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Walter Murphy

Composer · Born December 19, 1952 (73) · New York City, New York, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Oscar nominee · 1 other major award body

Walter Murphy was born on 19 December 1952 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a composer and producer, known for Ted (2012), Family Guy (1999) and Agent Cody Banks (2003). He has been married to Laurie Robertson since 1972.

Biography from IMDb.

Born
December 19, 1952 (73)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Composer
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 29 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

What are Walter Murphy's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 11th percentile
: browse their Drama 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
33%
Self
27%
Morality
15%
Survival
15%
Society
9%
Power
1%
Friendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 4 · Dark 0

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

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 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 6

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 6 · 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 7 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
5
Tense
4
Joyful
5
Warm
4
Melancholic
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet2

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 Walter Murphy's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Walter Murphy'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, 15 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Ted(2024)

    Show 15 episodes · Composer · Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Reboot(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Conductor

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Queen Bees(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Late Bloomer(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Ted 2(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • How Murray Saved Christmas(2014)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Ted(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Foodfight!(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer

  • Family Guy Presents: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Composer

  • Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Composer

  • Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Composer

  • Duck Dodgers in Attack of the Drones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Composer

  • Hare and Loathing in Las Vegas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Composer

  • My Generation G... G... Gap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Composer

  • Museum Scream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Composer

  • Changing Hearts(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Composer

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Channel Umptee-3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 13 episodes · Composer

  • Profit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 7 episodes · Composer

  • The Lady Forgets(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Tricks of the Trade(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Pulsebeat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Composer

  • The Unpredictable Pudgy! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Music Director

  • Raw Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Saturday Night Fever(1977)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Night They Took Miss Beautiful(1977)

    Composer · Conductor · Music Arranger

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Savage Bees(1976)

    Composer · Conductor · Music Arranger

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 29 titles from 1977 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Ted (2012)

$549M worldwide

Highest rated

Ted (2012)

Midcredits 72nd

Most popular right now

Ted 2 (2015)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 29: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleMusic26 of 29: 23 only music, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score36thOther crew5 of 29: 2 only other crew, 3 with another role

29 titles, 3 with more than one role — music and other crew overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1970s3 · crew1980s5 · crew1990s3 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s6 · crew2020s3 · 1 acting · 2 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.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy and 1 other major award from 9 major nominations, 1977–2015.

WinNomination
  1. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
  2. 2013
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
  3. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
  4. 2010
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
  5. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
  6. 2006
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Album
  7. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Music and Lyrics
  8. 1979
    • Grammy Award, won · Album of the Year
Show 1 earlier year
  1. 1977
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Instrumental Performance

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 Walter Murphy's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 34th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 26th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

26thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 15 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · composer

Foodfight! (2012)

99th percentile spread · 69% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Ted (2024)

Midcredits 83rd · 88% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 47/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 28. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 Walter Murphy's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 37 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles36–68 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles47–91 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 73 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles12–59 · median 22 · mildlighter 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 Walter Murphy work with?

People who share at least 2 of Walter Murphy's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Seth MacFarlane shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers