Leonard Smith
Cinematographer · Died October 20, 1947, aged 53 · Brooklyn [now in New York City], New York, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Leonard Smith (April 19, 1894 – October 20, 1947) was a cinematographer who had over 70 film credits from a career that spanned from 1915 to 1946. Smith's start as a cinematographer came on the now lost 1915 silent film The Battle Cry of Peace. Throughout his career he also occasionally worked in the camera and electrical department. Smith's first Academy Award for Best Cinematography (color) nomination came in 1942, for his work on Billy the Kid, sharing the nomination with William V. Skall. In 1944 he was nominated for Lassie Come Home. Smith was again nominated in 1946 for National Velvet, and in 1947, shortly before his death, he received his sole win, for The Yearling. He shared the award with Arthur Arling and Charles Rosher. All of Smith's nominations and wins were in the Color category. Smith served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers from 1941 until his death on October 20, 1947, at the age of 53.
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Biography from TMDB.
- April 19, 1894
- October 20, 1947 (aged 53)
- Brooklyn [now in New York City], New York, USA
- Cinematographer
- 30 on MovieCove · 62 credits in all
What are Leonard Smith's films like?
Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 2 · Wry 2 · Earnest 22
Light 20 · Serious 4 · Dark 4
A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 5
A split, not a type: Gentle 13 · Charged 12 · Intense 3
Steady 12 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 2
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 13
A split, not a type: Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 3
Casual 24 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 18 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 4
Resolved 28 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy21
- Bittersweet3
- Tragic4
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 Leonard Smith's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).
Subscription and free streaming for Leonard Smith'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
62 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page.
Our Miss Brooks(1956)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
The Yearling(1946)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Courage of Lassie(1946)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
National Velvet(1944)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Broadway Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)
Lassie Come Home(1943)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Best Foot Forward(1943)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Seven Sweethearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)
Ship Ahoy(1942)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Design for Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)
Smilin' Through (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)
Billy the Kid(1941)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Go West(1940)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
The Golden Fleecing(1940)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
The Captain is a Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)
The Mortal Storm(1940)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
The Ghost Comes Home(1940)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Waterloo Bridge(1940)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
At the Circus(1939)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Maisie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
Tarzan Finds a Son!(1939)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Four Girls in White (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
Stand Up and Fight(1939)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Marie Antoinette(1938)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Paradise for Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
Married Before Breakfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
A Day at the Races(1937)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Dangerous Number (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
Sinner Take All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)
Tarzan Escapes(1936)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
The Devil-Doll(1936)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Tough Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)
Trained Hoofs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
Donkey Baseball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
Murder in the Private Car (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
You Can't Buy Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
Eskimo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
So This Is Africa(1933)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Hold 'Em Jail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)
Casanova Against His Will (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Cheri-Bibi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Sidewalks of New York(1931)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Buster se marie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Stepping Out(1931)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all filmsLove in Every Port (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath(1931)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Reducing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
The Big House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
Doughboys(1930)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Free and Easy(1930)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
They Learned About Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
Caught Short(1930)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
So This Is College(1929)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
The Idle Rich(1929)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all filmsCareful Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
Cheap Skates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
The Cloudhopper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
The Wizard of Oz(1925)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Jonah Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
The Battle Cry of Peace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)
Career shape
A full career of 60 titles from 1915 to 1956.
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.
How do Leonard Smith's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of all 30; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up9
- 50th to 74th7
- 25th to 49th12
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
13 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved4
- Divisive1
- Crowd Pleaser13
- Broadly Agreed5
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the cinematography 61/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 68, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.
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.
Who does Leonard Smith work with?
People who share at least 2 of Leonard Smith's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Buster Keaton shares the most, 6.
Directors
- Edward BuzzellShared titles: Best Foot Forward (1943), Ship Ahoy (1942), Go West (1940), At the Circus (1939)See all 4 shared titles with Edward Buzzell
- Edward SedgwickShared titles: Parlor, Bedroom and Bath (1931), Doughboys (1930), Free and Easy (1930)See all 3 shared titles with Edward Sedgwick
- Fred M. WilcoxShared titles: Courage of Lassie (1946), Lassie Come Home (1943)See all 2 shared titles with Fred M. Wilcox
- Frank BorzageShared titles: Billy the Kid (1941), The Mortal Storm (1940)See all 2 shared titles with Frank Borzage
Writers
- Al BoasbergShared titles: A Day at the Races (1937), Doughboys (1930), Free and Easy (1930), So This Is College (1929)See all 4 shared titles with Al Boasberg
- Robert E. HopkinsShared titles: Parlor, Bedroom and Bath (1931), Sidewalks of New York (1931), Stepping Out (1931), Caught Short (1930)See all 4 shared titles with Robert E. Hopkins
- Buster KeatonShared titles: Go West (1940), At the Circus (1939), Parlor, Bedroom and Bath (1931), Sidewalks of New York (1931), Doughboys (1930), Free and Easy (1930)See all 6 shared titles with Buster Keaton
- Irving BrecherShared titles: Best Foot Forward (1943), Go West (1940), At the Circus (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Irving Brecher
Actors
- Cliff EdwardsShared titles: Parlor, Bedroom and Bath (1931), Sidewalks of New York (1931), Stepping Out (1931), Doughboys (1930), So This Is College (1929)See all 5 shared titles with Cliff Edwards
- Maureen O'SullivanShared titles: Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), A Day at the Races (1937), Tarzan Escapes (1936), The Devil-Doll (1936)See all 4 shared titles with Maureen O'Sullivan
- Frank MorganShared titles: Courage of Lassie (1946), The Ghost Comes Home (1940), The Mortal Storm (1940)See all 3 shared titles with Frank Morgan
- Robert TaylorShared titles: Billy the Kid (1941), Waterloo Bridge (1940), Stand Up and Fight (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Robert Taylor
Composers and editors
- Conrad A. NervigShared titles: Courage of Lassie (1946), The Golden Fleecing (1940), The Idle Rich (1929)See all 3 shared titles with Conrad A. Nervig
- Herbert StothartShared titles: The Yearling (1946), Waterloo Bridge (1940), Marie Antoinette (1938)See all 3 shared titles with Herbert Stothart
- Blanche SewellShared titles: Best Foot Forward (1943), Ship Ahoy (1942), Go West (1940)See all 3 shared titles with Blanche Sewell
- David SnellShared titles: Billy the Kid (1941), The Ghost Comes Home (1940), The Golden Fleecing (1940)See all 3 shared titles with David Snell
Producers
- Jack CummingsShared titles: Ship Ahoy (1942), Go West (1940), Tarzan Escapes (1936)See all 3 shared titles with Jack Cummings
- Mervyn LeRoyShared titles: Waterloo Bridge (1940), At the Circus (1939), Stand Up and Fight (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Mervyn LeRoy
- Sam ZimbalistShared titles: Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), Tarzan Escapes (1936), The Wizard of Oz (1925)See all 3 shared titles with Sam Zimbalist
- Sidney FranklinShared titles: The Yearling (1946), Waterloo Bridge (1940)See all 2 shared titles with Sidney Franklin
