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Harry J. Wild

Cinematographer · Died February 24, 1961, aged 59 · New York City, New York, USA

Harry J. Wild, A.S.C. (July 5, 1901 - February 24, 1961) was a film and television cinematographer. Wild worked at RKO Pictures studios from 1931 through the 1950s. In total Wild was involved in 91 major film projects and two extended television series. In 1931, he began his career and was hired as second cameraman and operator on nine projects, most notably Fred Niblo's Young Donovan'a Kid (1931). In 1936, Wild shot his first feature, Wallace Fox's sports drama The Big Game. Two years later he shared an Academy Award nomination for the Republic Pictures film Army Girl (1938). According to film critic Spencer Selby, Wild was a prolific film noir cinematographer, shooting 13 of them, including: Dmytryk's Murder, My Sweet (1944), Johnny Angel (1945), Nocturne (1946), the Jean Renoir-directed The Woman on the Beach (1947), They Won't Believe Me (1947), and others. He was also, in the early 1950s, Jane Russell's cinematographer; he worked on seven of her movies as an actress, three of which were released by other studios: His Kind of Woman (1951) and Son of Paleface (1952) for Paramount, and, his most widely seen movie, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) for Twentieth Century-Fox.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 5, 1901
Died
February 24, 1961 (aged 59)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 84 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 4% in 30 days

What are Harry J. Wild's films like?

Across their 33 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action 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
Morality
32%
Bonds
30%
Self
17%
Power
11%
Survival
4%
Society
3%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love14 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 33 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 7 · Dark 9

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 13 · Charged 16 · Intense 4

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

Steady 20 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 23 · 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 23 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 29 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Romantic
13
Melancholic
12
Joyful
8
Thrilling
8
Other
26

How their films linger

Fun17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy21
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic2

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 Harry J. Wild's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Harry J. Wild'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

84 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Law of the Plainsman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Black Saddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • The Conqueror(1956)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Top of the World(1955)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Underwater! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Cinematographer

  • She Couldn't Say No(1953)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The French Line(1953)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Gentlemen Prefer Blondes(1953)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Affair with a Stranger(1953)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Son of Paleface(1952)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Macao(1952)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Las Vegas Story(1952)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Two Tickets to Broadway(1951)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • His Kind of Woman(1951)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • My Forbidden Past(1951)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Gambling House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Cinematographer

  • Walk Softly, Stranger(1950)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Threat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Cinematographer

  • Strange Bargain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Cinematographer

  • Easy Living(1949)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Big Steal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Cinematographer

  • A Woman's Secret(1949)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Station West(1948)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Pitfall(1948)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Tycoon(1947)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • They Won't Believe Me(1947)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Woman on the Beach(1947)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Falcon's Adventure(1946)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Nocturne(1946)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Till the End of Time(1946)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Cornered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Cinematographer

  • Johnny Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Cinematographer

  • First Yank Into Tokyo(1945)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • West of the Pecos(1945)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Radio Stars on Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Cinematographer

  • Wanderer of the Wasteland(1945)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Nevada(1944)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Murder, My Sweet(1944)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Mademoiselle Fifi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Cinematographer

  • The Falcon Out West(1944)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Tarzan's Desert Mystery(1943)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Rookies in Burma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Cinematographer

  • So This Is Washington (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Cinematographer

  • Stage Door Canteen(1943)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Tarzan Triumphs(1943)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • It's All True (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Cinematographer

  • Come on Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Cinematographer

  • Land of the Open Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Cinematographer

  • Valley of the Sun(1942)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Dude Cowboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Cinematographer

  • The Bandit Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Cinematographer

  • Six-Gun Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Cinematographer

  • Cyclone on Horseback (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Cinematographer

  • The Saint In Palm Springs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Cinematographer

  • The Fargo Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Wagon Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Stage to Chino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Still Photographer

  • Millionaires in Prison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Bullet Code (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Legion of the Lawless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • The Marshal Of Mesa City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • The Wrong Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • The Fighting Gringo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Timber Stampede (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Racketeers of the Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Baby Daze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • The Rookie Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Trouble in Sundown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Arizona Legion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Lawless Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Cinematographer

  • Painted Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Cinematographer

  • Army Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Cinematographer

  • The Renegade Ranger(1938)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Many Unhappy Returns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Dumb's the Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Don't Tell the Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Racing Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Lady Behave!(1937)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Big Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Cinematographer

  • Chasing Yesterday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Camera Operator

  • Secrets of the French Police(1932)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Lost Squadron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Camera Operator

  • The General(1926)

    First Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 82 titles from 1926 to 1959.

Biggest box office

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

$31K worldwide

Highest rated

Murder, My Sweet (1944)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography77 of 82: 77 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thOther crew5 of 82: 5 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1920s1 · crew1930s20 · crew1940s43 · crew1950s18 · 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 Harry J. Wild's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 37; across their 33 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed11
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · cinematographer

The Conqueror (1956)

68th percentile spread · 66% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The Twilight Zone (1959)

Midcredits 97th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 60/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 68, detractors 48. 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 Harry J. Wild's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 18 · mildMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Harry J. Wild work with?

People who share at least 2 of Harry J. Wild's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Robert Mitchum shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers