Red Skelton Movies

Want to know the best Red Skelton movies?  How about the worst Red Skelton movies?  Curious about Red Skelton box office grosses or which Red Skelton movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Red Skelton 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.

Red Skelton (1913-1997) was an American actor who had great success in movies and in television.  His IMDb page shows 47 acting credits from 1938-1981. This page will rank 32 Red Skelton movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows and movies that were not released in theaters were not included in the rankings.

1941’s Whistling in the Dark was a surprise hit and turned Red Skelton into a star.

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

Red Skelton 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 Red Skelton movies by co-stars of his movies.
  • Sort Red Skelton movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort Red Skelton movies by yearly domestic box office rank
  • Sort Red Skelton movies how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
  • Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each Red Skelton movie received and how many Oscar® wins each Red Skelton movie won.
  • Sort Red Skelton 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.

Stats and Possibly Interesting Things From The Above Red Skelton Table

  1. Seventeen Red Skelton movies crossed the magical $100 million domestic gross mark.  That is a percentage of 53.13% of his movies listed. Bathing Beauty (1944) was his biggest box office hit when looking at adjusted domestic box office gross.
  2. An average Red Skelton movie grosses $120.20 million in adjusted box office gross.
  3. Using RottenTomatoes.com’s 60% fresh meter.  15 of Red Skelton movies are rated as good movies…or 46.87% of his movies. Three Little Words (1950) is his highest rated movie while Texas Carnival (1951) was his lowest rated movie.
  4. Five Red Skelton movies received at least one Oscar® nomination in any category…..or 15.62% of his movies.
  5. Two Red Skelton movies won at least one Oscar® in any category…..or 6.25% of his movies.
  6. An average Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score is 40.00. 25 Red Skelton movies scored higher than that average….or 78.12% of his movies. Bathing Beauty (1944) got the the highest UMR Score  while Half A Hero (1953) got the lowest UMR Score.
1944’s Bathing Beauty…..statistically Red Skelton’s best movie.

Ten Possibly Interesting Facts About Red Skelton

1. Richard Barnard Skelton was born in Vincennes, Indiana during 1913.

2. Red Skelton’s father passed away two months before he was born.  In order to help his family, Red Skelton went to work at the age of 7.  His jobs?  Newspaper street peddler, errand boy who sold bottles of medicine at medicine shows, circus work, burlesque performer and master of ceremonies for dance marathons.

3.  Red Skelton met Edna Marie Stilwell at one of the dance marthons he was hosting.  She approached Skelton after winning the contest and told him that she did not like his jokes; he asked if she could do better.  They would marry when he was 16 and she was 18.  Stilwell is probably why Skelton became so famous.  First she taught him the basic educational skills he missed when leaving school so early.  Secondly, she began to write his material.  Thirdly, after she joined his act things really picked up for him.  Fourthly, she came up with a “Doughnut Dunkers” routine that put Red Skelton on the map.  Their Doughnut Dunkers routine eventually gave them an audience with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  FDR loved it so much that Skelton became his “master of cermonies”.

4.  After reading about all of the influence Edna Marie Stilwell had on Red Skelton, I was hoping that when I looked up his marriage record I would see they stayed together for 50 or 60 years.  Sadly that was not the case as they divorced in the early 1940s.  Overall Red Skelton was married three times and had two children.

5.  Although famous for his drunk comedy sketches, Red Skelton never drank and was, in fact, allergic to alcohol.

6.  Red Skelton was awarded two Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6650 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Radio at 6763 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

7.  Red Skelton served in the United States Army during World War II

8.  Red Skelton’s movies from 1940 to 1949 earned $2.79 billion in adjusted domestic gross.  That puts him in 35th place when looking at all the stars of that decade.  1940’s Top Box Office Stars.

9. Red Skelton’s movies from 1950 to 1959 earned $754.2 million in adjusted domestic gross.  That puts him in 98th place when looking at all the stars of that decade.  1950’s Top Box Office Stars.

10. Check out Red Skelton’s career compared to current and classic actors.  Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.

Want more stats?  How about Red Skelton Adjusted Worldwide Grosses?

 

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12 thoughts on “Red Skelton Movies”

  1. Hi

    To be honest I wasn’t very familiar with his work as a film star. But lately I followed a lot of his T.V. sketches on Youtube and I have to say he was incredibly talented. What I find really shocking is that CBS dropped his show in the early 70’s because they thought the demo graph of his audience were too old and they were wanting to appeal to younger viewers. Despite the fact his show was still in the top 10.
    I’m surprised another station didn’t take on his show because his one man shows around the world were hugely successful. Admittedly his comedy is very innocent and maybe starting to come across as old fashioned in the cynical 70’s but I am going to make a point of looking out for his movies. By what I’ve read on google, he seemed to be as big as Bob Hope. Thanks for the page.

    Reply

    1. Chris

      “his comedy is very innocent”

      What we see today of it. And he was peculiarly “innocent” and “little boyish” when he said goodbye to his audience after a show. Ironically, I remember back in the day reading that tickets to the tapings of his show were premium because he kept breaking up his crew with his dirty ad libs which of course were edited out of the show we see.
      Red was a very complex man as his multi-talents hint at. He could be witty. A couple of Red quotes–“Hollywood is where folks buy what they don’t want with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t like.” and, at the crowd at Harry Cohn’s funeral, “It is like what they always say in show business. Give the public what they want to see and they’ll come out.”
      Red seems to have been largely blackballed by the mainstream entertainment establishment because he complained so bitterly about his show being cancelled. I remember seeing him get a lifetime achievement award and still harping on that years later. Who had the last laugh I guess depends on how one looks at it. Red turned largely to his painting and was very successful in this second career.

      Reply

  2. I saw DuBarry Was a Lady (1943) at the Regency revival theater years ago. Ziegfeld Follies was part of the fist double bill I saw at the Regency in 1978; it plated with Words and Music (1948). I went to Those Magnificent Men in 1965 or 66 as a kid. By the way when CBS cancelled his show he went to NBC for one year, his show reduced to a half hour.

    Considering he has not been in a film since 1965 I’m surprised there are still a few people on the current Oracle of Bacon that have worked with him (Mr. Tovey is gone this year). He was in some all-star films.

    275 VERNON DOBTCHEFF Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    455 SHIRLEY MACLAINE Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    455 SHIRLEY MACLAINE Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    548 HENRY SILVA Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    592 JOHN GIELGUD Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    622 RALPH MORATZ AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (1956)
    757 CHARLES PENDLETON AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (1956)
    884 JAMES FOX Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    912 ARTHUR TOVEY Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    966 KATHLEEN FREEMAN Half a Hero (1953)

    These are the people on the original top 1000 list in 2000 who appeared with Red.

    14 JOHN CARRADINE Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    43 KEENAN WYNN Neptune’s Daughter (1949)
    43 KEENAN WYNN Texas Carnival (1951)
    43 KEENAN WYNN Three Little Words (1950)
    43 KEENAN WYNN Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
    53 CHARLES BRONSON The Clown (1953)
    54 STUART WHITMAN Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    61 TREVOR HOWARD Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    76 EDDIE ALBERT The Fuller Brush Girl (1950)
    90 JOHN IRELAND A Southern Yankee (1948)
    94 ROBERT MORLEY Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    94 ROBERT MORLEY Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    96 FERDY MAYNE Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    102 DAVID NIVEN Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    122 JOHN MILLS Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    146 MIKE MAZURKI Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    146 MIKE MAZURKI Neptune’s Daughter (1949)
    146 MIKE MAZURKI Whistling in Brooklyn (1943)
    151 CESAR ROMERO Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    151 CESAR ROMERO Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    177 MARCEL DALIO Lovely to Look at (1952)
    186 AVA GARDNER Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)
    222 BESS FLOWERS Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    222 BESS FLOWERS Duchess of Idaho (1950)
    222 BESS FLOWERS Lady Be Good (1941)
    222 BESS FLOWERS Ship Ahoy (1942)
    222 BESS FLOWERS Texas Carnival (1951)
    222 BESS FLOWERS The Clown (1953)
    222 BESS FLOWERS The People vs. Dr. Kildare (1941)
    234 AKIM TAMIROFF Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    237 PETER LAWFORD Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    237 PETER LAWFORD Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
    266 JEAN-PIERRE CASSEL Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    270 FRANK SINATRA Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    270 FRANK SINATRA Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    270 FRANK SINATRA Ship Ahoy (1942)
    273 GEORGE COULOURIS A Southern Yankee (1948)
    278 KEYE LUKE Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    280 BILLY BARTY The Clown (1953)
    299 FRITZ FELD Maisie Gets Her Man (1942)
    308 SAM WANAMAKER Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    310 STEVE FORREST The Clown (1953)
    332 ANGIE DICKINSON Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    361 JAMES WHITMORE The Great Diamond Robbery (1954)
    379 ANN DORAN Dr. Kildare’s Wedding Day (1941)
    384 GILBERT ROLAND Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    393 CHARLES BOYER Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    395 WALTER PIDGEON Flight Command (1940)
    410 GEORGE RAFT Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    410 GEORGE RAFT Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    424 ZSA ZSA GABOR Lovely to Look at (1952)
    438 GLYNIS JOHNS Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    444 GERT FROBE Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    459 DABBS GREER Half a Hero (1953)
    467 VAN JOHNSON Duchess of Idaho (1950)
    467 VAN JOHNSON Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
    472 TERRY-THOMAS Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    503 RICHARD CONTE Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    506 DOUGLAS FOWLEY Merton of the Movies (1947)
    524 RICHARD WATTIS Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    530 NORMAN FELL Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    555 HUME CRONYN Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
    562 PAUL BRYAR Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    562 PAUL BRYAR The Fuller Brush Girl (1950)
    571 CHARLES LANE The Show-Off (1946)
    571 CHARLES LANE The Yellow Cab Man (1950)
    599 JOHN DOUCETTE The Fuller Brush Girl (1950)
    606 ALBERTO MORIN Flight Command (1940)
    611 DON ‘RED’ BARRY Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    613 JOHN LE MESURIER Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    657 DEBBIE REYNOLDS Susan Slept Here (1954)
    657 DEBBIE REYNOLDS Three Little Words (1950)
    682 RAY TEAL Bathing Beauty (1944)
    682 RAY TEAL Whistling in Brooklyn (1943)
    682 RAY TEAL Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
    688 GRAHAM STARK Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    712 FINLAY CURRIE Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    742 RICARDO MONTALBAN Neptune’s Daughter (1949)
    744 DEAN JAGGER Having Wonderful Time (1938)
    746 HERB VIGRAN Public Pigeon No. One (1957)
    746 HERB VIGRAN Susan Slept Here (1954)
    753 MAURICE DENHAM Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    763 FEODOR CHALIAPIN JR. Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
    767 PHILIP AHN Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    767 PHILIP AHN Ship Ahoy (1942)
    777 ERIC POHLMANN Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
    783 JAMES FLAVIN I Dood It (1943)
    783 JAMES FLAVIN The People vs. Dr. Kildare (1941)
    824 FRANK WILCOX The Fuller Brush Girl (1950)
    832 DON BRODIE Watch the Birdie (1950)
    851 CEDRIC HARDWICKE Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    859 MYRON HEALEY I Dood It (1943)
    859 MYRON HEALEY The Fuller Brush Girl (1950)
    882 DEAN MARTIN Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    894 PHILIP VAN ZANDT Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    894 PHILIP VAN ZANDT Maisie Gets Her Man (1942)
    903 JACK KRUSCHEN The Great Diamond Robbery (1954)
    917 ROBERT J. WILKE A Southern Yankee (1948)
    959 LEON AMES Merton of the Movies (1947)
    959 LEON AMES The Show-Off (1946)
    959 LEON AMES Watch the Birdie (1950)
    961 NICKY BLAIR Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    963 FRANK FERGUSON Watch the Birdie (1950)
    965 MARY WICKES Half a Hero (1953)
    965 MARY WICKES Seeing Red (1939)
    969 BYRON FOULGER A Southern Yankee (1948)
    969 BYRON FOULGER The Show-Off (1946)
    972 RICHARD BOONE Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    982 BILLY BENEDICT Merton of the Movies (1947)
    994 ELLEN CORBY Susan Slept Here (1954)
    Also surprising 13 Oscar winners (many thanks to Around the World), I would’ve figured hardly any. I know Anbbott and Costello appeared with Charles Laughton and the Three Stooges were in It’s a Mad,Mad, Mad, Mad World with Spencer Tracy. Are there any Oscar winners in a Laurel and Hardy picture and Martin and Lewis have Shrley MacLaine who comes to mind. I though Red would be at that level. Anyway, the 13;

    CHARLES COBURN Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    DAVID NIVEN Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    DEAN JAGGER Having Wonderful Time (1938)
    FRANK SINATRA Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    FRANK SINATRA Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    FRANK SINATRA Ship Ahoy (1942)
    GINGER ROGERS Having Wonderful Time (1938)
    GLORIA GRAHAME Merton of the Movies (1947)
    JANE DARWELL Excuse My Dust (1951)
    JOHN GIELGUD Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    JOHN MILLS Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    LIONEL BARRYMORE Dr. Kildare’s Wedding Day (1941)
    LIONEL BARRYMORE Lady Be Good (1941)
    LIONEL BARRYMORE The People vs. Dr. Kildare (1941)
    RONALD COLMAN Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    SHIRLEY MACLAINE Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)
    SHIRLEY MACLAINE Ocean’s Eleven (1960)
    VICTOR MCLAGLEN Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)

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