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Betty Thomas

Betty Thomas

Director, actor and producer · Born July 27, 1948 (78) · St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Betty Thomas (born Betty Lucille Nienhauser; July 27, 1947) is an American actress, director, and producer. Description above from the Wikipedia article Betty Thomas, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 27, 1948 (78)
From
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Works as
Director, actor and producer
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 45 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 63 days to Oct 26Down 27% in 30 days

What are Betty Thomas' films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Action 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
Bonds
36%
Self
31%
Society
12%
Morality
12%
Survival
7%
Power
1%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 13 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 7 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 9 · Intense 1

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 2

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 12

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 13 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 3
Shadow
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
10
Tense
5
Absurd
7
Warm
7
Hopeful
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous2

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 Betty Thomas' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Betty Thomas' 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

45 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Grace and Frankie(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel(2009)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • John Tucker Must Die(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Loop(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Guess Who(2005)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Surviving Christmas(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • I Spy(2002)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Silicon Follies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Executive Producer

  • Charlie's Angels(2000)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • 28 Days(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Dolittle(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Can't Hardly Wait(1998)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Private Parts(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Late Shift(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Brady Bunch Movie(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • My Breast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Moon Over Miami (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Arresting Behavior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Only You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Parenthood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Dream On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 17 episodes · Director

  • Shannon's Deal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Mancuso, F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • A Peaceable Kingdom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Doogie Howser, M.D.(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Troop Beverly Hills(1989)

    as Velda Plendor

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Caller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Best of SCTV(1988)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Hooperman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Prison for Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Angela Brannon

  • No Greater Gift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Dr. Mary Lewis

  • When Your Lover Leaves(1983)

    as Maude

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Homework(1982)

    as Reddog's Secretary

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Twilight Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • Nashville Grab (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Maxine Pearce

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 146 episodes · as Lucille Bates

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Used Cars(1980)

    as Bunny

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Outside Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Katherine

  • Coming Attractions(1978)

    as Biker Chick #1

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Dog and Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Waitress

  • Chesty Anderson U.S. Navy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Party Guest

  • The Last Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Actor

  • Jackson County Jail(1976)

    as Waitress

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Tunnel Vision(1976)

    as Bridgit Bert Richards

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Del (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 45 titles, 44 of them dated from 1976 to 2015.

Biggest box office

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)

$443M worldwide

Highest rated

Hill Street Blues (1981)

Midcredits 92nd

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting17 of 45: 17 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rdDirecting24 of 45: 22 only directing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thProducing6 of 45: 4 only producing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score38th

By decade

1970s7 · acting1980s15 · 10 acting · 5 crew1990s12 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s1 · crew

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 Betty Thomas' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 20; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 24 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

When Your Lover Leaves (1983)

92nd percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Best of SCTV (1988)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 62/100 and the pacing 57/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Betty Thomas' work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles7–52 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles33–54 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles37–60 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles26–69 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles5–43 · median 12 · minimallighter 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 Betty Thomas work with?

People who share at least 2 of Betty Thomas' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jenno Topping shares the most, 8.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles