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Paul Wendkos

Paul Wendkos

Director, also producer · Died November 12, 2009, aged 84 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Paul Wendkos (September 20, 1922; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – November 12, 2009; Malibu, California) was an American television and film director. Following wartime service in the US Navy and attending Columbia University on the GI Bill Wendkos made his first feature, a documentary on a school for the blind called Dark Interlude in 1953. Wendkos's first feature film was The Burglar . Wendkos's fluid camera technique caught the attention of the head of Columbia Pictures chief Harry Cohn who not only wished to distribute the film, but put Wendkos on a contract. A variety of films followed for Columbia beginning with the hard-hitting crime drama The Case Against Brooklyn, two suspenseful war dramas Tarawa Beachhead and Battle of the Coral Sea, the youth-oriented Gidget and two sequels Gidget Goes Hawaiian, Gidget Goes to Rome as well as Because They're Young. Wendkos also directed many episodes of Playhouse 90, Alcoa Theatre, Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, Route 66, The Rifleman, Mr. Novak, Honey West, The Big Valley, I Spy, The Invaders and Hawaii Five-O. With I Spy, Wendkos filmed several interesting episodes but was deemed too "arty" by the producers and let go. In 1968 Wendkos signed a five picture contract with Mirisch Productions beginning with the war films Attack on the Iron Coast and Hell Boats followed by Westerns set in Mexico but filmed in SpainGuns of the Magnificent Seven and Cannon for Cordoba. He also made the first feature film for Quinn Martin, The Mephisto Waltz. From 1970 until his retirement in 1999, Wendkos specialized in made-for-television movies. One of these was The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story (1988), based on a TWA hijacking in 1985, picked up five Emmy nominations, including one for Wendkos. Wendkos was cited by film critic Andrew Sarris in his book The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968. He is also cited, along with many other directors, in The American Vein: Directors and Directions in Television by Christopher Wicking and Tise Vahimagi, Talisman Books (England), 1979, and E.P. Dutton (United States), 1979; Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 79-52675. Wendkos married Ruth Bernat on March 1, 1953 and had one son, Jordan Elkan Wendkos. Ruth died in June, 1978. Wendkos married Lin Bolen, Former NBC VP & Producer in 1983 and they lived together happily in Malibu, California until his death. He is survived by his son, Jordan, granddaughter, Justine Wendkos, and his wife Lin Bolen Wendkos. Wendkos was ill for several years following a stroke. He died on November 12, 2009 in Malibu, California. Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Wendkos, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 20, 1925
Died
November 12, 2009 (aged 84)
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Director, also producer
Titles
45 on MovieCove · 91 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 49% in 30 days

What are Paul Wendkos' films like?

Across their 44 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 24th percentile
: 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
27%
Bonds
21%
Survival
20%
Self
15%
Power
12%
Society
3%
Ideas
3%
Justice12 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAddiction3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 43 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 37 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 25 · Intense 14

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 37 · 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 14 · Even-paced 27 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 18 · Engaged 24 · Full focus 1

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

Easy watch 8 · Affecting 22 · Heavy 13

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

Resolved 34 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
36
Melancholic
19
Dread
13
Hopeful
9
Contemplative
7
Other
25

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet23
  • Tragic4
  • 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 Paul Wendkos' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 45 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Wendkos' 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

91 credits, 45 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Different (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • A Wing and a Prayer(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Nobody Lives Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • A Match Made in Heaven(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Message from Nam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Bloodlines: Murder in the Family(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Trial: The Price of Passion(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Guilty Until Proven Innocent(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director

  • The Chase(1991)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Good Cops, Bad Cops(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Blind Faith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Creator

  • Cross of Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • From the Dead of Night(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story(1988)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Right to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Six Against the Rock(1987)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife(1987)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Rage of Angels: The Story Continues(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Rage of Angels: The Story Continues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Picking Up the Pieces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • The Bad Seed(1985)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Execution(1985)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Scorned and Swindled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • Celebrity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • The Awakening of Candra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Intimate Agony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Cocaine: One Man's Seduction(1983)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Farrell for the People(1982)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Golden Gate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director

  • The Five of Me(1981)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Cry for Love(1980)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd(1980)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Act of Violence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

  • The Ordeal of Patty Hearst(1979)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • A Woman Called Moses(1978)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Betrayal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director

  • 79 Park Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Producer

  • A Little Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Good Against Evil(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • The Death of Richie(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Stalk the Wild Child(1976)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Special Delivery(1976)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Death Among Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • The Legend of Lizzie Borden(1975)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Underground Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Terror on the Beach(1973)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

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

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Honor Thy Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • The Strangers in 7A(1972)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

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

    Director

  • Haunts of the Very Rich(1972)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Family Rico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • The Woman I Love(1972)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Delphi Bureau: The Merchant of Death Assignment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • A Death of Innocence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • A Tattered Web(1971)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Mephisto Waltz(1971)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Travis Logan, D.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Cannon for Cordoba(1970)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Brotherhood of the Bell(1970)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Hell Boats(1970)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Guns of the Magnificent Seven(1969)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Fear No Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • Cocoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Attack on the Iron Coast(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Invaders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 9 episodes · Director

  • Johnny Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • The F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Honey West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

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

    Director

  • Gidget Goes to Rome(1963)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Eleventh Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Five Fingers : The Temple of the Swinging Doll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director

  • Gidget Goes Hawaiian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director

  • Angel Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director

  • Because They're Young(1960)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Battle of the Coral Sea(1959)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Law of the Plainsman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Face of a Fugitive(1959)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Gidget(1959)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Tarawa Beachhead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Behind Closed Doors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Bitter Heritage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • The Case Against Brooklyn(1958)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Burglar(1957)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 91 titles from 1957 to 1999.

Biggest box office

Gidget (1959)

$248 worldwide

Highest rated

The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975)

Midcredits 83rd

Most popular right now

Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing90 of 91: 86 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rdProducing3 of 91: 1 only producing, 2 with another roleEditing1 of 91: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 91: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

91 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1950s9 · crew1960s16 · crew1970s30 · crew1980s24 · crew1990s12 · 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 Paul Wendkos' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 43; across their 43 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Reach · how many have seen their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Midcredits score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 45 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · director

The Ordeal of Patty Hearst (1979)

81st percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975)

Midcredits 83rd · 79% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 62/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 34 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 Paul Wendkos' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Paul Wendkos work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Wendkos' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chuck Arnold shares the most, 7.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles