Skip to content
MovieCove
Donald Moffat

Donald Moffat

Actor · Died December 20, 2018, aged 87 · Plymouth, Devon, England, UK

Donald Moffat (26 December 1930 – 20 December 2018) was an English actor with decades long career in film and stage in the United States. He began his acting career on and off Broadway which included appearances in The Wild Duck and Right You Are If You Think You Are, earning a Tony Award nomination for both, as well as Painting Churches for which he received an Obie Award. Moffat also appeared in several feature films including The Thing and The Right Stuff, along with his guest appearances in the television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and The West Wing.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 26, 1930
Died
December 20, 2018 (aged 87)
From
Plymouth, Devon, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
72 on MovieCove · 111 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 9% in 30 days

What are Donald Moffat's films like?

Across their 48 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama25 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Morality
25%
Bonds
25%
Self
17%
Survival
13%
Society
9%
Power
8%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 47 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 16 · Serious 14 · Dark 17

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

Grounded 35 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 10 · Charged 27 · Intense 10

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

Steady 31 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 5

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 25 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 0

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

A split, not a type: Casual 26 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 5

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 14 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 18

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

Resolved 35 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 4 of 12 analyzed roles.

Mentor
4 of 12
Threshold guardian
3 of 12
Trickster
2 of 12
Ally
1 of 12
Shadow
1 of 12
Herald
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Melancholic
21
Warm
16
Contemplative
10
Hopeful
10
Other
39

How their films linger

Bittersweet20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet23
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous7

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 Donald Moffat's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 72 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Donald Moffat'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

111 credits, 72 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin(2017)

    as Edgar Halcyon

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Trial by Jury(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Matthew Sherwood

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • 61*(2001)

    as Ford Frick

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Bull (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 22 episodes · as Robert 'The Kaiser' Roberts

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Talmidge Cregg

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Cookie's Fortune(1999)

    as Jack Palmer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Sleep Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Joe Rauh

  • A Smile Like Yours(1997)

    as Dr. Felber

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Evening Star(1996)

    as Hector Scott

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Trapped in Paradise(1994)

    as Clifford Anderson

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Is There Life Out There?(1994)

    as Grandpa Walter

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Clear and Present Danger(1994)

    as President Bennett

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Love, Cheat & Steal(1993)

    as Frank Harrington

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Tales of the City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 5 episodes · as Edgar Halcyon

  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Walt Whitman

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Majority Rule (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Walter Simms

  • Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story(1992)

    as O'Connell

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Housesitter(1992)

    as George Davis

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Babe Ruth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Jacob Ruppert

  • Regarding Henry(1991)

    as Charlie Cameron

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Great Pretender (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Owen Milner

  • Class Action(1991)

    as Quinn

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Bonfire of the Vanities(1990)

    as Mr. McCoy

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Kaleidoscope(1990)

    as Arthur Patterson

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • A Son's Promise(1990)

    as Paw Paw

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Kojak: Flowers for Matty(1990)

    as Garrett Fitzsimons

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Music Box(1989)

    as Harry Talbot

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Cross of Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as George Oberholtzer

  • Far North(1988)

    as Uncle Dane

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Identity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as David Abbott

  • China Beach(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Unbearable Lightness of Being(1988)

    as Chief Surgeon

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Necessary Parties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Grampa Mills

  • When the Time Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Harold

  • Desperado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Malloy, Nora's Dad

  • License to Kill(1984)

    as Howard Webster

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Houston: The Legend of Texas(1986)

    as Col. John Allen

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Lawrence O'Neil

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Lily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as John Farnsworth

  • Monster in the Closet(1986)

    as General Franklin Turnbull

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Best of Times(1986)

    as Herbert ("The Colonel")

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Twilight Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as (segment "The Star")

  • Alamo Bay(1985)

    as Wally

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Tim Carver

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Through Naked Eyes(1983)

    as Patrolman

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Right Stuff(1983)

    as Lyndon B. Johnson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Who Will Love My Children?(1983)

    as Dick Thomas

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Thing(1982)

    as Garry

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion(1982)

    as Captain Vesey

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Edgar Halcyon · as Gardner Church

  • The White Lions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Vreeland

  • Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy(1981)

    as Hugh Auchincloss

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • My Champion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Dr. Myron Shapiro

  • Popeye(1980)

    as The Taxman

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • HealtH (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Colonel Cody

  • The Long Days of Summer(1980)

    as Josef Kaplan

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • On the Nickel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Sam

  • Promises in the Dark(1979)

    as Dr. Walter McInerny

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. R's Daughter(1979)

    as Frank Randell

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Ebony, Ivory and Jade(1979)

    as Ian Cabot

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter(1979)

    as Wally Ball

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Gift of Love(1978)

    as William Schuyler

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 4 episodes · as Henri Aubert

  • Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force(1978)

    as Col. Benton

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tartuffe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Tartuffe

  • Dallas(1978)

    Show 3 episodes · as Brooks Oliver

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Mary White(1977)

    as Sir James Barrie

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Logan's Run(1977)

    Show 14 episodes · as Rem

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Fitzpatricks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Exo-Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Wallace Rogers

  • Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years(1977)

    as Harry Hopkins

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Code R (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Douglas

  • The Call of the Wild(1976)

    as Simpson

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Forget-Me-Not Lane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Charles Bisley

  • Earthquake(1974)

    as Dr. Harvey Johnson

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The New Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 13 episodes · Actor

  • Little House on the Prairie(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathaniel Mears

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • The Terminal Man(1974)

    as Dr. Arthur McPherson

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love(1974)

    as Fred

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • A Touch of the Poet(1974)

    as Jamie Cregan

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Six Million Dollar Man(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Martin Davis · as Lester Burstyn

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Snoop Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Shriver Danforth

  • Showdown(1973)

    as Art Williams

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Waltons(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Lester Morgan

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Trial of the Catonsville Nine(1972)

    as Thomas Melville

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid(1972)

    as Manning

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Devil and Miss Sarah(1971)

    as Appleton

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Columbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheldon Hays

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles Bisley

  • Night Gallery(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Uncle George (segment "Pickman's Model")

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Young Rebels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • R.P.M.(1970)

    as Perry Howard

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The File on Devlin(1969)

    as John Heywood

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

  • Room 222 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. David Forbes

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Lancer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rachel, Rachel(1968)

    as Niall Cameron

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Of Mice and Men(1968)

    as Slim

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Mannix(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Don McGrath

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The High Chaparral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Henry Simmons

  • Coronet Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as The Rector

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Daniel Keyes · as Hartz

  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Alex Pierson

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Art, what is it? Why is it? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Narrator

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Finch · as Dr. Leon Elm

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge MacIntyre · as Thatcher

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Brickwell

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Pursuit of the Graf Spee(1956)

    as Swanston - Lookout, HMS Ajax (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Joseph Graham

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as John Heywood

  • Roger Williams: Founder Of Rhode Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Roger Williams

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 110 titles, 109 of them dated from 1951 to 2005; peak year 1990.

Biggest box office

Clear and Present Danger (1994)

$216M worldwide

Highest rated

The Thing (1982)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19512005

Peak 1990 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 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
Acting110 of 110: 110 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score60th

By decade

1950s5 · acting1960s13 · acting1970s35 · acting1980s31 · acting1990s22 · acting2000s3 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 23 roles
68788893

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 Donald Moffat's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 55; across their 47 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Midcredits score across 72 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th21
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 72 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed26

Most divisive · actor

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin (2017)

91st percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Thing (1982)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 35 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 48. 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 Donald Moffat's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles17–75 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles5–64 · median 26 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles28–60 · median 45 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles29–49 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles15–72 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Donald Moffat work with?

People who share at least 2 of Donald Moffat's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jud Taylor shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles