Audie Murphy Movies

Want to know the best Audie Murphy movies?  How about the worst Audie Murphy movies?  Curious about Audie Murphy box office grosses or which Audie Murphy movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Audie Murphy movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well, you have come to the right place…. because we have all of that information.

Audie Murphy (1925-1971) was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II.  After the war, Murphy became a movie star. His most famous role was playing himself in 1955’s To Hell and Back.  That movie was based on his 1949 memoirs of the same name. His IMDb page shows 51 acting credits from 1948-1969. This page ranks Audie Murphy movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, documentaries and shorts were not included in the rankings.

Drivel part of the page:  Seems like Audie Murphy has been on our request hotline for a very long time.  So long ago that we can not remember if Dan, Lyle or Laurent requested him first. Well, finally we have finished our Audie Murphy page.  Sadly, when we got to the 1960s….. box office numbers for his movies became very hard to find.  So, 4 of his movies did not make the following table:  Those movies are listed in the “Possibly Interesting Facts” part of the page with their critic audience rating.

Audie Murphy in 1955's To Hell and Back
Audie Murphy in 1955’s To Hell and Back

Audie Murphy Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.

Audie Murphy Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table

The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.

  • Sort Audie Murphy movies by co-stars of his movies
  • Sort Audie Murphy movies by actual domestic box office grosses (in millions)
  • Sort Audie Murphy movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort Audie Murphy movies by yearly box office rank
  • Sort Audie Murphy movies how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie
  • Sort Audie Murphy movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR)Score.  UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.

Audie Murphy and James Stewart in 1957's Night Passage
Audie Murphy and James Stewart in 1957’s Night Passage

Possibly Interesting Facts About Audie Murphy

1. Audie Leon Murphy was born in Kingston, Texas in 1925.  He was the seventh of twelve children.

2. Audie Murphy became a national hero during World War II as the most decorated combat soldier of the war. Among his 33 awards was the Medal of Honor, the highest award for bravery that a soldier can receive.

3.  When James Cagney saw an article on Audie Murphy in Time Magazine concerning his war heroics….Cagney decided to sign Murphy to a movie contract and brought him to Hollywood.

4.  Audie Murphy disliked the name “Audie” when he was a kid and usually went by his middle name, Leon. In the Army, he discovered that “Leon” was considered synonymous with rednecks, and spent the rest of his life going by “Audie” or “Murph.”.

5. Clint Eastwood versus Audie Murphy?  Yep it almost happened.  Murphy was offered the villain role in 1971’s Dirty Harry.  Sadly he died in a plane crash before filming began.

6. Audie Murphy was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

7. Audie Murphy was married two times.  He had two children.

8. Audie Murphy is one of the few actors/actresses in our database to have made over 30 movies and not have one of their movies nominated for a single Oscar® in any category.  The others?  Jennifer Aniston, Elvis Presley and Abbott & Costello.

9.  Audie Murphy has a wonderful official fan website.  Lots of Murphy stuff can be found at www.audiemurphy.com.

10. Check out Audie Murphy ‘s career compared to current and classic actors.  Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.

Astute readers will notice that four movies are missing….we were unable to find any box office information on them but here are those nine movies. Listed by the best rated ones according to critics and audiences

  1. 1962’s Six Black Horse  – 62.50% – critic audience rating
  2. 1966’s The Texican –  60.25% – critic audience rating
  3. 1969’s A Time For Dying – 53.00% – critic audience rating
  4. 1965’s Einer spielt falsch – 49.00% – critic audience rating

 

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158 thoughts on “Audie Murphy Movies”

  1. I’m not very versed in the works of Audie Murphy. I’ve seen 4 of the ones listed, all in the top 5.

    Reply

    1. Wow Larry….we (the Americans) did not do very well in the tally count at all….pretty surprising since almost all of his movies were westerns…and he was one of our countries biggest heroes…I guess America can’t win everything….lol. Thanks for the comment and the visit.

      Current and probable final standings.
      Gold Medal – Ireland’s Robert Roy with 31 Murphy movies watched
      Silver Medal – Paul G. with 30 Murphy movies watched (Bad Boy now on page)
      Bronze Medal – Canada’s BERN1960 with 13 Murphy movies watched
      4th Place – Canada’s Flora with 7 Murphy movies watched
      5th Place – New England’s Steve with 5 Murphy movies watched
      6th Place – USA’s Larry with 4 Murphy movies watched
      7th Place – USA’s Cogerson with 4 Murphy movies watched
      8th Place – France’s Laurent with 3 Murphy movies watched

      Reply

  2. A true American hero. I have not seen many of his movies but I have seen To Hell And Back many many times. If I am allowed to count those reviewing so my count is in the teens for sure. Nice addition.

    Reply

    1. Hey Stein….I agree with your comment 100%. Sadly you will not be able to count the repeat viewings of To Hell And Back….lol. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply

  3. Great, Bruce!

    Deciding that it is best to alter the way you make the table is indeed the best way to go about making this page.

    Murphy was different than other movie stars.

    He was not a movie star who went into battle.

    He was a real life war hero who then went into movies.

    That means that it is not that surprising that his movie career started off on a high note and then he ended up making smaller films.

    I am a fan of Audie murphy.

    Regarding the missing movies – I have not yet seen any of them.

    Regarding the films you could include:

    The highest ranked film have seen is of course Number 1: His biopic: To Hell and Back

    The lowest ranked film I have seen is number 25: Gunfight at Comanche Creek.

    The highest ranked film I have not seen is Number 2 which I’ve never had access to seeing as far as I remember: Beyond Glory.

    Overall, I have seen only 7 of them – but they include The Red Badge of Courage – another famous title.

    So as I suspected, I am not at the top- your Mom bested me. But I did beat you.

    Favourite film:
    To Hell and Back.

    I look forward to seeing more of Murphy’s work.

    although

    I have seen

    Reply

    1. Hey Flora.
      1. Tally counts…..8 counts this time….I finished in 7th place….and that was not even last.
      Current and probable final standings.
      Gold Medal – Ireland’s Robert Roy with 31 Murphy movies watched
      Silver Medal – Paul G. with 30 Murphy movies watched (Bad Boy now on page)
      Bronze Medal – Canada’s BERN1960 with 13 Murphy movies watched
      4th Place – Canada’s Flora with 7 Murphy movies watched
      5th Place – New England’s Steve with 5 Murphy movies watched
      6th Place – USA’s Larry with 4 Murphy movies watched
      7th Place – USA’s Cogerson with 4 Murphy movies watched
      8th Place – France’s Laurent with 3 Murphy movies watched
      2. I am sure if someone told him in World War 2 that in less than ten years he would be one of the most popular stars making movies in Hollywood….he would have thought that person was beyond crazy.
      3. I bet all 8 people that reported tally counts saw To Hell And Back.
      4. I liked Red Badge of Courage….but I bet there is entire different version that John Huston made….the studio made him edit the heck out of that movie….it ended up being just over a hour long….I would really like to see the longer version.
      5. I guess Audie Murphy movies are not in heavy rotation on channels like TCM….I know the DVD copies of his movies are hard to find….so I am thinking my tally count will be remaining pretty low for awhile.
      As always….thanks for sharing your movie knowledge.

      Reply

  4. Ride Clear of Diablo is easily my favorite Murphy movie, I think this is when he saw the light that made him a better actor. Awesome look and one of my favorites.

    Reply

    1. An excellent film and one of my own favourite Murphy movies. Dan Duryea was a wonderful foil to him in it. He made two other films with Dan -Six Black Horses and Night Passage,both westerns. Night Passage also starred Jimmy Stewart and the title of Six Black Horses derives fro Dan telling Audie in the film that when he dies he wants six black horses to pull his hearse.

      Reply

      1. How many films have you seen, Robert? I’ve seen 7. Bern1960 has seen 13. Bruce Cogerson has seen 4.

        Reply

          1. How many do you remember? Bruce and Steve Lensman only count the ones they can remember in tallies.

            I know very well I saw lots of films as a child that I do not remember so I do not count them in the tallies.

          2. Hey Robert Roy….will give you credit for 31….I have a red notebook from the 1980s…that lists movies I watched 30 years ago…and whenever I look at that book…I think….I watched that movie?…..so you might not remember all the details…but you watched it. That probably means the movie was average at best. Not thinking too many great movies have that “memory” problem of wondering if you have seen the movie or not..lol.

