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Edward Burns

Edward Burns

Actor, director, producer and writer · Born January 29, 1968 (58) · Woodside, Queens County, New York, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Edward Fitzgerald Burns (born January 29, 1968) is an American actor, writer, and filmmaker. He first came to attention for The Brothers McMullen (1995), his ultra low-budget independent film that went on to be a worldwide hit. Other film appearances include Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Holiday (2006), Man on a Ledge (2012), Friends with Kids (2012), and Alex Cross (2012). Burns directed movies such as She's the One (1996), Sidewalks of New York (2001), and The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012). On television, he starred as Bugsy Siegel in the TNT crime drama series Mob City and as Terry Muldoon in TNT's Public Morals.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 29, 1968 (58)
From
Woodside, Queens County, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, director, producer and writer
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 53 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

What are Edward Burns' films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 14 · Serious 9 · Dark 7

Grounded 21 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 0

A split, not a type: Gentle 15 · Charged 7 · Intense 8

Steady 19 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 5

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 4

Casual 17 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 4

Easy watch 13 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 3

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 10 of 21 analyzed roles.

Hero
10 of 21
Ally
4 of 21
Mentor
2 of 21
Trickster
1 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Shadow
1 of 21
Shapeshifter
1 of 21
Threshold guardian
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Melancholic
14
Contemplative
11
Warm
10
Hopeful
8
Other
33

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet20
  • Ambiguous5

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 Edward Burns' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Subscription and free streaming for Edward Burns' 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, 39 with a MovieCove page; 14 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Finnegan's Foursome(2026)

    Director · Writer · as Freddy Finnegan

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • The Family McMullen(2025)

    Director · Writer · as Barry McMullen

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Tales from The Ryder Cup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • Millers in Marriage(2024)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Andy

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • The Everything Pot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Bridge and Tunnel(2021)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Artie

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows
  • Professionals(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows
  • Amazing Stories(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill Kaminski

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows
  • Seaver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Executive Producer · as Self - Narrator (voice)

  • Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · as Jim

  • Summer Days, Summer Nights(2018)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Jack Flynn

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Holly Star(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Public Morals(2015)

    Show 10 episodes · Creator · as Terry Muldoon

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
  • Mob City(2013)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ben "Bugsy" Siegel

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows
  • SC Featured (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator

  • Alex Cross(2012)

    as Tommy Kane

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • The Fitzgerald Family Christmas(2012)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Gerry Fitzgerald

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Friends with Kids(2011)

    as Kurt

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Man on a Ledge(2012)

    as Jack Dougherty

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Newlyweds(2011)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Buzzy

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Vietnam in HD(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · as Joe Galloway

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • Top Gear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Nice Guy Johnny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Uncle Terry

  • No Woman, No Cry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • Echelon Conspiracy(2009)

    as John Reed

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • The Greatest Tunnel Ever Built (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Narrator

  • 27 Dresses(2008)

    as George

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • One Missed Call(2008)

    as Jack Andrews

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
  • Purple Violets(2007)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Michael Murphy

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • The Holiday(2006)

    as Ethan

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • The Groomsmen(2006)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Paulie

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The River King(2005)

    as Abel Grey

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • A Sound of Thunder(2005)

    as Travis Ryer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
  • Flight of the Phoenix(2004)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Entourage(2004)

    Show 4 episodes · as Edward Burns

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • Looking for Kitty(2004)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Jack Stanton

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • Confidence(2003)

    as Jake Vig

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • Ash Wednesday(2002)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Francis Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Lethargy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Store Clerk

  • Sidewalks of New York(2001)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Tommy

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Lovely Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Producer

  • The Concert for New York City(2001)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • The Best Damn Sports Show Period (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Fighting Fitzgeralds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show Creator

  • 15 Minutes(2001)

    as Jordy Warsaw

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 3 episodes · as Nick

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows
  • Saving Private Ryan(1998)

    as Private Reiben

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • No Looking Back(1998)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • She's the One(1996)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Mickey Fitzpatrick

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Brothers McMullen(1995)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Barry / Finbar McMullen

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles from 1992 to 2026; peak year 2002.

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward winNomination
19922026

Peak 2002 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 14 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
Acting45 of 52: 27 only acting, 18 with another role · typical Midcredits score41stDirecting19 of 52: 0 only directing, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thWriting18 of 52: 1 only writing, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thProducing19 of 52: 2 only producing, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score44thEditing1 of 52: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew4 of 52: 2 only other crew, 2 with another role

52 titles, 20 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 17 of them.

By decade

1990s6 · 6 acting · 3 crew2000s22 · 18 acting · 9 crew2010s15 · 14 acting · 7 crew2020s9 · 7 acting · 6 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 30% of 23 roles
950510

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.

Awards

3 major awards from 4 major nominations, 1995–1999.

WinNomination
  1. 1999
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast
  2. 1996
    • Producers Guild Award, won · Most Promising Producer in Theatrical Motion Pictures
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best First Feature
  3. 1995
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic

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 Edward Burns' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 39 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned2
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed13

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 37. 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 Edward Burns' work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and violence & gore lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles9–86 · median 34 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles15–45 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles35–71 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles27–47 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles3–88 · median 47 · 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 Edward Burns work with?

People who share at least 2 of Edward Burns' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Aaron Lubin shares the most, 13.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles