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Paul Winfield

Paul Winfield

Actor · Died March 7, 2004, aged 64 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Oscar nominee

Paul Edward Winfield (born May 22, 1939) was an American actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the television miniseries King, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award. Description above from the Wikipedia article  Paul Winfield, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 22, 1939
Died
March 7, 2004 (aged 64)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
64 on MovieCove · 110 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 38% in 30 days

What are Paul Winfield's films like?

Across their 38 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th 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
Bonds
23%
Morality
23%
Society
17%
Survival
14%
Self
11%
Ideas
8%
Power
4%
Family bonds14 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice4 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 9 · Serious 4 · Dark 20

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

Grounded 25 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 16 · Intense 11

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

Steady 14 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 14 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 9 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 12

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

Resolved 28 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

24 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 8 of 24 analyzed roles.

Mentor
8 of 24
Ally
5 of 24
Hero
4 of 24
Shadow
3 of 24
Herald
1 of 24
Trickster
1 of 24
Threshold guardian
1 of 24
Shapeshifter
1 of 24
Show the 24 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Melancholic
14
Hopeful
11
Warm
8
Dread
9
Other
29

How their films linger

Hopeful16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet19
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous6

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 Paul Winfield's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 64 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Winfield'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

110 credits, 64 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • A Life and Seth Situation: Commandments 5-6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Shadi(voice)

  • Stolen Jewels, Stolen Hearts: Commandments 7-8 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Shadi(voice)

  • Toying with the Truth: Commandments 9-10 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Shadi(voice)

  • The Rest is Yet to Come: Commandments 3-4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Shadi(voice)

  • The Not So Golden Calf: Commandments 1-2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Shadi(voice)

  • Sounder(2003)

    as The Teacher

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Second to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Detective Grady

  • Crossing Jordan(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Phillip Sanders

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Vegas, City of Dreams(2001)

    as Edgar Jones

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Knockout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Ron Regent

  • The Unfinished Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • March to Freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Narrator

  • Strange Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Thurgood Marshall

  • Catfish in Black Bean Sauce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Harold Williams

  • Batman Beyond(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sam Young (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Assignment Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Al Spector

  • Relax... It's Just Sex(1998)

    as Auntie Mahalia

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Built to Last (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 8 episodes · as Russell Watkins

  • Strategic Command(1997)

    as Rowan

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Mars Attacks!(1996)

    as General Casey

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Legend of Gator Face (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Bob

  • The Assassination File (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Senator Alan Laskey

  • Original Gangstas(1996)

    as Reverend Dorsey

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Horace

  • Dead of Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Vernon

  • White Dwarf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Dr. Akada

  • Tyson(1995)

    as Don King

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Father (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King(1995)

    as Papa Joe

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as The Old Man

  • In the Flesh(1995)

    as William Stone

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man: The Animated Series(1994)

    Show 3 episodes · as Omar Mosley / Black Marvel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Scarlett(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Sam

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Gargoyles(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jeffrey Robbins (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 12 episodes · as Sam

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Baseball(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as (voice) · as Various (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Magic School Bus(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · as Mr. Ruhle (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Killing Jar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Judge

  • Breathing Lessons(1994)

    as Daniel Otis

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Babylon 5(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Gen. Richard Franklin

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Dennis the Menace(1993)

    as Chief of Police

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Cliffhanger(1993)

    as Walter Wright

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Irresistible Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Commander Toole

  • Queen(1993)

    Show 3 episodes · as Cap'n Jack

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Picket Fences(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Judge Harold Nance

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Batman: The Animated Series(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Earl Cooper (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Wish That Changed Christmas(1991)

    as Mr. Smith (voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • 83 Hours 'Til Dawn(1990)

    as Doctor Dantley

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Back to Hannibal: The Return of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Jim Watson

  • Presumed Innocent(1990)

    as Judge Larren Lyttle

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lucius Sweet (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Family Matters(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Jimmy Baines

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • The Women of Brewster Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Sam Michael

  • The Women of Brewster Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sam Michael

  • The Serpent and the Rainbow(1988)

    as Lucien Celine

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Big Shots(1987)

    as Johnnie Red

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Dathon

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Charmings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 21 episodes · as The Mirror

  • Death Before Dishonor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Ambassador

  • The Mighty Pawns(1987)

    as Mr. Wright

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as George Hairston

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 3 episodes · as Derron Holloway

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Blue City(1986)

    as Chief Luther Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Under Siege (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Andrew Simon

  • 227(1985)

    Show 116 episodes · as Julian C. Barlow

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Terminator(1984)

    as Traxler

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Starkey

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Go Tell It on the Mountain(1985)

    as Gabriel Grimes

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Mike's Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Phillip

  • On the Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Harry

  • For Us, the Living: The Story of Medgar Evers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • The Blue and the Gray (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jonathan Henry

  • White Dog(1982)

    as Keys

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Sister, Sister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Eddie Craven

  • Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan(1982)

    as Captain Clark Terrell

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Dreams Don't Die(1982)

    as Charlie Banks

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Gabriel · as Sampson

  • The Fall Guy(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Bert Perkins

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • The Sophisticated Gents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 3 episodes · as Richard 'Bubbles' Wiggins

  • Carbon Copy(1981)

    as Bob Garvey

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Angel City(1980)

    as Cy

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Only the Ball Was White (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Narrator

  • Roots: The Next Generations(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Horace Huguley

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Backstairs at the White House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 4 episodes · as Emmett Rogers Sr.

  • King(1978)

    Show 3 episodes · as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich(1977)

    as Butler

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Damnation Alley(1977)

    as Keegan

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Greatest(1977)

    as Draft Lawyer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Twilight's Last Gleaming(1977)

    as Willis Powell

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Green Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Lloyd Dubeck

  • High Velocity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Watson

  • Hustle(1975)

    as Louis Belgrave

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Huckleberry Finn(1974)

    as Jim

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Conrack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Mad Billy

  • It's Good to Be Alive(1974)

    as Roy Campanella

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Gordon's War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Gordon Hudson

  • The Horror at 37,000 Feet(1973)

    as Dr. Enkalla

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Trouble Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Chalky Price

  • Sounder(1972)

    as Nathan Lee Morgan

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Nichols (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie Joe

  • Brother John(1971)

    as Henry Birkardt

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • R.P.M.(1970)

    as Steve Dempsey

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Lost Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Orville Turner

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Barada

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

    Show 86 episodes · as Paul Cameron

  • Who's Minding the Mint?(1967)

    as Garbage Man

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Perils of Pauline(1967)

    as African Servant

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Klaus

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as 1st M.P.

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Mitch

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 110 titles from 1957 to 2003; peak year 1983.

Biggest box office

Presumed Innocent (1990)

$221M worldwide

Highest rated

The Terminator (1984)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Touched by an Angel (1994)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19572003

Peak 1983 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting110 of 110: 110 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s7 · acting1970s20 · acting1980s32 · acting1990s40 · acting2000s10 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 21 roles
727787

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy from 4 major nominations, 1973–1995.

WinNomination
  1. 1995
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
  2. 1979
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
  3. 1978
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series
  4. 1973
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role

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 Paul Winfield's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 39; across their 33 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Reach · how many have seen their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Midcredits score across 64 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 64 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser26
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed19

Most divisive · actor

Vegas, City of Dreams (2001)

96th percentile spread · 63% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Terminator (1984)

Midcredits 98th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 45. 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.

Is Paul Winfield's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles30–87 · median 53 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles20–62 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles19–83 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles28–46 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles44–80 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Paul Winfield work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Winfield's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Cicely Tyson shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers