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Steve Kahan

Steve Kahan

Actor · Died August 4, 2019, aged 79 · New York City, New York, USA

Stephen Samuel Kahan (August 6, 1939 – August 4, 2019) was an American character actor, best known for playing Captain Ed Murphy in the Lethal Weapon film series. He has appeared in fourteen films directed by his cousin Richard Donner: Superman (1978), Inside Moves (1980), The Toy (1982), Lethal Weapon (1987), Scrooged (1988), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Radio Flyer (1992), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), Maverick (1994), Assassins (1995), Conspiracy Theory (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Timeline (2003) and 16 Blocks (2006).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 6, 1939
Died
August 4, 2019 (aged 79)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 30 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 37% in 30 days

What are Steve Kahan's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
39%
Morality
24%
Self
18%
Society
8%
Survival
7%
Ideas
5%
Loyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 5

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 5 · 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 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 3 · 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 3 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Thrilling
5
Absurd
3
Dread
2
Hopeful
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet1
  • Ambiguous1

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 Steve Kahan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Steve Kahan'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

30 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page.

  • 16 Blocks(2006)

    as Resturant Owner

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Timeline(2003)

    as Baker

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Out Cold(2001)

    as Powder Room Bartender

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Lethal Weapon 4(1998)

    as Captain Murphy

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Conspiracy Theory(1997)

    as Mr. Wilson

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Assassins(1995)

    as Alan Branch

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home(1995)

    as Captain Nilson

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Maverick(1994)

    as Dealer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Favor(1994)

    as Helpful Fisherman

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Demolition Man(1993)

    as Captain Healy

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Warlock: The Armageddon(1993)

    as Will Travis

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Lethal Weapon 3(1992)

    as Captain Murphy

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Dead on: Relentless II(1992)

    as Ibsen

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Radio Flyer(1992)

    as Coffee Shop Manager

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Predator 2(1990)

    as Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Lethal Weapon 2(1989)

    as Captain Murphy

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Father (segment "Dig That Cat... He's Real Gone") · as William

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Scrooged(1988)

    as Technician

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Police Story: The Freeway Killings(1987)

    as Paulis

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Destination: America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Bambeck

  • Lethal Weapon(1987)

    as Captain Ed Murphy

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Last Fling(1987)

    as Jason's Friend

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as Wilson

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Roy Parks

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Larry Taylor

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • The Toy(1982)

    as State Trooper

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Diodati

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Inside Moves(1980)

    as Burt

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 15 episodes · as Nick Morrison

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Superman(1978)

    as Officer 1

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 30 titles from 1978 to 2006; peak year 1994.

Biggest box office

Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

$322M worldwide

Highest rated

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

Midcredits 90th

Film career

19782006

Peak 1994 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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
Acting30 of 30: 30 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s13 · acting1990s12 · acting2000s3 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
8095

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 Steve Kahan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Knots Landing (1979)

57th percentile spread · 11% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 44. 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 Steve Kahan's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 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 & Gore6 titles64–84 · median 79 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles15–55 · median 22 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles58–85 · median 79 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles21–41 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles57–77 · median 61 · intenseheavier 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 Steve Kahan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Steve Kahan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Donner shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers