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Charles McGraw

Charles McGraw

Actor · Died July 29, 1980, aged 66 · Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Charles McGraw (born Charles Butters) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. He developed into a leading man, especially in film noir classics during the late 1940s and early 1950s. His gravelly voice and rugged looks enhanced his appeal in the noir stylistic genre and provided him many roles as cops, military officers, and the such.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 10, 1914
Died
July 29, 1980 (aged 66)
From
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
60 on MovieCove · 118 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 26Up 17% in 30 days

What are Charles McGraw's films like?

Across their 40 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror 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
24%
Bonds
18%
Power
12%
Self
10%
Society
7%
Ideas
1%
Justice12 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival12 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty8 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 40 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 13 · Dark 22

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

Grounded 16 · Stylized 21 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 14 · Intense 20

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

Steady 17 · Shifting 22 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 33 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 17 · Even-paced 20 · 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 10 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 5

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 9 · Affecting 22 · Heavy 9

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

Resolved 29 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 6 of 14 analyzed roles.

Shadow
6 of 14
Ally
3 of 14
Hero
2 of 14
Mentor
1 of 14
Threshold guardian
1 of 14
Herald
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
32
Dread
14
Melancholic
14
Thrilling
6
Contemplative
7
Other
25

How their films linger

Haunting13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous6

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 Charles McGraw's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 60 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Charles McGraw'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

118 credits, 60 with a MovieCove page.

  • Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid(1982)

    as (in "The Killers") (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Horror Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as (archive footage)

  • Twilight's Last Gleaming(1977)

    as Air Force Gen. Peter Crane

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Killer Inside Me(1976)

    as Howard Hendricks

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Perilous Voyage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Capt. Humphreys

  • A Boy and His Dog(1975)

    as Preacher

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Money to Burn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Neil Davis

  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Hawkins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Capt. Bates

  • Banyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Longest Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Father Chase

  • Emergency!(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Police Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Night Stalker(1972)

    as Police Chief Ed Masterson

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Devil and Miss Sarah(1971)

    as Marshal Duncan

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Chandler(1971)

    as Bernie Oakman

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Monty Nash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeffers

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

    Show 1 episode · as Hansen · as Luke

  • Johnny Got His Gun(1971)

    as Mike Burkeman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Agent Joe Flagg

  • The Smith Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 39 episodes · as Captain Hughes

  • The Andersonville Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Board of Military Judges

  • Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here(1969)

    as Wilson

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Pendulum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Deputy Chief John P. Hildebrand

  • The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Outcasts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Adam-12(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Lars Lowell · as Rod Decker

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff

  • Hang 'Em High(1968)

    as Sheriff Ray Calhoun

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • In Cold Blood(1967)

    as Tex Smith

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hondo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Judd, for the Defense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Larkin · as Warden MacDonald

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Marvin Greenleaf

  • The Busy Body(1967)

    as Fred Harwell

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Wild Wild West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Run for Your Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Bailey

  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Jules Cutter

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Nightmare in Chicago (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Harry Brockman

  • It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(1963)

    as Lt. Matthews

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Harry Brockman · as Nick Stacy

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Grindl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Lieutenant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Birds(1963)

    as Sebastian Sholes

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Simon Oliver

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Big John Beldon

  • The Horizontal Lieutenant(1962)

    as Col. Charles Korotny

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The New Breed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Cameron Hill

  • Ben Casey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Creely

  • Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Kenneth Hasker · as Fred Rainey

  • 87th Precinct (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Douglas King

  • Cain's Hundred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Earl Klegg

  • Cimarron(1960)

    as Bob Yountis

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Spartacus(1960)

    as Marcellus

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Thriller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff Cliff Wrights

  • The Wonderful Country(1959)

    as Dr. Stovall

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Detectives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Untouchables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny Torrio

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff Gains

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Johnny Staccato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Man in the Net(1959)

    as Sheriff Steve Ritter

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Defiant Ones(1958)

    as Capt. Frank Gibbons

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Twilight for the Gods(1958)

    as Yancy

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Saddle the Wind(1958)

    as Larry Venables

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Joe Dakota(1957)

    as Cal Moore

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Slaughter on 10th Avenue(1957)

    as Lt. Anthony Vosnick

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Joe Butterfly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Sgt. Jim McNulty

  • The Cruel Tower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Harry 'Stretch' Clay

  • Toward the Unknown(1956)

    as Col. 'Mickey' McKee

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Away All Boats(1956)

    as Lieut. Mike O'Bannion

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Casablanca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Calvin · as Dolen · as Squawman

  • The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Bridges at Toko-Ri(1954)

    as Cmdr. Wayne Lee

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Whistler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Adventures Of The Falcon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 39 episodes · Actor

  • Loophole(1954)

    as Gus Slavin

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Thunder Over the Plains(1953)

    as Ben Westman

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • War Paint(1953)

    as Sgt. Clarke

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Forel

  • Mr. & Mrs. North(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Cavalcade of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Wilkie Bowman

  • One Minute to Zero(1952)

    as Sfc. Baker

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Narrow Margin(1952)

    as Det. Sgt. Walter Brown

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Roadblock(1951)

    as Joe Peters

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • His Kind of Woman(1951)

    as Thompson / Narrator

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Double Crossbones(1951)

    as Capt. Ben Wickett

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Armored Car Robbery(1950)

    as Lt. Jim Cordell

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town(1950)

    as Shotgun Mike Munger

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Side Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Det. Stan Simon

  • The Threat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Arnold 'Red' Kluger

  • The Story of Molly X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Police Capt. Breen

  • Border Incident(1949)

    as Jeff Amboy

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Reign of Terror(1949)

    as Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Once More, My Darling(1949)

    as Herman Schmelz

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Blood on the Moon(1948)

    as Milo Sweet

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

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

    as Chick

  • Berlin Express(1948)

    as USET Col. Johns (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Hunted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Detective

  • T-Men(1947)

    as Moxie

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Gangster(1947)

    as Dugas

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Roses Are Red (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Duke Arno

  • On the Old Spanish Trail(1947)

    as Harry Blaisdell

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Long Night(1947)

    as Policeman Stevens

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Big Fix (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Armiston

  • The Farmer's Daughter(1947)

    as Fisher - Finley's Henchman (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Killers(1946)

    as Al

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Impostor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Menessier

  • The Mad Ghoul(1943)

    as Detective Garrity

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Corvette K-225(1943)

    as Chief Engineer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Destroyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Assistant Chief Engineer (uncredited)

  • Two Tickets to London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Hendrik (uncredited)

  • They Came to Blow Up America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Zellerbach

  • The Moon Is Down(1943)

    as Ole (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Undying Monster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Strud Strudwick (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 118 titles from 1942 to 1982; peak year 1968.

Biggest box office

Hang 'Em High (1968)

$11M worldwide

Highest rated

In Cold Blood (1967)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Birds (1963)

Film career

19421982

Peak 1968 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 5 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.

  • 1942Screen debut· The Undying Monster
  • 1950First top-billed film· Armored Car Robbery
  • 1952Career best· The Narrow Margin

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting118 of 118: 118 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1940s25 · acting1950s36 · acting1960s36 · acting1970s20 · acting1980s1 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 10% of 30 roles
425262

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 Charles McGraw's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 51; across their 40 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Reach · how many have seen their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Midcredits score across 60 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th22
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 60 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

The Devil and Miss Sarah (1971)

54th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

In Cold Blood (1967)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 40 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 48. 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 Charles McGraw's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 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 & Gore5 titles58–73 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles16–60 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles16–44 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles24–44 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles43–83 · median 72 · 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 Charles McGraw work with?

People who share at least 2 of Charles McGraw's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Anthony Mann shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles