
Hobart Cavanaugh
Actor · Died April 27, 1950, aged 63 · Virginia City, Nevada, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hobart Cavanaugh (September 22, 1886 – April 26, 1950) was an American character actor in films and on stage. He was born in Virginia City, Nevada on September 22, 1886. Cavanaugh attended the University of California. He worked in vaudeville, teaming with Walter Catlett at some point. He appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including the original 1919 musical Irene and the long-running 1948 musical As the Girls Go. He made his film debut in San Francisco Nights (1928). Over the next few years he established himself as a supporting actor, and although many of his roles were small and received no film credit, he played more substantial roles in films such as I Cover the Waterfront (1933) and Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933). By the mid-1930s, he was appearing in more prestigious productions, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Captain Blood (1935), Wife vs. Secretary (1936) and A Letter to Three Wives (1949). He continued playing small, often comical roles until the end of his life, mostly as downtrodden or henpecked little men. His last performance was in Stella (1950); he knew he did not have long to live and collapsed twice on set, but was determined to see it through. By the end of his life, he had appeared in more than 180 films. He died following an operation at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. He was survived by his wife Florence and a daughter.
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Biography from TMDB.
- September 21, 1886
- April 27, 1950 (aged 63)
- Virginia City, Nevada, USA
- Actor
- 58 on MovieCove · 163 credits in all
What are Hobart Cavanaugh's films like?
Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
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 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 29
Light 24 · Serious 5 · Dark 2
A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 3
Gentle 13 · Charged 18 · Intense 0
Steady 18 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 10
Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 5
Casual 19 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 25 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 1
Resolved 27 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0
Roles they play
Usually the Trickster: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.
- Tricksteras One Punch McCoy in I Cover the Waterfront (1933)
- Shadowas Mr. Barton in Sing Me a Love Song (1936)
- Tricksteras Petty Louie in Night Key (1937)
- Shadowas Leo Stark in A Scream in the Dark (1943)
Moods and endings
- Happy24
- Bittersweet6
- Ambiguous1
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 Hobart Cavanaugh's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 58 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (8).
Subscription and free streaming for Hobart Cavanaugh'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
163 credits, 58 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Stella (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

A Letter to Three Wives(1949)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Up in Central Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Best Man Wins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

The Inside Story(1948)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
My Girl Tisa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Driftwood(1947)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Easy Come, Easy Go(1947)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)Doctor Jim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Little Iodine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Margie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Faithful in My Fashion(1946)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Black Angel(1946)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Night and Day(1946)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
The Hoodlum Saint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

The Spider Woman Strikes Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Cinderella Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

Don Juan Quilligan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

I'll Remember April (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

Roughly Speaking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

Guest in the House(1944)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Kismet(1944)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
San Diego I Love You(1944)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Louisiana Hayride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

The Immortal Blacksmith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

What a Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

Gildersleeve on Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

A Scream in the Dark(1943)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Sweet Rosie O'Grady(1943)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Dangerous Blondes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

The Kansan(1943)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
The Man from Down Under(1943)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Pilot #5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

Taxi, Mister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

The Human Comedy(1943)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Stand by for Action(1942)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Whistling in Dixie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Her Cardboard Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Jackass Mail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

The Magnificent Dope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Lady in a Jam(1942)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
My Favorite Spy(1942)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Land of the Open Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

The Remarkable Andrew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

A Tragedy at Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)
Railroadin' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Our Wife(1941)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Down in San Diego (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Thieves Fall Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Reaching for the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Horror Island(1941)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
I Wanted Wings(1941)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Santa Fe Trail(1940)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
The Great Plane Robbery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Charter Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)
Street of Memories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Hired Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Public Deb No. 1(1940)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Stage to Chino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Love, Honor and Oh-Baby! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

You Can't Fool Your Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

An Angel from Texas(1940)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Shooting High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

The Ghost Comes Home(1940)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Home Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Four Wives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

See Your Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

The Honeymoon's Over (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

A Child Is Born(1939)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Reno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

That's Right – You're Wrong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

The Covered Trailer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Chicken Wagon Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

I Stole a Million(1939)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Career (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

The House of Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Daughters Courageous(1939)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Naughty But Nice(1939)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Tell No Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Zenobia(1939)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
The Adventures of Jane Arden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Never Say Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

How to Sub-Let (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Idiot's Delight(1939)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Cowboy from Brooklyn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

That’s My Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
Carnival Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Reported Missing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Love in a Bungalow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Night Key(1937)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
The Great O'Malley(1937)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Girl Overboard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

The Mighty Treve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Mysterious Crossing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Sing Me a Love Song(1936)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Three Smart Girls(1936)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Love Letters of a Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Here Comes Carter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Cain and Mabel(1936)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Stage Struck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Love Begins at Twenty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Two Against the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

The Golden Arrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Colleen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Wife vs. Secretary(1936)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
The Lady Consents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

Captain Blood(1935)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Dr. Socrates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
I Live for Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

Page Miss Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

We're in the Money(1935)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Broadway Gondolier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

Don't Bet on Blondes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

While the Patient Slept(1935)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Wings in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

Bordertown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

I Am a Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

The St. Louis Kid(1934)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
The Firebird (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

I Sell Anything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Madame du Barry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

A Lost Lady(1934)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Kansas City Princess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Housewife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

The Key (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Now I'll Tell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

A Modern Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

A Very Honorable Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Merry Wives of Reno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Harold Teen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Wonder Bar(1934)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Jimmy the Gent(1934)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
I've Got Your Number (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Fashions of 1934(1934)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Mandalay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Dark Hazard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Hi, Nellie(1934)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Easy to Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Moulin Rouge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

Convention City(1933)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Havana Widows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

From Headquarters(1933)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Broadway Thru a Keyhole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

My Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

Too Much Harmony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Goodbye Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

The Devil's Mate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

No Marriage Ties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

Headline Shooter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

Mary Stevens, M.D.(1933)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
The Mayor of Hell(1933)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Private Detective 62(1933)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Gold Diggers of 1933(1933)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
I Cover the Waterfront(1933)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Picture Snatcher(1933)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
State Fair(1933)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Wall Street Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

The Poor Fish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

Sympathy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

San Francisco Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Career shape
Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 163 titles from 1928 to 1950.

Biggest box office
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)

Highest rated
Captain Blood (1935)

Most popular right now
A Letter to Three Wives (1949)
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 Hobart Cavanaugh's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 58; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up8
- 50th to 74th26
- 25th to 49th20
- Below 25th4
Shape of the crowd
31 of their 58 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved3
- Cult Classic2
- Crowd Pleaser31
- Broadly Agreed14
- Mixed8
Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 31 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 50. 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 Hobart Cavanaugh work with?
People who share at least 2 of Hobart Cavanaugh's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hal B. Wallis shares the most, 9.
Directors
- Ray EnrightShared titles: An Angel from Texas (1940), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), We're in the Money (1935), While the Patient Slept (1935), The St. Louis Kid (1934)See all 5 shared titles with Ray Enright

- William DieterleShared titles: Kismet (1944), The Great O'Malley (1937), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), From Headquarters (1933)See all 4 shared titles with William Dieterle

- Michael CurtizShared titles: Captain Blood (1935), Jimmy the Gent (1934), Private Detective 62 (1933)See all 3 shared titles with Michael Curtiz

- Lloyd BaconShared titles: Cain and Mabel (1936), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)See all 2 shared titles with Lloyd Bacon

Writers
- Roy ChanslorShared titles: Black Angel (1946), Hi, Nellie (1934)See all 2 shared titles with Roy Chanslor
- Wells RootShared titles: The Man from Down Under (1943), I Cover the Waterfront (1933)See all 2 shared titles with Wells Root
- Bertram MillhauserShared titles: An Angel from Texas (1940), Jimmy the Gent (1934)See all 2 shared titles with Bertram Millhauser

- Laird DoyleShared titles: Cain and Mabel (1936), Jimmy the Gent (1934)See all 2 shared titles with Laird Doyle
Actors
- Robert BarratShared titles: Captain Blood (1935), While the Patient Slept (1935), Hi, Nellie (1934), The St. Louis Kid (1934), From Headquarters (1933)See all 5 shared titles with Robert Barrat

- Hugh HerbertShared titles: Kismet (1944), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), We're in the Money (1935), From Headquarters (1933)See all 4 shared titles with Hugh Herbert

- Henry O'NeillShared titles: The Great O'Malley (1937), We're in the Money (1935), While the Patient Slept (1935), From Headquarters (1933)See all 4 shared titles with Henry O'Neill

- Allen JenkinsShared titles: Cain and Mabel (1936), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), Jimmy the Gent (1934), The St. Louis Kid (1934)See all 4 shared titles with Allen Jenkins

Composers and cinematographers
- Heinz RoemheldShared titles: The Great O'Malley (1937), Cain and Mabel (1936), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), Three Smart Girls (1936), We're in the Money (1935), A Lost Lady (1934)See all 6 shared titles with Heinz Roemheld

- Bernhard KaunShared titles: While the Patient Slept (1935), Hi, Nellie (1934), Jimmy the Gent (1934), The St. Louis Kid (1934), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933), Private Detective 62 (1933)See all 6 shared titles with Bernhard Kaun
- Arthur L. ToddShared titles: An Angel from Texas (1940), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), We're in the Money (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Arthur L. Todd
- Hal MohrShared titles: A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Captain Blood (1935), State Fair (1933)See all 3 shared titles with Hal Mohr

Producers
- Hal B. WallisShared titles: The Great O'Malley (1937), Cain and Mabel (1936), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Captain Blood (1935), Hi, Nellie (1934), Jimmy the Gent (1934), The St. Louis Kid (1934), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)See all 9 shared titles with Hal B. Wallis

- Jack L. WarnerShared titles: The Great O'Malley (1937), Cain and Mabel (1936), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Captain Blood (1935), Hi, Nellie (1934), Jimmy the Gent (1934), The St. Louis Kid (1934)See all 8 shared titles with Jack L. Warner

- Harry Joe BrownShared titles: The Great O'Malley (1937), Captain Blood (1935), While the Patient Slept (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Harry Joe Brown
- Samuel BischoffShared titles: Sing Me a Love Song (1936), The St. Louis Kid (1934), From Headquarters (1933)See all 3 shared titles with Samuel Bischoff
Mixed roles
- Robert LordShared titles: Jimmy the Gent (1934), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Lord




