Skip to content
MovieCove
Roberts Blossom

Roberts Blossom

Actor · Died July 8, 2011, aged 87 · New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Roberts Scott Blossom (March 25, 1924 – July 8, 2011) was an American poet and character actor of theatre, film, and television. He was best known for his roles as Old Man Marley in Home Alone (1990)

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 25, 1924
Died
July 8, 2011 (aged 87)
From
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 55 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 40 days to Oct 26Down 11% in 30 days

What are Roberts Blossom's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Action 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
Self
27%
Bonds
20%
Morality
15%
Survival
11%
Society
10%
Power
8%
Ideas
8%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 8 · Intense 7

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 7 · 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 9 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 10 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 10
Threshold guardian
3 of 10
Ally
2 of 10
Shadow
2 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Melancholic
11
Contemplative
5
Dread
3
Hopeful
4
Other
16

How their films linger

Hopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous3

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 Roberts Blossom's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Roberts Blossom'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

55 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Home Alone - Making of & Behind the Scenes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Marley

  • Balloon Farm(1999)

    as Weasel Mayfield

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Quick and the Dead(1995)

    as Doc Wallace

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as William Kronk

  • Murder in the Heartland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gus

  • The American Clock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Old Wayne Taylor

  • The Habitation of Dragons(1992)

    as Mr. Charlie

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Doc Hollywood(1991)

    as Judge Evans

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Death Falls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Hals Johnson

  • Amazing Stories: The Movie II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Opa Globe

  • Home Alone(1990)

    as Marley

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Northern Exposure(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Ned

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Always(1989)

    as Dave

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • An Empire of Reason (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Melancton Smith

  • The Last Temptation of Christ(1988)

    as Aged Master

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • In the Heat of the Night(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Harris Pendleton

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Candy Mountain(1987)

    as Archie

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Amazing Stories(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Ohpa Globe

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 1 episode · as Man (segment "The Burning Man") · as Mordecai Hawkline (segment "Song of the Younger World")

  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Oscar Peabody

  • Moonlighting(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Lawrence Everette

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Vision Quest(1985)

    as Grandpa

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Noon Wine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Mr. McClellan

  • Tales from the Darkside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Inquisitor

  • Flashpoint(1984)

    as Amarillo

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Airwolf(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Old man with Dog (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Reuben, Reuben(1983)

    as Frank Spofford

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Christine(1983)

    as George LeBay

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Belinda(1982)

    as John McAdam

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Kuchaski

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

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. McClellan

  • Family Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Phil King

  • Family Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 2 episodes · as Phil King

  • Resurrection(1980)

    as John Harper

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Gold Bug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Mr. LeGrand

  • Escape from Alcatraz(1979)

    as Doc

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Mourning Becomes Electra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 5 episodes · as Seth

  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind(1977)

    as Farmer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Citizens Band(1977)

    as Papa Thermodyne

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Adams Chronicles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Carver

  • Beacon Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as D.W. Griffith

  • The Great Masquerade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Sherwood Gates

  • The Great Gatsby(1974)

    as Mr. Gatz

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Deranged(1974)

    as Ezra Cobb

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Rimers of Eldritch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Judge/Preacher

  • Please Stand By (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Judge Nott

  • Slaughterhouse-Five(1972)

    as Wild Bob Cody

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Witches of Salem: The Horror and the Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Governor Phips

  • The Hospital(1971)

    as Guernsey

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Judge / Preacher

  • Taylor Mead Dances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • The Sin of Jesus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Actor

  • John Brown's Raid(1960)

    as Stevens

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Brissen (uncredited) · as Quint

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as First Refugee

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 55 titles from 1948 to 1999; peak year 1989.

Biggest box office

Home Alone (1990)

$477M worldwide

Highest rated

Home Alone (1990)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19481999

Peak 1989 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 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
Acting55 of 55: 55 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1940s1 · acting1950s1 · acting1960s3 · acting1970s15 · acting1980s23 · acting1990s12 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 6% of 16 roles
7181

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 Roberts Blossom's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 22; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 28 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

The Habitation of Dragons (1992)

82nd percentile spread · 18% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Home Alone (1990)

Midcredits 96th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 79/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 50. 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 Roberts Blossom's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles15–83 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles15–54 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles22–65 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles19–41 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles35–71 · median 56 · 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 Roberts Blossom work with?

People who share at least 2 of Roberts Blossom's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Williams shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors