Skip to content
MovieCove
William Castle

William Castle

Director, producer and actor, also writer · Died June 1, 1977, aged 63 · New York City, New York, USA

William Castle  (April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Castle was known for directing films with many gimmicks which were ambitiously promoted, despite being reasonably low budget B-movies. Castle began directing films in the early 1940s, and later television, before moving on to the "gimmick films". Description above from the Wikipedia article William Castle, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 25, 1914
Died
June 1, 1977 (aged 63)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Director, producer and actor, also writer
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 74 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 26Down 23% in 30 days

What are William Castle's films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Adventure 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
28%
Survival
18%
Self
15%
Power
15%
Bonds
12%
Society
6%
Ideas
5%
Survival10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception10 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 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 15 · Serious 11 · Dark 9

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 21 · Intense 9

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

A split, not a type: Steady 18 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 1

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 16 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
27
Dread
10
Thrilling
9
Melancholic
9
Warm
7
Other
22

How their films linger

Fun17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet11
  • 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 William Castle's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William Castle'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

74 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Elvira's 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special, Special(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Bug(1975)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Day of the Locust(1975)

    as Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Shampoo(1975)

    as Sid Roth

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Shanks(1974)

    Director · Executive Producer · as Grocer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Sex Symbol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Jack P. Harper

  • Ghost Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 22 episodes · Creator · Producer · as J.B. Filmore

  • Riot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Producer

  • Rosemary's Baby(1968)

    Producer · as Phone Booth Man (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Project X(1968)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Spirit Is Willing(1967)

    Director · Producer · as Mr. Hymer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Busy Body(1967)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Let's Kill Uncle(1966)

    Director · Producer · as Russell Harrison (in car wreck) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • I Saw What You Did(1965)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Night Walker(1964)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Strait-Jacket(1964)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Old Dark House(1963)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • 13 Frightened Girls(1963)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Zotz! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Producer · as William Castle (uncredited)

  • Mr. Sardonicus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director · Producer · as Self (uncredited)

  • Homicidal(1961)

    Director · Producer · as Self, Prologue Host (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • 13 Ghosts(1960)

    Director · Producer · as William Castle (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Tingler(1959)

    Director · Producer · as Prologue Host (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • House on Haunted Hill(1959)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Man with a Camera(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Macabre(1958)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Meet McGraw (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 42 episodes · Producer

  • Uranium Boom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Director

  • The Houston Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Director

  • The Man Called X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Duel on the Mississippi(1955)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Gun That Won the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • Science Fiction Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • New Orleans Uncensored (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • The Americano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director

  • Masterson of Kansas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • The Law vs. Billy the Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Battle of Rogue River(1954)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Saracen Blade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Drums of Tahiti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Jesse James vs. the Daltons(1954)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Iron Glove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Charge of the Lancers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Slaves of Babylon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Conquest of Cochise(1953)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Serpent of the Nile(1953)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Fort Ti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Cave of Outlaws(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Director · as Himself (uncredited)

  • The Fat Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Director

  • It's a Small World(1950)

    Director · Writer · as Cop (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Undertow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Director

  • Johnny Stool Pigeon(1949)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Gentleman from Nowhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Director

  • Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Lady from Shanghai(1947)

    Associate Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Crime Doctor's Gamble(1947)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Crime Doctor's Man Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • The Return of Rusty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • Mysterious Intruder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • Just Before Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • Voice of the Whistler(1945)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Crime Doctor's Warning(1945)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Dillinger(1945)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Mark of the Whistler(1944)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • When Strangers Marry(1944)

    Director · as Man in Photograph Given to Police (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • She's a Soldier Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Director

  • The Whistler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Director

  • Klondike Kate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • The Chance of a Lifetime(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Black Marketing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Director

  • North to the Klondike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Story

  • He Stayed for Breakfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Policeman

  • The Lady in Question(1940)

    as Angry Juror #1 (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 74 titles from 1940 to 2021.

Biggest box office

Bug (1975)

$3.6M worldwide

Highest rated

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

  • 1940Screen debut· The Lady in Question

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting15 of 74: 5 only acting, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thDirecting61 of 74: 41 only directing, 20 with another role · typical Midcredits score36thWriting5 of 74: 2 only writing, 3 with another roleProducing23 of 74: 3 only producing, 20 with another role · typical Midcredits score39thOther crew1 of 74: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

74 titles, 23 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 17 of them.

By decade

1940s23 · 3 acting · 21 crew1950s29 · 2 acting · 29 crew1960s15 · 5 acting · 15 crew1970s6 · 5 acting · 3 crew2020s1 · crew

Billing

usually 17th · top billed in 0% of 6 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 William Castle's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 41st percentile, the median of all 37; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · director

Elvira's 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special, Special (2021)

63rd percentile spread · 10% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, producer

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 62/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 35 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 William Castle's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films and sex & nudity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles28–55 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles4–50 · median 11 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 5 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles15–55 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles34–71 · median 55 · 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 William Castle work with?

People who share at least 2 of William Castle's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Edwin H. Bryant shares the most, 12.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers