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Ralph Richardson

Ralph Richardson

Actor · Died October 10, 1983, aged 80 · Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, also appeared in several classic films. Richardson first became known for his work on stage in the 1930s. In the 1940s, together with Laurence Olivier, he ran the Old Vic company. He continued on stage and in films into the early 1980s and was especially praised for his comedic roles. In his later years he was celebrated for his theatre work with his old friend John Gielgud. Among his most famous roles were Peer Gynt, Falstaff, John Gabriel Borkman and Hirst in Pinter's No Man's Land. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ralph Richardson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 19, 1902
Died
October 10, 1983 (aged 80)
From
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
48 on MovieCove · 89 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 26Up 8% in 30 days

What are Ralph Richardson's films like?

Across their 40 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th 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
Morality
36%
Bonds
16%
Power
14%
Self
13%
Survival
9%
Ideas
6%
Society
6%
Deception13 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 39 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 8 · Serious 9 · Dark 22

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 19 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 6

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 16 · Intense 18

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

A split, not a type: Steady 20 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 5 · 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 21 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 4

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 9 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 16

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

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

36 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 11 of 36 analyzed roles.

Mentor
11 of 36
Shadow
8 of 36
Threshold guardian
6 of 36
Hero
5 of 36
Shapeshifter
2 of 36
Herald
2 of 36
Ally
1 of 36
Trickster
1 of 36
Show the 36 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
31
Melancholic
22
Dread
10
Absurd
6
Contemplative
7
Other
32

How their films linger

Thought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet19
  • Tragic9
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical2

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 Ralph Richardson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 48 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ralph Richardson'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

89 credits, 48 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Give My Regards to Broad Street(1984)

    as Jim

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes(1984)

    as The Sixth Earl of Greystoke

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Wagner(1983)

    Show 10 episodes · as Pfordten

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Invitation to the Wedding(1983)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Witness for the Prosecution(1982)

    as Sir Wilfred Robarts

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Early Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Sir Richard Kitchen

  • Time Bandits(1981)

    as Supreme Being

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Dragonslayer(1981)

    as Ulrich

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Muffin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Sir Archibald Willoughby

  • Watership Down(1978)

    as Chief Rabbit (voice)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • No Man's Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Hirst

  • The Man in the Iron Mask(1977)

    as Colbert de Voliere

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Jesus of Nazareth(1977)

    Show 4 episodes · as Simeon

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Rollerball(1975)

    as Librarian

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Frankenstein: The True Story(1973)

    as Mr. Lacey

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Frankenstein: The True Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mr. Lacey

  • A Doll's House(1973)

    as Dr. Rank

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • O Lucky Man!(1973)

    as Sir James Burgess / Monty

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • William: The Life, Works and Times of William Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Various

  • Lady Caroline Lamb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as George IV

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland(1972)

    as The Caterpillar

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • ABC Afterschool Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Various Roles

  • Tales from the Crypt(1972)

    as The Crypt Keeper

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?(1972)

    as Mr Benton

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Eagle in a Cage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Sir Hudson Lowe

  • Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Jack

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack

  • Twelfth Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Sir Toby Belch

  • The Looking Glass War(1970)

    as LeClerc

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • David Copperfield (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Mr. Micawber

  • Battle of Britain(1969)

    as Sir David Kelly - British Minister to Switzerland

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Bed Sitting Room(1969)

    as Lord Fortnum of Alamein

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Midas Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Henshaw

  • Oh! What a Lovely War(1969)

    as Sir Edward Grey

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Blandings Castle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 6 episodes · as Clarence Threepwood, 9th Earl of Emsworth

  • The World of Wodehouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 6 episodes · as Clarence Threepworth, 9th Earl of Emsworth

  • The Wrong Box(1966)

    as Joseph Finsbury

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Khartoum(1966)

    as William Gladstone

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Chimes at Midnight(1965)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Zhivago(1965)

    as Alexander Gromeko

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Johnson Over Jordan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Robert Johnson

  • Thursday Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Johnson

  • The Great War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 26 episodes · as Douglas Haig (voice)

  • Woman of Straw(1964)

    as Charles Richmond

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Hedda Gabler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Judge Brack

  • Heart to Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Sir Stanley Johnson

  • Long Day's Journey Into Night(1962)

    as James Tyrone Sr.

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The 300 Spartans(1962)

    as Themistocles of Athens

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Exodus(1960)

    as Gen. Sutherland

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Oscar Wilde(1960)

    as Sir Edward Carson

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Our Man in Havana(1959)

    as C

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Passionate Stranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Roger Wynter / Sir Clement

  • Smiley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Rev. Lambeth

  • Richard III(1955)

    as Duke of Buckingham

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Holly and the Ivy(1952)

    as Reverend Martin Gregory

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Sound Barrier(1952)

    as John Ridgefield

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Home at Seven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director · as David Preston

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

    Show 1 episode · as Barrister

  • Outcast of the Islands(1951)

    as Captain Tom Lingard

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Eagles of the Fleet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Commentary

  • Cricket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Narrator(voice)

  • The Heiress(1949)

    as Dr. Austin Sloper

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Come Saturday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Narrator

  • The Fallen Idol(1948)

    as Baines

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Anna Karenina(1948)

    as Alexei Karenin

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • School for Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Prof. Heatherville

  • The Silver Fleet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Associate Producer · as Jaap van Leyden

  • The Avengers(1942)

    as Frank Lockwood

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • One Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Actor

  • The Lion Has Wings(1939)

    as Wing Commander Richardson

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Fugitive(1939)

    as Will Kobling

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Smith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Smith

  • The Four Feathers(1939)

    as John Durrance

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Clouds Over Europe(1939)

    as Maj. Charles Hammond

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Bees on the Boat-Deck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Sam Gridley

  • Health of a Nation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Actor

  • The Citadel(1938)

    as Dr. Philip Denny

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • South Riding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Robert Carne

  • The Divorce of Lady X(1938)

    as Lord Mere

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Thunder in the City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Henry V. Manningdale

  • The Man Who Could Work Miracles(1936)

    as Colonel Winstanley

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Things to Come(1936)

    as The Boss

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Bulldog Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Morelle

  • The King of Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Paul Lebrun

  • Java Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as William Ammidon

  • The Return of Bulldog Drummond(1934)

    as Major Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Friday the Thirteenth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Horace Dawes

  • The Ghoul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Nigel Hartley

  • Dreyfus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Extra

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 90 titles from 1931 to 1984; peak year 1961.

Biggest box office

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

$112M worldwide

Highest rated

The Heiress (1949)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19311984

Peak 1961 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 23 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
Acting90 of 90: 88 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thDirecting1 of 90: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 90: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1930s20 · acting1940s8 · 8 acting · 1 crew1950s10 · 10 acting · 1 crew1960s22 · acting1970s22 · acting1980s8 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 15% of 39 roles
334853636873

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 Ralph Richardson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 70th percentile, the median of all 46; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Approval · how many liked their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Reach · how many have seen their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Midcredits score across 48 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 48 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)

67th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Heiress (1949)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 39 reviewed titles; fans 81, 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 Ralph Richardson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films and sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles35–81 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles4–50 · median 10 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles8–29 · median 16 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles14–25 · median 23 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles26–83 · median 52 · 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 Ralph Richardson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ralph Richardson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alexander Korda shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles