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Phil Austin

Phil Austin

Actor · Born April 6, 1941 (85) · Denver, Colorado, United States

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Phil Austin (often credited as Philip; born April 6, 1941) is a comedian and writer. He was born in Denver, Colorado and later grew up in Fresno, California, attending Fresno High School. He attended Bowdoin College and UCLA, joining the staff of KPFK radio in Los Angeles in the late 1960s. Austin is best known for his work as part of The Firesign Theatre (of which he is the only constant member), where he plays the group's best-known creation, Nick Danger. Other prominent roles are as Harry (Happy) Cox, the narrator of Everything You Know Is Wrong and Bebop Loco/Lobo on Give Me Immortality or Give Me Death. He is also serves as the troupe's musician and record producer. His collection of short stories, Tales of the Old Detective and Other Big Fat Lies, is published by Audio Editions. Two of his stories appear in the third volume of Mirth of a Nation. Austin also wrote a solo work, Roller Maidens From Outer Space, and directed (and acted in) Eat Or Be Eaten. Description above from the Wikipedia article Phil Austin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 6, 1941 (85)
From
Denver, Colorado, United States
Works as
Actor
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 29 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 28% in 30 days

What are Phil Austin's films like?

Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
27%
Survival
27%
Morality
15%
Bonds
14%
Power
10%
Society
7%
Survival2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 2

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

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 2 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
3
Dread
2
Absurd
1
Warm
1
Hopeful
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Unsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

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 Phil Austin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Phil Austin'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

29 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page.

  • Dope Queens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Edward

  • Dirty John(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Andy

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • For the People(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Governor Bill Shales

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Atomica(2017)

    as Rhine

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Meet the Blacks(2016)

    as Jim Smith

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Zipper(2015)

    as Mayor Jonas Stiegel

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Barefoot(2014)

    as Businessman

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Snapdragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Phil

  • Ravenswood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles Matheson

  • Paradise(2013)

    as Pastor Rick

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Murder in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Matthew

  • The Host(2013)

    as Seeker Waverley

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Olympus Has Fallen(2013)

    as Vice President Charlie Rodriguez

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Vampire Riderz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Jack

  • So Undercover(2012)

    as Dr. Milton

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Newsroom(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Howard Worth

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Common Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Barry

  • Scandal(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel Ted Jessup

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Speed Demons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jack Mylo

  • Video Girl(2011)

    as Counselor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Chain Letter(2010)

    as Jeff Campbell

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Broken Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Officer Dixon

  • The Final Destination(2009)

    as MILF's Husband

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Blood Loss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Wes Reid

  • The Aviators(2008)

    as Soldiers

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Curse of Alcatraz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Dr. Stanovitch

  • The Pursuit of Happyness(2006)

    as Stock Broker (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Voyeur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Our Man

  • Barbra Streisand: The Concert - Live at the MGM Grand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Third Doctor

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 28 titles from 2004 to 2025; peak year 2013.

Biggest box office

Chain Letter (2010)

$855K worldwide

Highest rated

Paradise (2013)

Midcredits 15th

Most popular right now

Chain Letter (2010)

Film career

20042025

Peak 2013 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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
Acting28 of 28: 28 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score44th

By decade

2000s7 · acting2010s20 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 10 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 Phil Austin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 13; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 15th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

15thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

12thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 17 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

The Aviators (2008)

84th percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 57/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 40. 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 Phil Austin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Phil Austin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jaime Burke shares the most, 2.

Producers

Mixed roles