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Warren William

Warren William

Actor · Died September 24, 1948, aged 53 · Aitkin, Minnesota, USA

Warren William (born Warren William Krech; 2 December 1894 - 24 September 1948) was an American stage, screen, and radio actor, popular as a film leading man during the early 1930s, and later nicknamed the "King of Pre-Code". He is best remembered for portraying amoral businessmen, lawyers, and other heartless types.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 2, 1894
Died
September 24, 1948 (aged 53)
From
Aitkin, Minnesota, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 68 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 15% in 30 days

What are Warren William's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
35%
Bonds
27%
Power
13%
Self
10%
Society
6%
Ideas
5%
Survival
4%
Justice12 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 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 15 · Serious 12 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 8 · Charged 22 · Intense 1

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 5

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

A split, not a type: Casual 16 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

25 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 25 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 25
Shadow
6 of 25
Mentor
3 of 25
Shapeshifter
2 of 25
Trickster
2 of 25
Show the 25 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Romantic
9
Joyful
8
Thrilling
9
Melancholic
9
Other
23

How their films linger

Fun13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy18
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous1

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 Warren William's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Warren William'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

68 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood(2008)

    as Various Roles (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Private Affairs of Bel Ami(1947)

    as Laroche-Mathieu

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Police Capt. Burke

  • Strange Illusion(1945)

    as Brett Curtis

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Passport to Suez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Michael Lanyard / The Lone Wolf

  • One Dangerous Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Michael Lanyard / The Lone Wolf

  • Counter-Espionage(1942)

    as Michael Lanyard

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Wild Bill Hickok Rides(1942)

    as Harry Farrel

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Wolf Man(1941)

    as Dr. Lloyd

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Secrets of the Lone Wolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Michael Lanyard

  • Wild Geese Calling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Blackie Bedford

  • The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance(1941)

    as Michael Lanyard

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Arizona(1940)

    as Jefferson Carteret

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Trail of the Vigilantes(1940)

    as Mark Dawson

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Michael Lanyard

  • The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Michael Lanyard

  • Lillian Russell(1940)

    as Jesse Lewisohn

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Lone Wolf Strikes(1940)

    as Michael Lanyard

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Day-time Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Bernard Dexter

  • The Man in the Iron Mask(1939)

    as D'Artagnan

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Gracie Allen Murder Case(1939)

    as Philo Vance

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt(1939)

    as Michael Lanyard

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Wives Under Suspicion(1938)

    as Jim Stowell

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The First Hundred Years(1937)

    as Harry Borden

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Arsène Lupin Returns(1938)

    as Steve Emerson

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Firefly(1937)

    as Major de Rouchemont

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Madame X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Bernard Fleuriot

  • Midnight Madonna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Blackie Denbo

  • Outcast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dr. Wendell Phillips / Phil Jones

  • Go West Young Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Morgan

  • Stage Struck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Fred Harris

  • Satan Met a Lady(1936)

    as Ted Shane

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Case of the Velvet Claws (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Perry Mason

  • Times Square Playboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Victor 'Vic' Arnold

  • The Widow from Monte Carlo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Allan Chepstow

  • The Case of the Lucky Legs(1935)

    as Perry Mason

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Don't Bet on Blondes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Oscar 'Odds' Owen

  • The Case of the Curious Bride(1935)

    as Perry Mason

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Living on Velvet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Walter 'Gibraltar' Pritcham

  • The Secret Bride(1934)

    as Robert Sheldon

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Imitation of Life(1934)

    as Stephen 'Steve' Archer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Cleopatra(1934)

    as Julius Caesar

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Case of the Howling Dog(1934)

    as Perry Mason

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Dragon Murder Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Philo Vance

  • Dr. Monica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as John Braden

  • Smarty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Tony

  • Upperworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Alexander Stream

  • Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Actor

  • Bedside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Bob Brown

  • Lady for a Day(1933)

    as Dave the Dude

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Goodbye Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Kenneth L. 'Ken' Bixby

  • Gold Diggers of 1933(1933)

    as Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Mind Reader(1933)

    as Chandra

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Employees' Entrance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Kurt Anderson

  • Just Around the Corner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Mr. Sears

  • The Match King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Paul Kroll

  • Three on a Match(1932)

    as Robert Kirkwood

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Skyscraper Souls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as David Dwight

  • The Dark Horse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Hal Samson Blake

  • Beauty and the Boss(1932)

    as Baron Josef von Ullrich

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Mouthpiece (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Vincent 'Vince' Day

  • The Woman from Monte Carlo(1932)

    as Lieutenant d'Ortelles

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Under Eighteen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Raymond Harding

  • Expensive Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Neil Hartley

  • Honor of the Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Captain Boris Barony

  • How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 7: 'The Spoon' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Warren William - the Husband (uncredited)

  • Plunder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Mr. Jones

  • The Town That Forgot God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Eben

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 68 titles from 1922 to 2008.

Biggest box office

The Wolf Man (1941)

$1.7K worldwide

Highest rated

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

The Wolf Man (1941)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout

Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles.

  • 1932Screen debut· Three on a Match
  • 1933First top-billed film· Employees' Entrance
  • 1933Breakout· Gold Diggers of 1933

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting68 of 68: 68 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score66th

By decade

1920s2 · acting1930s48 · acting1940s17 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 27% of 11 roles

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Warren William's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th7

Shape of the crowd

None of their 31 titles divides audiences: 21 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most loved · actor

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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 Warren William work with?

People who share at least 2 of Warren William's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Allen Jenkins shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles