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David Tomlinson

David Tomlinson

Actor · Died June 24, 2000, aged 83 · Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Browne in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug. Description above from the Wikipedia article David Tomlinson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 7, 1917
Died
June 24, 2000 (aged 83)
From
Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 53 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 33% in 30 days

What are David Tomlinson's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime 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
32%
Morality
20%
Self
11%
Power
11%
Survival
10%
Society
9%
Ideas
7%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 18 · Serious 3 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 4

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 11 · Charged 10 · Intense 0

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 10 · 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 6 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 9

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 17 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 3 of 13 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
3 of 13
Hero
3 of 13
Ally
2 of 13
Mentor
2 of 13
Trickster
2 of 13
Shadow
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
12
Tense
8
Warm
7
Absurd
6
Thrilling
6
Other
14

How their films linger

Feel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous2

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 David Tomlinson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Tomlinson'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

53 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Boys(2009)

    as Mr. Banks

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu(1980)

    as Sir Roger Avery

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Dominique(1979)

    as Attorney

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Water Babies(1978)

    as Sir John / Voice of Polar Bear

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Wombling Free(1977)

    as Roland Frogmorton

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Bons baisers de Hong-Kong(1975)

    as Sir John Mac Gregor

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • A Friend Indeed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Sir John Holt

  • Bedknobs and Broomsticks(1971)

    as Emelius

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 2 episodes · as Blake

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Love Bug(1968)

    as Peter Thorndyke

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Liquidator(1965)

    as Quadrant

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • City in the Sea(1965)

    as Harold Tufnell-Jones

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Truth About Spring(1965)

    as Skelton

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Mary Poppins(1964)

    as Mr. Banks

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Tom Jones(1963)

    as Lord Fellamar

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Follow That Horse! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Further Up the Creek(1958)

    as Lt. Fairweather

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Up the Creek (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Lt. Fairweather

  • Carry On Admiral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Tom Baker

  • Theatre Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as David Warren

  • Three Men in a Boat(1956)

    as J

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • All for Mary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Humphrey 'Humpy' Miller

  • Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Frank Betterton

  • The Postman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Actor

  • Made in Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Basil Topham

  • Castle in the Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Earl of Locharne

  • The Magic Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Lab Asst

  • Hotel Sahara(1951)

    as Captain Puffin Cheyne

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Calling Bulldog Drummond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Algernon "Algy" Longworth

  • The Wooden Horse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Phil

  • So Long at the Fair(1950)

    as Johnny Barton

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Landfall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Binks

  • The Chiltern Hundreds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Lord Tony Pym

  • Helter Skelter(1949)

    as Nick Martin

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Marry Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as David Haig

  • Vote for Huggett (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Harold Hinchley

  • Warning to Wantons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Count Max Kardak

  • Here Come the Huggetts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Harold Hinchley

  • Love in Waiting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Robert Clitheroe

  • Sleeping Car to Trieste(1948)

    as Tom Bishop

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • My Brother's Keeper(1948)

    as Ronnie Waring

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Broken Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Jimmy Marshall

  • Miranda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Charles

  • Easy Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Martin Latham

  • Fame Is the Spur(1947)

    as Lord Liskeard

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Master of Bankdam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Lancelot Handel Crowther

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

    as Mr. Watlington

  • I See a Dark Stranger(1946)

    as Intelligence Officer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Journey Together(1945)

    as Smith

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Johnny in the Clouds(1945)

    as 'Prune' Parsons

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Mister V(1941)

    as Steve

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • My Wife's Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Willie Bagshott

  • Quiet Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as John Royd

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles from 1941 to 1980; peak year 1963.

Biggest box office

Mary Poppins (1964)

$103M worldwide

Highest rated

Mary Poppins (1964)

Midcredits 97th

Film career

19411980

Peak 1963 · 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
Acting52 of 52: 52 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1940s22 · acting1950s15 · acting1960s8 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s2 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
4161

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 David Tomlinson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Wombling Free (1977)

75th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Mary Poppins (1964)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 47. 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 David Tomlinson's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 17 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 6 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 10 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 31 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 18 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does David Tomlinson work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Tomlinson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lionel Jeffries shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles