Bud Yorkin (born February 22, 1926) is an American film and television producer, director, writer and actor. He directed and produced the 1958 TV special An Evening With Fred Astaire, which won nine Emmy Awards. Yorkin was born Alan David Yorkin in Washington, Pennsylvania. He earned a degree in engineering from Carnegie Tech, now Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. In 1956, he became the producer and director of Tennessee Ernie Ford's NBC comedy/variety program, The Ford Show. In 1963, Yorkin joined Norman Lear to form Tandem Productions, which, at first, produced several films in the 1960s to 1971 with such major studios like United Artists and Warner Bros., and later produced many of the decade's hit sitcoms, such as All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, and Sanford and Son. In 1999, he and Lear were awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of excellence and innovation in creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. After his split with Lear, Yorkin went on to form Bud Yorkin Productions. His first sitcom after the split was the unsuccessful Sanford and Son spin-off sitcom Grady. In 1976, he formed TOY Productions with Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein (who produced Sanford and Son from 1974–1977), but their two hits were What's Happening!! and Carter Country. Yorkin's film directing credits include The Thief Who Came to Dinner , Divorce American Style and Inspector Clouseau (film) of the Pink Panther series. Yorkin is the father of television writer and producer Nicole Yorkin. He is married to actress Cynthia Sikes.
Read moreShow less
Biography from TMDB.
- February 22, 1926
- August 18, 2015 (aged 89)
- Washington, Pennsylvania, USA
- Director and producer, also actor
- 17 on MovieCove · 29 credits in all
What are Bud Yorkin's films like?
Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 3 · Wry 2 · Earnest 10
A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 3 · Dark 4
A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2
Gentle 6 · Charged 8 · Intense 1
Steady 10 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1
Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 4
A split, not a type: Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1
Casual 7 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1
Easy watch 9 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 2
Resolved 10 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1
Moods and endings
- Happy4
- Bittersweet8
- Ambiguous3
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 Bud Yorkin's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).
Subscription and free streaming for Bud Yorkin'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; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Blade Runner 2049(2017)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Intersection(1994)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
For the Boys(1991)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Love Hurts(1990)
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Arthur 2: On the Rocks(1988)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Twice in a Lifetime(1985)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Deal of the Century(1983)
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Blade Runner(1982)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
I Love Liberty(1982)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
One in a Million (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
13 Queens Blvd. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Sanford Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Carter Country (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
What's Happening!! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Grady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Maude(1972)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows
Sanford and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
Cold Turkey(1971)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Inspector Clouseau(1968)
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Divorce American Style(1967)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Never Too Late (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
Vacation Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)
Come Blow Your Horn(1963)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Another Evening with Fred Astaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
An Evening with Fred Astaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)
General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)
Career shape
A full career of 29 titles from 1953 to 2019.
Film career
- 1991Screen debut· For the Boys
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.
Awards
3 Primetime Emmys and 1 other major award from 8 major nominations, 1959–2003.
- Producers Guild Award, won
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding New Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Series - Comedy
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy
- Primetime Emmy, won · Best Direction of a Single Musical or Variety Program
- Primetime Emmy, won · Best Writing of a Single Musical or Variety Program
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 Bud Yorkin's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 16; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up3
- 50th to 74th7
- 25th to 49th2
- Below 25th5
Shape of the crowd
7 of their 17 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved2
- Divisive1
- Crowd Pleaser6
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the atmosphere 63/100 and the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
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 Bud Yorkin's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does Bud Yorkin work with?
People who share at least 2 of Bud Yorkin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Norman Lear shares the most, 5.
Directors
- Mark RydellShared titles: Intersection (1994), For the Boys (1991)See all 2 shared titles with Mark Rydell
Writers
- Norman LearShared titles: I Love Liberty (1982), Cold Turkey (1971), Start the Revolution Without Me (1970), Divorce American Style (1967), Come Blow Your Horn (1963)See all 5 shared titles with Norman Lear
- Hampton FancherShared titles: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Blade Runner (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Hampton Fancher
- Philip K. DickShared titles: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Blade Runner (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Philip K. Dick
- Marshall BrickmanShared titles: Intersection (1994), For the Boys (1991)See all 2 shared titles with Marshall Brickman
Actors
- Cynthia Sikes YorkinShared titles: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Love Hurts (1990), Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)See all 3 shared titles with Cynthia Sikes Yorkin
- Harrison FordShared titles: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Blade Runner (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Harrison Ford
- Paul BenedictShared titles: Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988), Cold Turkey (1971)See all 2 shared titles with Paul Benedict
- Graham JarvisShared titles: Deal of the Century (1983), Cold Turkey (1971)See all 2 shared titles with Graham Jarvis
Composers and editors
- John C. HorgerShared titles: Love Hurts (1990), The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973), Cold Turkey (1971)See all 3 shared titles with John C. Horger
- Dave GrusinShared titles: For the Boys (1991), Divorce American Style (1967)See all 2 shared titles with Dave Grusin
- Jere HugginsShared titles: For the Boys (1991), Deal of the Century (1983)See all 2 shared titles with Jere Huggins
- Burt BacharachShared titles: Love Hurts (1990), Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)See all 2 shared titles with Burt Bacharach
Producers
- Ridley ScottShared titles: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Blade Runner (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Ridley Scott
- David SalvenShared titles: Twice in a Lifetime (1985), Deal of the Century (1983)See all 2 shared titles with David Salven
- Edward StephensonShared titles: Cold Turkey (1971), Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)See all 2 shared titles with Edward Stephenson