            Current and probable final standings.
            Gold Medal – Ireland’s Robert Roy with 31 Murphy movies watched
            Silver Medal – Paul G. with 30 Murphy movies watched (Bad Boy now on page)
            Bronze Medal – Canada’s BERN1960 with 13 Murphy movies watched
            4th Place – Canada’s Flora with 7 Murphy movies watched
            5th Place – New England’s Steve with 5 Murphy movies watched
            6th Place – USA’s Larry with 4 Murphy movies watched
            7th Place – USA’s Cogerson with 4 Murphy movies watched
            8th Place – France’s Laurent with 3 Murphy movies watched

        2. GOOD MORNING FLORA [Though you’re probably still asleep!]

          1 I can remember to one degree or another about 20 of the 31 films that I have seen As I’ve indicated previously all of his stand-alone movies were released as part of a double bill over here, with the exception of the Quiet American..

          2 For example his 1952 Gunsmoke was on the lower half of a bill with Abbott & Costello Go to Mars. Even his big budget, high grossing autobiographical film To Hell and Back arrived here on the top half of a double bill that was shared with a boxing film,The Square Jungle starring Tony Curtis.

          3 A couple of his westerns were second on the bill to some British B film that probably did not see the light of day in the States and Canada. An example was Tumbleweed which was billed below a weak British comedy called Always a Bride starring Peggy Cummins. Ever heard of it or her?

          4 My personal favourites were Tumbleweed, Ride Clear of Diablo, Ride a Crooked Trail and a boxing film called World in my Corner. ‘Tumbleweed was the name of the horse that he rode in that film. Ride a Crooked Trail was on the top half of the bill. I can remember standing in a queue for it and the tagline on the poster at the cinema entrance was AUDIE FAST DRAW MURPHY IN RIDE A CROOKED TRAIL Ride Clear of Diablo did not get even a main City release but went straight to the second run movie houses in the suburbs.

          Reply

          1. Hey Robert Roy…..after spending two days with Mr. Murphy and his movie career….I think you are correct ….he only had 4 movies that could be considered big budget movies…his two with Huston as the director, To Hell and Back and Night Passage…..two of which he had supporting roles. I read that Huston wanted Murphy for Golden Reflections of the Eye (sorry if that is not the correct title).. that would have been the 5th one if he had made it. I wonder if it was for the Brando or Robert Forster role.

            I have seen none of your favorite Murphy movies. He mad World In My Corner right after his massive success with To Hell And Back…..but the movie going public stayed away from his boxing movie. That was probably when his career started going down….I imagine if World in My Corner would have been a hit….his career would have gone a very different way….but when it flopped Murphy ran back to the safety of horse dramas.

            Thanks for the release information in Ireland….it is interesting to see how the countries are different.

          3. The movie referred to is Reflections of a golden Eye, Bruce. I’ve seen it.

      2. Glad to see somebody else has enjoyed Ride Clear of Diablo so much. Not thinking there are too many of us out.

        Reply

    2. Hey Victor….thanks for stopping by and checking out our latest page. I have not seen Ride Clear of Diablo….but based on your recommendation and Robert Roy’s I will have to add it to my list of movies to see.

      Reply

  5. First to report in. I have seen 13 of the movies on the table, and none of the 9 listed at the bottom.

    Reply

    1. Hey BERN1960…congrats on being first to comment. Your 13 movies watched is 9 more than me. I blame my mother because she would not let me watch his movies growing up….lol. I thought my tally would be higher than 4…I guess I have some movie watching to do. Thanks for the comment and the visit.

      Reply

      1. Hey BERN1960…..your first tally count comment…really got the ball moving.

        Current and probable final standings.
        Gold Medal – Ireland’s Robert Roy with 31 Murphy movies watched
        Silver Medal – Paul G. with 30 Murphy movies watched (Bad Boy now on page)
        Bronze Medal – Canada’s BERN1960 with 13 Murphy movies watched
        4th Place – Canada’s Flora with 7 Murphy movies watched
        5th Place – New England’s Steve with 5 Murphy movies watched
        6th Place – USA’s Larry with 4 Murphy movies watched
        7th Place – USA’s Cogerson with 4 Murphy movies watched
        8th Place – France’s Laurent with 3 Murphy movies watched

        Reply

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