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Richard Dysart

Richard Dysart

Actor · Died April 5, 2015, aged 86 · Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Richard Allen Dysart (March 30, 1929 – April 5, 2015) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as senior partner Leland McKenzie in the television series L.A. Law (1986–1994), for which he won a 1992 Primetime Emmy Award as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series after four consecutive nominations. In film, he held supporting roles in The Hospital (1971), Being There (1979), The Thing (1982), Mask (1985), Pale Rider (1985) and Wall Street (1987). Description above from the Wikipedia article Richard Dysart, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 30, 1929
Died
April 5, 2015 (aged 86)
From
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 66 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 3% in 30 days

What are Richard Dysart's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: 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
Morality
28%
Survival
20%
Bonds
17%
Self
11%
Society
10%
Power
8%
Ideas
5%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 8 · Dark 21

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

Grounded 23 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 15 · Intense 13

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 24 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 5 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 5

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 5 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 16

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 17 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

16 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 9 of 16 analyzed roles.

Mentor
9 of 16
Threshold guardian
3 of 16
Shadow
3 of 16
Ally
1 of 16
Show the 16 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
26
Melancholic
17
Dread
9
Hopeful
9
Contemplative
8
Other
17

How their films linger

Thought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic7
  • 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 Richard Dysart's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Richard Dysart'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

66 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Proteus: A Nineteenth Century Vision (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as The Ancient Mariner (voice)

  • L.A. Law: The Movie(2002)

    as Leland McKenzie

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Todd McFarlane's Spawn 2(1998)

    as Cogliostro

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Hard Rain(1998)

    as Henry Sears

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Spawn(1997)

    Show 18 episodes · as Nicholas Cogliostro (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Child Is Missing(1995)

    as Riley Hallihan

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Truman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Henry L. Stimson

  • Panther(1995)

    as J. Edgar Hoover

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair(1993)

    as J. Edgar Hoover

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Batman: The Animated Series(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Bartholomew (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Back to the Future Part III(1990)

    as Barbwire Salesman

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Day One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as President Harry S. Truman

  • Mickey's 60th Birthday(1988)

    as Leland McKenzie

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Moving Target(1988)

    as Arthur Cambridge

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Wall Street(1987)

    as Cromwell

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Six Against the Rock(1987)

    as Warden James Johnston

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Last Days of Patton(1986)

    as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 171 episodes · as Leland McKenzie

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • L.A. Law: Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Leland McKenzie

  • Blood & Orchids (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as Harvey Koster

  • Warning Sign(1985)

    as Dr. Nielsen

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Pale Rider(1985)

    as Coy LaHood

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Mask(1985)

    as Abe

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Falcon and the Snowman(1985)

    as Dr. Lee

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Malice in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Louis B. Mayer

  • Missing Children: A Mother's Story(1982)

    as Hunter Burgess

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Thing(1982)

    as Dr. Copper

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Bitter Harvest(1981)

    as Dr. Morton Freeman

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The People vs. Jean Harris(1981)

    as Judge Russell R. Leggett

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd(1980)

    as Edwin Stanton

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Bogie(1980)

    as Jack Warner

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Being There(1979)

    as Dr. Robert Allenby

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Meteor(1979)

    as Secretary of Defense

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Churchill and the Generals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

  • Prophecy(1979)

    as Trevor Isley

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • First, You Cry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Dr. Brennerman

  • An Enemy of the People(1978)

    as Aslaksen

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • It Happened One Christmas(1977)

    as Peter Bailey

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer(1977)

    as President Ulysses S. Grant

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Andros Targets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Kipness

  • Gemini Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Leonard Driscoll

  • Riding with Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Leonard Driscoll

  • The Hindenburg(1975)

    as Lehman

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Doc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Doctors' Hospital (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Day of the Locust(1975)

    as Claude Estee

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Baretta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman(1974)

    as Master Bryant

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Father

  • Lincoln (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 2 episodes · as David Davis

  • The Terminal Man(1974)

    as Dr. John Ellis

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Maude(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • The Hospital(1971)

    as Dr. Welbeck

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Columbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Max Duval

  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Sporting Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Spengler

  • All in the Family(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Russ DeKuyper

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Lost Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Barnes

  • Shadow Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Jerry Arnst

  • Petulia(1968)

    as Motel Receptionist

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • CBS Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Jerry Arnst

  • NET Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Tarleton

  • Love with the Proper Stranger(1963)

    as Accountant (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Westfall

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 66 titles from 1951 to 2004; peak year 1984.

Biggest box office

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

$245M worldwide

Highest rated

The Thing (1982)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

L.A. Law (1986)

Film career

19512004

Peak 1984 · 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
Acting66 of 66: 66 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rd

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s7 · acting1970s26 · acting1980s20 · acting1990s10 · acting2000s2 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 18 roles
6378

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 Richard Dysart's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 35; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Mickey's 60th Birthday (1988)

80th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Thing (1982)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 46. 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 Richard Dysart's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles37–87 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles9–57 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles31–79 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles14–67 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles30–93 · median 58 · 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 Richard Dysart work with?

People who share at least 2 of Richard Dysart's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George C. Scott shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers