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Thomas Francis Murphy

Thomas Francis Murphy

Actor · Born January 1, 1953 (73) · Dayton, Ohio, USA

Thomas Francis Murphy was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1953. Early on in his adult life he made his living in dairy barns and on factory floors. He has trained as a hard hat diver, an ambulance driver, worked as a social worker, and freelance theatre critic. In his thirties, while living in Little Rock, AR, Murphy decided to take an acting class. The class changed his direction in life and acting suddenly filled the void. He spent over 20 years on the East Coast with a paintbrush in one hand and a script in the other while pursuing a career in the theatre. He trained with Shakespeare& Co of Lenox, MA and spent years performing in off off Broadway houses in New York where his work in the plays of Sam Shepard garnered high praise in the New York Times and several other publications. Murphy moved to New Orleans in 2013 and has worked across from many of Hollywood's A-list actors including Woody Harrelson in True Detective, Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave, and Keanu Reeves in The Whole Truth. Murphy also had principle roles in the soon to be released, Free State Of Jones, with Mathew McConaughey and Same Kind of Different As Me, with Greg Kinnear and Renee Zellweger, and as a somewhat series regular on Salem. He has appeared on American Horror, and a host of other projects.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1953 (73)
From
Dayton, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
47 on MovieCove · 50 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 64 days to Oct 27Down 34% in 30 days

What are Thomas Francis Murphy's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th 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
Survival
35%
Self
19%
Bonds
18%
Morality
11%
Society
11%
Power
5%
Ideas
1%
Survival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 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 2 · Serious 4 · Dark 9

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 9 · Intense 6

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

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 3 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 0

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 8

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 7 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 4 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shadow
4 of 6
Ally
1 of 6
Herald
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Dread
10
Melancholic
7
Contemplative
4
Hopeful
4
Other
5

How their films linger

Unsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous8

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 Thomas Francis Murphy's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 38 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Thomas Francis Murphy'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

50 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page.

  • Manhunt(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Samuel Cox

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • History of Evil(2024)

    as Cain

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Visitor(2022)

    as Maxwell Braun

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Harrigan's Phone(2022)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • One Way(2022)

    as Patrick

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Walk(2022)

    as Mr. Kelley

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Reminiscence(2021)

    as Armin

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • News of the World(2020)

    as Mr. Farley

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Secrets We Keep(2020)

    as Dr. Nussbaum

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Cut Throat City(2020)

    as Manager Wyland

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Faith(2019)

    as Edgar

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Darlin'(2019)

    as The Cardinal

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Out of Blue(2018)

    as Slick

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Demonologist(2019)

    as Victor Manchester

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Domestics(2018)

    as Plowboy Jim

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Same Kind of Different as Me(2017)

    as Chef Jim

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Mindhunter(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Detective McGraw

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Jeepers Creepers III(2017)

    as Mr. Bernardi

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Abattoir(2016)

    as Owner #1

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Bull(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Donovan McCandless

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Race to Win(2016)

    as Darden

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Ozark Sharks(2015)

    as Jones

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Free State of Jones(2016)

    as Col. McLemore

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Follower(2016)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Whole Truth(2016)

    as Crime Tech

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • My Father Die(2016)

    as Preacher Michael

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Parallax Theory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Professor Douglas Baker

  • Zipper(2015)

    as Agent Strellitz

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Runner(2015)

    as Shrimper

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Sisters of the Plague (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Bob

  • Self/less(2015)

    as Dr. Jensen

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Mississippi Grind(2015)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Zoo(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Dalton

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Terminator Genisys(2015)

    as Derelict

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Focus(2015)

    as Hustler

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Demonic(2015)

    as Aberknacky

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Starve(2014)

    as Michael

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Wicked Blood(2014)

    as Bearded Man

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Barefoot(2014)

    as Mr. Bryant

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • 12 Years a Slave(2013)

    as Patroller

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Alligator Alley(2013)

    as Wade Robichaud

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Shark(2013)

    as Sheriff Martin

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Rectify(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Lionel

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • My Brother Jack(2013)

    as Arthur Wood

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Baytown Outlaws(2012)

    as Old Gas Station Clerk

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Red Clover(2012)

    as Dr. McCormick

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • American Horror Story(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr Haddonfield

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 7 episodes · as Brion

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Leatherheads(2008)

    as Cook

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Stay at Conder Beach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Jack

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles, 47 of them dated from 2008 to 2024; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

News of the World (2020)

$13M worldwide

Highest rated

News of the World (2020)

Midcredits 76th

Film career

20082024

Peak 2015 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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
Acting48 of 48: 48 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score36th

By decade

2000s1 · acting2010s37 · acting2020s9 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 29 roles
0818

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.

How do Thomas Francis Murphy's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 35th percentile, the median of all 40; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 32nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th18

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 47 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned3
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · actor

Faith (2019)

94th percentile spread · 57% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 57/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 38. 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 Thomas Francis Murphy's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 45 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 13 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 43 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 37 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 58 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

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

Who does Thomas Francis Murphy work with?

People who share at least 2 of Thomas Francis Murphy's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dane Rhodes shares the most, 2.

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers