 and the pacing 48/100 in their films, across 43 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.

Who does Norman Taurog work with?

People who share at least 2 of Norman Taurog's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Elvis Presley shares the most, 9.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles