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Philip Yordan

Philip Yordan

Writer and producer · Died March 24, 2003, aged 88 · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Philip Yordan (April 1, 1914 – March 24, 2003) was an American screenwriter, film producer, novelist and playwright. He was a three-time Academy Award nominee, winning Best Story for Broken Lance (1954). From Wikipedia.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 1, 1914
Died
March 24, 2003 (aged 88)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Writer and producer
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 70 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 37 days to Oct 26Up 5% in 30 days

What are Philip Yordan's films like?

Across their 54 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Horror 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
17%
Survival
17%
Power
12%
Society
10%
Self
9%
Ideas
3%
Survival12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice12 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 54 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 16 · Dark 31

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 23 · Heightened 10

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 25 · Intense 25

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

Steady 15 · Shifting 35 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 46 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 32 · 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 15 · Engaged 36 · Full focus 3

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

Easy watch 13 · Affecting 23 · Heavy 18

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

Resolved 45 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
49
Melancholic
29
Dread
18
Hopeful
8
Absurd
5
Other
36

How their films linger

Bittersweet29 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet32
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous7

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 Philip Yordan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (26).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Philip Yordan'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

70 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page.

  • Dead Girls Don't Tango (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Writer

  • Marilyn Alive and Behind Bars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Writer

  • Bloody Wednesday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • The Unholy(1988)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Cry Wilderness(1987)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Night Train to Terror(1985)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Death Wish Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Screenplay · as Dirty Old Moviegoer

  • Savage Journey(1983)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Cataclysm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Writer

  • Brigham (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Writer

  • Horror Express(1972)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Captain Apache(1971)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Bad Man's River(1971)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Royal Hunt of the Sun(1969)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Krakatoa: East of Java(1968)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Custer of the West(1967)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Battle of the Bulge(1965)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Crack in the World(1965)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Circus World(1964)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Fall of the Roman Empire(1964)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Thin Red Line(1964)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • 55 Days at Peking(1963)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Day of the Triffids(1963)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • El Cid(1961)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • King of Kings(1961)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Studs Lonigan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • The Bramble Bush (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Writer

  • Day of the Outlaw(1959)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Anna Lucasta(1958)

    Screenplay · Theatre Play

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • God's Little Acre(1958)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Fiend Who Walked the West(1958)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Bravados(1958)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Island Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Writer

  • No Down Payment(1957)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Street of Sinners(1957)

    Executive Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Gun Glory(1957)

    Novel

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Men in War(1957)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Four Boys and a Gun(1957)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Wild Party(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Harder They Fall(1956)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Last Frontier(1955)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Joe Macbeth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Writer

  • The Man from Laramie(1955)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Conquest of Space(1955)

    Adaptation

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Big Combo(1955)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Broken Lance(1954)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Guitar(1954)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Jungle(1954)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Man Crazy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Screenplay

  • Blowing Wild(1953)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Houdini(1953)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Mara Maru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Story

  • Mutiny(1952)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Detective Story(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Drums in the Deep South(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Edge of Doom(1950)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Panic in the Streets(1950)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • No Way Out(1950)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Reign of Terror(1949)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Anna Lucasta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Producer · Screenplay · Theatre Play

  • House of Strangers(1949)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Bad Men of Tombstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Screenplay

  • The Chase(1946)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

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

    Screenplay

  • Whistle Stop(1946)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Dillinger(1945)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • When Strangers Marry(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Unknown Guest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Writer

  • Syncopation(1942)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 67 titles from 1942 to 1992.

Biggest box office

The Unholy (1988)

$6.3M worldwide

Highest rated

Johnny Guitar (1954)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

The Harder They Fall (1956)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 67: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleWriting62 of 67: 52 only writing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thProducing14 of 67: 5 only producing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score37th

67 titles, 10 with more than one role — writing and producing overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1940s12 · crew1950s30 · crew1960s13 · crew1970s3 · crew1980s7 · 1 acting · 7 crew1990s2 · 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 Philip Yordan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 54 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

30 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned2
  • Crowd Pleaser30
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · writer

Night Train to Terror (1985)

69th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Johnny Guitar (1954)

Midcredits 94th · 80% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 49/100 and the plot and story 47/100 in their films, across 54 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Philip Yordan's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles41–59 · median 53 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles7–34 · median 17 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles0–41 · median 10 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 33

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 Philip Yordan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Philip Yordan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dimitri Tiomkin shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles