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Harold F. Kress

Editor, also director and producer · Died September 18, 1999, aged 86 · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Harold F. Kress (June 26, 1913 – September 18, 1999) was an American film editor with more than fifty feature film credits; he also directed several feature films in the early 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for How the West Was Won (1962) and again for The Towering Inferno (1974), and was nominated for four additional films; he is among the film editors most recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. He also worked publicly to increase the recognition of editing as a component of Hollywood filmmaking.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 26, 1913
Died
September 18, 1999 (aged 86)
From
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Editor, also director and producer
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 64 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 1% in 30 days

What are Harold F. Kress' films like?

Across their 51 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
Bonds
30%
Morality
21%
Self
17%
Power
11%
Society
10%
Survival
9%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love17 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth6 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 51 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 18 · Serious 14 · Dark 19

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

Grounded 19 · Stylized 24 · Heightened 8

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

Gentle 10 · Charged 31 · Intense 10

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

Steady 22 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 6

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 29 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 10

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 27 · Even-paced 23 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 31 · Engaged 19 · Full focus 1

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 20 · Affecting 16 · Heavy 15

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

Resolved 44 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Melancholic
23
Romantic
17
Joyful
9
Warm
10
Other
56

How their films linger

Bittersweet24 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy22
  • Bittersweet19
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous4

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 Harold F. Kress' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Harold F. Kress' 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

64 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Swarm(1978)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Viva Knievel!(1977)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Other Side of Midnight(1977)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Gator(1976)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Towering Inferno(1974)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • 99 and 44/100% Dead!(1974)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Iceman Cometh(1973)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Poseidon Adventure(1972)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Stand Up and Be Counted(1972)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Horsemen(1971)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • I Walk the Line(1970)

    Supervising Film Editor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Wrecking Crew(1968)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Star Spangled Salesman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Editor

  • The Ambushers(1967)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Luv(1967)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Alvarez Kelly(1966)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Greatest Story Ever Told(1965)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • It Happened at the World's Fair(1963)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • How the West Was Won(1962)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • King of Kings(1961)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Home from the Hill(1960)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The World, the Flesh and the Devil(1959)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Count Your Blessings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Editor

  • Merry Andrew(1958)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Imitation General(1958)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Until They Sail(1957)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Silk Stockings(1957)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Teahouse of the August Moon(1956)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Rack(1956)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • I'll Cry Tomorrow(1955)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Cobweb(1955)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

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

    Editor

  • Green Fire(1954)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Valley of the Kings(1954)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Rose Marie(1954)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Ride, Vaquero!(1953)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Apache War Smoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • No Questions Asked(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Painted Hills(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Miniver Story(1950)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • East Side, West Side(1949)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Great Sinner(1949)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Command Decision(1948)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • A Date with Judy(1948)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Yearling(1946)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Purity Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director

  • Watchtower Over Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director

  • Dragon Seed(1944)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Madame Curie(1943)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Cabin in the Sky(1943)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Random Harvest(1942)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Miniver(1942)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Unholy Partners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Editor

  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Rage in Heaven(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • H.M. Pulham, Esq.(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Comrade X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Editor

  • Bitter Sweet(1940)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Andy Hardy Meets Debutante(1940)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • New Moon(1940)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Remember? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Editor

  • These Glamour Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Editor

  • It's a Wonderful World(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Broadway Serenade(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 60 titles from 1939 to 1978.

Biggest box office

The Towering Inferno (1974)

$116M worldwide

Highest rated

Random Harvest (1942)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing5 of 60: 5 only directing, 0 with another roleProducing1 of 60: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleEditing54 of 60: 54 only editing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score64th

By decade

1930s4 · crew1940s19 · crew1950s18 · crew1960s9 · crew1970s10 · crew

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.

How do Harold F. Kress' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 51 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 51

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 51

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 51

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · editor

Stand Up and Be Counted (1972)

72nd percentile spread · 49% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

Random Harvest (1942)

Midcredits 96th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 50 reviewed titles; fans 51, detractors 29. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

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 Harold F. Kress' work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, 3 of the 5 categories sit near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles38–59 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles19–36 · median 24 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles5–45 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian 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 Harold F. Kress work with?

People who share at least 2 of Harold F. Kress' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Miklós Rózsa shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles