Who were the Top Movie Stars of the 1950s statistically? This page will attempt to answer that question. Our main source of information was our Ultimate Movie Ranking (UMR) pages that covered movie stars that made movies in the 1950s. So far we have box office grosses on 1,455 movies made between 1950 and 1959. Granted this is far from all the movies made during that time frame….but it does cover most of the major movie releases in that decade.
We have included four lists of information. List one looks at the Top 15 stars by adjusted domestic box office (the Top Star might surprise you). List two looks at the Top 15 stars by highest average rating per movie according to critics and audiences. List three looks at the Top 15 Stars by highest average UMR score per movie. List four shows our entire table of all the stars we looked at while complying these lists.
Top 15 Adjusted Domestic Box Office Leaders 1950 – 1959
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- 1st James Stewart $4,101,500,000
- 2nd Charlton Heston $3,943,800,000
- 3rd William Holden $3,677,700,000
- 4th Rock Hudson $3,516,000,000
- 5th Dean Martin $3,452,000,000
- 6th Jerry Lewis $3,448,000,000
- 7th Burt Lancaster $3,349,500,000
- 8th Frank Sinatra $3,331,800,000
- 9th Tony Curtis $3,246,000,000
- 10th John Wayne $3,051,400,000
- 11th Deborah Kerr $3,034,000,000
- 12th Elizabeth Taylor $2,826,000,000
- 13th Marilyn Monroe $2,776,000,000
- 14th Glenn Ford $2,720,000,000
- 15th Susan Hayward $2,705,600,000
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Top 15 Average Critic/Audience Rating Leaders 1950 – 1959 (min. 8 movies)
- 1st Marlon Brando 77.40% critic and audience voting
- 2nd Grace Kelly 77.20% critic and audience voting
- 3rd James Stewart 75.80% critic and audience voting
- 4th Charles Laughton 75.10% critic and audience voting
- 5th Danny Kaye 74.30% critic and audience voting
- 6th Audrey Hepburn 73.80% critic and audience voting
- 7th Ingrid Bergman 73.50% critic and audience voting
- 8th Marilyn Monroe 72.90% critic and audience voting
- 9th Humphrey Bogart 72.10% critic and audience voting
- 10th Cary Grant 71.40% critic and audience voting
- 11th Henry Fonda 71.30% critic and audience voting
- 12th Alec Guiness 71.00% critic and audience voting
- 13th Fred Astaire 70.70% critic and audience voting
- 14th William Holden 70.20% critic and audience voting
- 15th Jack Lemmon 69.60% critic and audience voting
Top 15 Average UMR Score Per Movie 1950-1959 (minimum 8 movies)
- 1st Marlon Brando
- 2nd Grace Kelly
- 3rd James Stewart
- 4th Yul Brynner
- 5th Danny Kaye
- 6th Elizabeth Taylor
- 7th Frank Sinatra
- 8th Dean Martin
- 9th William Holden
- 10th Montgomery Clift
- 11th Jerry Lewis
- 12th Burt Lancaster
- 13th Humphrey Bogart
- 14th John Wayne
- 15th Cary Grant
Top Movie Stars 1950-1959 Main Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort by actor or actress
- Sort by movies made between 1950 and 1959
- Sort by total adjusted domestic box office average by movie
- Sort by total adjusted domestic box office from 1950 to 1959
- Sort by total adjusted worldwide box office from 1950 to 1959 *Do not have worldwide totals for all films
- Sort by average review percentage based on critic and audience voting
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each performers’ movies earned
| Box Office Rank | Thespian | Movies | Adj. Domestic B.O. | Adj. Worldwide B.OI. | AVG Review % | Oscar Noms / Wins | AVG UMR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Stewart | 22 | $4,100,800,000 | $4,101,500,000 | 75.8 % | 031 / 05 | 79.45 | |
| Charlton Heston | 21 | $3,943,800,000 | $7,124,800,000 | 66.3 % | 030 / 15 | 66.55 | |
| William Holden | 23 | $3,677,700,000 | $3,832,100,000 | 70.2 % | 065 / 21 | 75.44 | |
| Rock Hudson | 30 | $3,516,000,000 | $3,737,900,000 | 65.9 % | 022 / 03 | 66.53 | |
| Dean Martin | 20 | $3,452,000,000 | $3,764,200,000 | 64.1 % | 011 / 00 | 76.12 | |
| Jerry Lewis | 20 | $3,448,000,000 | $3,448,300,000 | 61.6 % | 000 / 00 | 75.21 | |
| Burt Lancaster | 21 | $3,349,500,000 | $3,767,700,000 | 68.7 % | 038 / 14 | 74.81 | |
| Frank Sinatra | 18 | $3,331,800,000 | $3,546,700,000 | 67.1 % | 034 / 09 | 76.26 | |
| Tony Curtis | 30 | $3,246,000,000 | $3,246,800,000 | 65.9 % | 016 / 03 | 64.49 | |
| John Wayne | 19 | $3,051,400,000 | $4,057,400,000 | 65.0 % | 015 / 03 | 73.74 | |
| Deborah Kerr | 20 | $3,034,000,000 | $4,320,500,000 | 68.5 % | 056 / 18 | 72.91 | |
| Harry Morgan | 28 | $2,962,400,000 | $3,034,300,000 | 64.8 % | 018 / 05 | 63.99 | |
| Agnes Moorehead | 28 | $2,847,600,000 | $3,404,700,000 | 60.7 % | 011 / 00 | 63.33 | |
| Elizabeth Taylor | 15 | $2,826,000,000 | $4,348,500,000 | 66.7 % | 034 / 07 | 76.55 | |
| Marilyn Monroe | 20 | $2,776,000,000 | $2,908,400,000 | 72.9 % | 029 / 07 | 72.53 | |
| Glenn Ford | 32 | $2,720,000,000 | $2,898,200,000 | 64.5 % | 013 / 01 | 63.03 | |
| Susan Hayward | 19 | $2,705,600,000 | $2,758,900,000 | 62.1 % | 024 / 03 | 71.37 | |
| Debra Paget | 15 | $2,703,000,000 | $4,467,400,000 | 66.3 % | 011 / 01 | 68.66 | |
| Doris Day | 22 | $2,684,000,000 | $3,476,300,000 | 66.7 % | 020 / 04 | 70.10 | |
| James Mason | 23 | $2,679,500,000 | $3,291,600,000 | 69.4 % | 024 / 03 | 68.16 | |
| Dean Jagger | 22 | $2,543,200,000 | $3,380,800,000 | 67.4 % | 022 / 02 | 64.52 | |
| Gregory Peck | 18 | $2,523,600,000 | $2,867,700,000 | 67.5 % | 024 / 05 | 72.80 | |
| Victor Mature | 28 | $2,506,000,000 | $3,174,300,000 | 58.1 % | 008 / 02 | 57.74 | |
| Kirk Douglas | 23 | $2,500,100,000 | $2,789,600,000 | 68.8 % | 023 / 08 | 67.75 | |
| Yul Brynner | 8 | $2,410,400,000 | $4,109,500,000 | 69.4 % | 020 / 07 | 78.83 | |
| Vincent Price | 15 | $2,404,500,000 | $4,172,500,000 | 66.7 % | 007 / 01 | 63.45 | |
| Ernest Borgnine | 21 | $2,402,400,000 | $2,535,200,000 | 68.5 % | 025 / 12 | 68.16 | |
| Lee Marvin | 22 | $2,373,800,000 | $2,644,400,000 | 66.6 % | 012 / 00 | 64.80 | |
| Alan Ladd | 23 | $2,359,800,000 | $2,754,800,000 | 55.4 % | 007 / 02 | 61.24 | |
| Grace Kelly | 11 | $2,338,600,000 | $2,717,900,000 | 77.2 % | 028 / 08 | 83.21 | |
| Robert Taylor | 23 | $2,320,700,000 | $4,354,800,000 | 60.3 % | 016 / 00 | 62.18 | |
| Thelma Ritter | 16 | $2,315,200,000 | $2,475,700,000 | 72.8 % | 039 / 09 | 74.86 | |
| Marlon Brando | 11 | $2,307,800,000 | $2,593,300,000 | 77.4 % | 054 / 18 | 87.67 | |
| Bing Crosby | 12 | $2,296,800,000 | $2,436,700,000 | 63.1 % | 014 / 03 | 72.43 | |
| Jeff Chandler | 34 | $2,281,400,000 | $2,279,700,000 | 59.2 % | 003 / 00 | 58.53 | |
| Jean Simmons | 21 | $2,278,500,000 | $2,933,000,000 | 64.9 % | 018 / 03 | 62.12 | |
| Gary Cooper | 19 | $2,268,600,000 | $2,561,200,000 | 68.0 % | 015 / 04 | 70.13 | |
| Richard Egan | 30 | $2,256,000,000 | $2,477,800,000 | 60.9 % | 002 / 00 | 60.37 | |
| Howard Keel | 19 | $2,247,700,000 | $3,498,800,000 | 62.2 % | 018 / 03 | 65.84 | |
| Robert Mitchum | 25 | $2,187,500,000 | $2,286,200,000 | 61.3 % | 004 / 01 | 61.11 | |
| Robert Wagner | 20 | $2,150,000,000 | $2,311,700,000 | 59.3 % | 014 / 03 | 65.12 | |
| Janet Leigh | 22 | $2,092,200,000 | $2,216,500,000 | 62.7 % | 003 / 00 | 62.84 | |
| Anne Baxter | 17 | $2,087,600,000 | $4,016,600,000 | 66.8 % | 021 / 07 | 61.66 | |
| Ava Gardner | 14 | $2,083,200,000 | $2,831,500,000 | 62.5 % | 012 / 01 | 70.67 | |
| Van Johnson | 29 | $2,079,300,000 | $2,827,100,000 | 62.0 % | 013 / 01 | 59.30 | |
| Humphrey Bogart | 15 | $2,076,000,000 | $2,225,500,000 | 72.1 % | 020 / 03 | 74.23 | |
| Richard Widmark | 26 | $2,051,400,000 | $2,200,800,000 | 63.7 % | 009 / 02 | 62.21 | |
| Gloria Grahame | 18 | $2,050,200,000 | $2,126,100,000 | 68.8 % | 020 / 09 | 65.77 | |
| Cary Grant | 13 | $2,013,700,000 | $2,398,200,000 | 71.4 % | 014 / 01 | 73.57 | |
| Yvonne De Carlo | 17 | $1,929,500,000 | $3,722,500,000 | 59.9 % | 008 / 01 | 57.14 | |
| Dorothy Malone | 22 | $1,927,200,000 | $2,039,400,000 | 62.8 % | 005 / 01 | 61.84 | |
| Lana Turner | 15 | $1,918,500,000 | $2,233,600,000 | 56.0 % | 020 / 05 | 62.88 | |
| Raymond Burr | 32 | $1,900,800,000 | $2,263,300,000 | 60.3 % | 013 / 06 | 56.33 | |
| Debbie Reynolds | 20 | $1,898,000,000 | $2,296,000,000 | 64.7 % | 009 / 00 | 65.15 | |
| June Allyson | 17 | $1,893,800,000 | $2,138,200,000 | 60.9 % | 009 / 01 | 63.29 | |
| Arthur Kennedy | 18 | $1,884,600,000 | $2,123,300,000 | 70.4 % | 017 / 00 | 68.01 | |
| Judith Anderson | 4 | $1,879,600,000 | $3,736,500,000 | 76.8 % | 014 / 01 | 85.54 | |
| Edmond O'Brien | 26 | $1,872,000,000 | $2,150,500,000 | 60.8 % | 008 / 02 | 59.71 | |
| Van Heflin | 18 | $1,861,200,000 | $2,059,400,000 | 66.0 % | 008 / 01 | 64.09 | |
| Natalie Wood | 19 | $1,839,200,000 | $2,136,800,000 | 60.0 % | 012 / 00 | 63.09 | |
| Edward G. Robinson | 13 | $1,827,800,000 | $3,590,200,000 | 63.0 % | 007 / 01 | 59.81 | |
| Mitzi Gaynor | 15 | $1,827,000,000 | $1,894,600,000 | 60.9 % | 011 / 03 | 64.98 | |
| Fred MacMurray | 20 | $1,806,000,000 | $1,852,800,000 | 57.5 % | 008 / 00 | 58.31 | |
| Eleanor Parker | 17 | $1,798,600,000 | $2,333,200,000 | 65.8 % | 015 / 01 | 68.34 | |
| Tyrone Power | 15 | $1,792,500,000 | $1,796,500,000 | 61.5 % | 012 / 01 | 67.58 | |
| Anthony Quinn | 27 | $1,782,000,000 | $1,974,600,000 | 62.7 % | 015 / 03 | 60.46 | |
| Virginia Mayo | 24 | $1,783,200,000 | $2,744,000,000 | 55.0 % | 005 / 00 | 57.39 | |
| Clark Gable | 14 | $1,766,800,000 | $2,595,900,000 | 62.0 % | 004 / 00 | 68.42 | |
| Dorothy McGuire | 13 | $1,734,200,000 | $1,881,000,000 | 64.4 % | 012 / 02 | 68.44 | |
| Jeffrey Hunter | 25 | $1,730,000,000 | $1,866,900,000 | 63.3 % | 003 / 00 | 60.38 | |
| Charles Bronson | 12 | $1,726,800,000 | $1,772,300,000 | 64.5 % | 002 / 00 | 68.56 | |
| Lee Van Cleef | 22 | $1,722,600,000 | $1,813,700,000 | 63.7 % | 012 / 04 | 61.98 | |
| Robert Ryan | 25 | $1,717,500,000 | $1,993,500,000 | 67.7 % | 005 / 00 | 62.22 | |
| Clifton Webb | 14 | $1,682,800,000 | $1,682,800,000 | 64.0 % | 005 / 03 | 67.84 | |
| Bob Hope | 14 | $1,647,800,000 | $1,653,500,000 | 62.0 % | 002 / 00 | 67.43 | |
| Kim Novak | 11 | $1,639,000,000 | $1,639,000,000 | 69.0 % | 021 / 03 | 73.54 | |
| Leo G. Carroll | 14 | $1,625,400,000 | $2,157,800,000 | 73.5 % | 016 / 05 | 70.05 | |
| Donna Reed | 17 | $1,611,600,000 | $1,770,100,000 | 61.0 % | 013 / 08 | 62.09 | |
| Montgomery Clift | 9 | $1,595,700,000 | $1,991,500,000 | 67.2 % | 030 / 14 | 75.02 | |
| Roger Ebert Top 100 Movies | 10 | $1,594,000,000 | $1,773,500,000 | 91.8 % | 052 / 19 | 88.62 | |
| David Niven | 14 | $1,589,000,000 | $1,737,600,000 | 61.7 % | 019 / 07 | 64.64 | |
| James Cagney | 14 | $1,569,400,000 | $1,842,000,000 | 65.3 % | 013 / 02 | 66.62 | |
| Billy Wilder | 9 | $1,566,900,000 | $1,566,500,000 | 85.0 % | 033 / 06 | 88.87 | |
| Jane Wyman | 15 | $1,564,500,000 | $1,706,500,000 | 65.9 % | 006 / 01 | 66.85 | |
| Rita Moreno | 15 | $1,561,500,000 | $1,829,900,000 | 60.1 % | 012 / 05 | 63.10 | |
| Dan Dailey | 17 | $1,553,800,000 | $1,737,000,000 | 62.9 % | 008 / 00 | 63.30 | |
| George Sanders | 22 | $1,548,800,000 | $2,143,000,000 | 62.3 % | 019 / 07 | 60.20 | |
| Charles Bickford | 11 | $1,542,200,000 | $1,663,600,000 | 64.9 % | 010 / 01 | 69.61 | |
| Jack Lemmon | 12 | $1,534,800,000 | $1,581,800,000 | 69.6 % | 013 / 02 | 69.14 | |
| Randolph Scott | 26 | $1,528,800,000 | $1,805,700,000 | 61.1 % | 000 / 00 | 57.80 | |
| Audie Murphy | 24 | $1,512,000,000 | $1,527,200,000 | 63.3 % | 000 / 00 | 58.83 | |
| Lee J. Cobb | 20 | $1,510,000,000 | $1,611,400,000 | 65.7 % | 015 / 09 | 62.70 | |
| Danny Kaye | 8 | $1,492,800,000 | $1,492,800,000 | 74.3 % | 014 / 00 | 77.30 | |
| Jane Russell | 15 | $1,486,500,000 | $1,486,900,000 | 60.5 % | 001 / 00 | 62.95 | |
| Donald O'Connor | 16 | $1,481,600,000 | $1,590,800,000 | 65.6 % | 007 / 01 | 64.19 | |
| Karl Malden | 16 | $1,451,200,000 | $1,696,600,000 | 72.3 % | 031 / 12 | 68.60 | |
| Royal Dano | 20 | $1,438,000,000 | $1,547,200,000 | 68.8 % | 002 / 00 | 62.61 | |
| Jack Palance | 17 | $1,428,000,000 | $1,669,800,000 | 62.0 % | 013 / 02 | 62.01 | |
| Arlene Dahl | 18 | $1,416,600,000 | $1,671,600,000 | 59.1 % | 004 / 00 | 59.93 | |
| Tab Hunter | 15 | $1,413,000,000 | $1,548,700,000 | 59.4 % | 002 / 00 | 59.14 | |
| William Demarest | 20 | $1,392,000,000 | $1,707,100,000 | 56.7 % | 003 / 00 | 57.58 | |
| Maureen O'Hara | 18 | $1,384,200,000 | $1,538,800,000 | 61.6 % | 007 / 02 | 61.03 | |
| Aldo Ray | 13 | $1,379,300,000 | $1,463,500,000 | 67.7 % | 003 / 00 | 65.90 | |
| Rhonda Fleming | 25 | $1,377,500,000 | $1,490,500,000 | 59.6 % | 002 / 00 | 56.29 | |
| Shirley MacLaine | 9 | $1,360,800,000 | $1,450,100,000 | 69.3 % | 017 / 05 | 71.54 | |
| Sal Mineo | 12 | $1,354,800,000 | $1,577,500,000 | 67.5 % | 017 / 03 | 67.00 | |
| Broderick Crawford | 13 | $1,336,400,000 | $1,426,100,000 | 66.9 % | 008 / 01 | 65.60 | |
| Gene Kelly | 15 | $1,330,500,000 | $2,087,000,000 | 66.3 % | 019 / 07 | 65.34 | |
| Gene Tierney | 13 | $1,309,100,000 | $1,403,700,000 | 63.5 % | 005 / 01 | 65.33 | |
| Barbara Stanwyck | 22 | $1,304,600,000 | $1,527,900,000 | 64.1 % | 007 / 01 | 59.34 | |
| Jack Albertson | 11 | $1,295,800,000 | $1,340,400,000 | 63.8 % | 008 / 01 | 65.12 | |
| Jeanne Crain | 14 | $1,295,000,000 | $1,347,900,000 | 63.7 % | 002 / 01 | 63.78 | |
| Victor McLaglen | 11 | $1,289,200,000 | $1,468,900,000 | 62.7 % | 015 / 07 | 63.33 | |
| Robert Wise | 18 | $1,287,000,000 | $1,650,100,000 | 69.7 % | 015 / 03 | 64.48 | |
| Cornel Wilde | 20 | $1,280,000,000 | $1,391,700,000 | 59.2 % | 005 / 02 | 55.26 | |
| Walter Pidgeon | 17 | $1,266,500,000 | $2,159,100,000 | 62.1 % | 013 / 05 | 61.20 | |
| Shelley Winters | 19 | $1,265,400,000 | $1,530,500,000 | 68.4 % | 021 / 09 | 63.48 | |
| Louis Jourdan | 12 | $1,257,600,000 | $1,452,900,000 | 61.7 % | 016 / 11 | 64.37 | |
| Walter Brennan | 15 | $1,249,500,000 | $1,649,000,000 | 69.3 % | 004 / 00 | 64.43 | |
| Audrey Hepburn | 12 | $1,245,600,000 | $1,572,700,000 | 72.7 % | 033 / 05 | 71.04 | |
| Jane Powell | 13 | $1,240,200,000 | $1,915,100,000 | 58.4 % | 008 / 01 | 61.38 | |
| Lauren Bacall | 10 | $1,239,000,000 | $1,446,400,000 | 69.6 % | 005 / 02 | 69.75 | |
| Mercedes McCambridge | 8 | $1,238,400,000 | $1,490,800,000 | 73.4 % | 014 / 01 | 72.63 | |
| Spencer Tracy | 12 | $1,230,000,000 | $1,636,300,000 | 68.8 % | 014 / 03 | 69.73 | |
| Paul Newman | 10 | $1,229,000,000 | $1,507,600,000 | 63.6 % | 014 / 02 | 67.55 | |
| Joan Fontaine | 14 | $1,219,400,000 | $1,570,600,000 | 61.4 % | 006 / 00 | 61.36 | |
| Rod Steiger | 11 | $1,217,700,000 | $1,270,200,000 | 69.5 % | 019 / 10 | 68.51 | |
| Joe E. Brown | 3 | $1,215,900,000 | $1,337,100,000 | 82.8 % | 016 / 06 | 93.58 | |
| Robert Morley | 16 | $1,212,800,000 | $1,465,700,000 | 66.1 % | 013 / 06 | 59.47 | |
| Elisha Cook Jr. | 14 | $1,195,600,000 | $1,364,300,000 | 64.3 % | 007 / 01 | 61.93 | |
| Gig Young | 19 | $1,191,300,000 | $1,387,800,000 | 63.6 % | 006 / 00 | 59.61 | |
| Mel Ferrer | 15 | $1,177,500,000 | $1,619,000,000 | 62.4 % | 011 / 01 | 60.91 | |
| Rod Taylor | 10 | $1,169,000,000 | $1,628,500,000 | 65.6 % | 017 / 03 | 65.32 | |
| José Ferrer | 12 | $1,160,400,000 | $1,306,400,000 | 67.5 % | 016 / 03 | 66.36 | |
| Fred Astaire | 9 | $1,123,200,000 | $1,768,200,000 | 70.7 % | 014 / 00 | 73.39 | |
| Cyd Charisse | 13 | $1,115,400,000 | $1,833,400,000 | 69.7 % | 011 / 00 | 65.89 | |
| Sidney Poitier | 13 | $1,101,100,000 | $1,133,300,000 | 64.8 % | 018 / 03 | 64.33 | |
| Brigitte Bardot | 23 | $1,094,800,000 | $1,342,200,000 | 58.3 % | 000 / 00 | 54.67 | |
| Errol Flynn | 17 | $1,084,600,000 | $1,512,100,000 | 57.5 % | 000 / 00 | 57.25 | |
| Richard Burton | 9 | $1,081,800,000 | $1,514,000,000 | 62.6 % | 011 / 02 | 63.64 | |
| Fredric March | 9 | $1,073,700,000 | $1,131,400,000 | 67.3 % | 011 / 01 | 69.63 | |
| Dan Duryea | 21 | $1,073,100,000 | $1,073,100,000 | 63.2 % | 000 / 00 | 56.96 | |
| Eva Gabor | 11 | $1,071,400,000 | $1,340,800,000 | 57.9 % | 009 / 09 | 61.14 | |
| Rita Hayworth | 8 | $1,069,600,000 | $1,069,900,000 | 60.5 % | 013 / 02 | 69.95 | |
| Burl Ives | 9 | $1,053,900,000 | $1,287,000,000 | 73.0 % | 013 / 02 | 70.82 | |
| Betty Hutton | 5 | $1,053,000,000 | $1,299,100,000 | 67.0 % | 009 / 03 | 73.6 | |
| Dana Andrews | 19 | $1,033,600,000 | $1,151,700,000 | 59.7 % | 003 / 00 | 56.82 | |
| Marjorie Main | 11 | $1,025,200,000 | $1,121,300,000 | 65.5 % | 000 / 00 | 64.88 | |
| Elsa Lanchester | 13 | $1,020,500,000 | $1,118,600,000 | 63.3 % | 009 / 00 | 62.32 | |
| Sterling Hayden | 20 | $1,012,000,000 | $1,083,900,000 | 64.8 % | 005 / 00 | 58.09 | |
| Leslie Caron | 11 | $995,500,000 | $1,779,700,000 | 61.1 % | 027 / 16 | 63.81 | |
| Esther Williams | 10 | $993,000,000 | $1,540,700,000 | 58.5 % | 001 / 00 | 63.16 | |
| Ray Milland | 18 | $991,800,000 | $1,144,900,000 | 60.7 % | 001 / 00 | 57.03 | |
| Betty Grable | 8 | $985,600,000 | $985,900,000 | 64.4 % | 002 / 00 | 66.36 | |
| Alec Guinness | 16 | $979,200,000 | $1,025,300,000 | 71.0 % | 016 / 08 | 61.43 | |
| Claire Trevor | 11 | $973,500,000 | $1,122,800,000 | 54.1 % | 007 / 01 | 57.99 | |
| Marlene Dietrich | 7 | $972,300,000 | $1,020,800,000 | 74.3 % | 014 / 05 | 70.19 | |
| Howard Hawks | 7 | $970,900,000 | $1,197,900,000 | 78.0 % | 002 / 00 | 76.04 | |
| Jennifer Jones | 10 | $970,000,000 | $1,004,000,000 | 63.4 % | 012 / 03 | 65.62 | |
| Peter Lorre | 10 | $957,000,000 | $1,015,500,000 | 61.8 % | 003 / 02 | 60.26 | |
| Dennis Hopper | 6 | $952,800,000 | $1,184,800,000 | 70.9 % | 016 / 01 | 71.09 | |
| Joel McCrea | 19 | $951,900,000 | $996,200,000 | 59.3 % | 000 / 00 | 55.64 | |
| Trevor Howard | 15 | $951,000,000 | $951,300,000 | 63.7 % | 008 / 05 | 56.55 | |
| Vera Miles | 13 | $950,300,000 | $1,166,200,000 | 68.4 % | 000 / 00 | 62.43 | |
| Jayne Mansfield | 10 | $951,000,000 | $1,037,400,000 | 62.1 % | 001 / 00 | 62.06 | |
| Henry Fonda | 8 | $940,800,000 | $1,033,400,000 | 71.3 % | 007 / 01 | 66.28 | |
| Farley Granger | 12 | $939,600,000 | $1,232,900,000 | 65.0 % | 010 / 00 | 61.32 | |
| James Dean | 3 | $930,300,000 | $1,187,700,000 | 85.5 % | 017 / 02 | 98.21 | |
| Gina Lollobrigida | 7 | $928,200,000 | $942,100,000 | 61.7 % | 000 / 00 | 66.18 | |
| Katharine Hepburn | 7 | $925,400,000 | $960,800,000 | 76.3 % | 012 / 01 | 77.78 | |
| Eva Marie Saint | 5 | $922,500,000 | $1,251,500,000 | 76.1 % | 016 / 08 | 80.65 | |
| Piper Laurie | 16 | $920,000,000 | $952,000,000 | 61.2 % | 002 / 00 | 57.64 | |
| Dean Jones | 15 | $916,500,000 | $1,250,500,000 | 61.9 % | 002 / 01 | 58.51 | |
| Ann Miller | 10 | $912,000,000 | $1,370,600,000 | 59.5 % | 003 / 00 | 62.18 | |
| Jack Warden | 8 | $912,000,000 | $1,013,000,000 | 71.6 % | 015 / 08 | 67.11 | |
| Dick Powell | 12 | $900,000,000 | $1,010,200,000 | 61.4 % | 009 / 06 | 61.25 | |
| Edward Arnold | 10 | $879,000,000 | $1,089,700,000 | 64.2 % | 004 / 01 | 62.01 | |
| Carroll Baker | 6 | $872,400,000 | $1,214,600,000 | 68.9 % | 016 / 02 | 70.97 | |
| Joan Crawford | 12 | $868,800,000 | $916,800,000 | 66.7 % | 010 / 00 | 63.27 | |
| Rosalind Russell | 5 | $863,500,000 | $924,100,000 | 62.7 % | 012 / 02 | 71.14 | |
| Xmas Movies | 4 | $852,000,000 | $852,100,000 | 73.1 % | 003 / 00 | 74.56 | |
| Kathryn Grayson | 8 | $846,400,000 | $1,249,100,000 | 62.1 % | 004 / 00 | 64.3 | |
| Mickey Rooney | 13 | $838,500,000 | $886,100,000 | 57.9 % | 005 / 01 | 56.56 | |
| William Dieterle | 10 | $828,000,000 | $828,400,000 | 59.6 % | 000 / 00 | 60.69 | |
| Ed Begley | 16 | $824,000,000 | $899,900,000 | 68.3 % | 001 / 00 | 59.6 | |
| Orson Welles | 13 | $819,000,000 | $819,500,000 | 67.2 % | 001 / 00 | 60.57 | |
| Red Skelton | 10 | $815,000,000 | $1,173,200,000 | 58.9 % | 001 / 00 | 60.38 | |
| Sophia Loren | 9 | $815,400,000 | $880,100,000 | 54.7 % | 002 / 00 | 59.60 | |
| Lloyd Bridges | 15 | $813,000,000 | $973,800,000 | 62.2 % | 011 / 05 | 57.63 | |
| Christopher Lee | 20 | $810,000,000 | $997,600,000 | 67.5 % | 007 / 02 | 58.04 | |
| Ginger Rogers | 13 | $790,400,000 | $803,500,000 | 56.6 % | 002 / 00 | 55.69 | |
| Joseph Cotten | 17 | $775,200,000 | $824,500,000 | 59.0 % | 000 / 00 | 54.35 | |
| William Powell | 4 | $772,800,000 | $848,200,000 | 73.9 % | 004 / 01 | 70.89 | |
| Troy Donahue | 10 | $771,000,000 | $875,400,000 | 64.9 % | 002 / 00 | 61.13 | |
| Ray Walston | 4 | $769,600,000 | $769,700,000 | 61.1 % | 005 / 01 | 70.57 | |
| Anne Bancroft | 14 | $768,600,000 | $778,900,000 | 63.0 % | 000 / 00 | 56.84 | |
| Patricia Neal | 11 | $761,200,000 | $911,200,000 | 68.8 % | 000 / 00 | 62.66 | |
| John Gielgud | 6 | $758,400,000 | $879,700,000 | 67.0 % | 014 / 06 | 63.22 | |
| Anthony Perkins | 10 | $750,000,000 | $893,700,000 | 63.4 % | 009 / 00 | 61.54 | |
| Lizabeth Scott | 10 | $747,000,000 | $747,000,000 | 59.8 % | 000 / 00 | 60.26 | |
| Paul Lukas | 3 | $739,800,000 | $873,500,000 | 68.5 % | 003 / 02 | 78.14 | |
| Charles Laughton | 8 | $735,200,000 | $883,400,000 | 75.1 % | 010 / 00 | 69.55 | |
| Joan Bennett | 8 | $735,200,000 | $924,100,000 | 67.7 % | 003 / 00 | 65.84 | |
| Donald Crisp | 8 | $733,600,000 | $825,400,000 | 64.4 % | 000 / 00 | 63.72 | |
| Sandra Dee | 8 | $728,800,000 | $926,800,000 | 68.8 % | 002 / 00 | 65.15 | |
| Peter Ustinov | 6 | $725,400,000 | $1,333,900,000 | 69.7 % | 008 / 00 | 65.99 | |
| James Garner | 6 | $723,600,000 | $1,058,100,000 | 65.5 % | 010 / 04 | 65.05 | |
| Mario Lanza | 7 | $707,000,000 | $1,477,300,000 | 60.6 % | 005 / 01 | 63.68 | |
| Ronald Reagan | 13 | $696,800,000 | $752,400,000 | 55.2 % | 001 / 00 | 53.94 | |
| Pat O'Brien | 9 | $690,300,000 | $805,500,000 | 64.5 % | 006 / 01 | 57.59 | |
| Ingrid Bergman | 9 | $684,000,000 | $837,400,000 | 73.5 % | 003 / 01 | 67.04 | |
| Dorothy Lamour | 2 | $683,200,000 | $683,200,000 | 64.8 % | 005 / 02 | 80.75 | |
| Eve Arden | 9 | $669,600,000 | $757,100,000 | 64.4 % | 007 / 00 | 61.73 | |
| Peter Finch | 17 | $664,700,000 | $1,026,800,000 | 66.3 % | 008 / 00 | 57.18 | |
| Dorothy Dandridge | 9 | $661,500,000 | $724,000,000 | 63.8 % | 006 / 01 | 61.67 | |
| Shirley Jones | 5 | $656,500,000 | $656,600,000 | 64.7 % | 005 / 02 | 65.68 | |
| Abbott & Costello | 11 | $651,200,000 | $686,300,000 | 60.8 % | 000 / 00 | 57.56 | |
| Judy Holliday | 6 | $648,000,000 | $648,000,000 | 71.0 % | 008 / 02 | 72.26 | |
| Celeste Holm | 4 | $642,800,000 | $838,800,000 | 78.4 % | 017 / 06 | 82.44 | |
| George Raft | 7 | $637,700,000 | $699,800,000 | 64.2 % | 006 / 01 | 59.03 | |
| Martin Balsam | 6 | $627,600,000 | $627,500,000 | 75.9 % | 014 / 08 | 72.00 | |
| Vic Morrow | 6 | $618,600,000 | $658,600,000 | 69.7 % | 004 / 00 | 67.02 | |
| Paul Henreid | 14 | $617,400,000 | $736,800,000 | 53.0 % | 000 / 00 | 51.72 | |
| Tony Randall | 5 | $611,000,000 | $610,800,000 | 70.3 % | 005 / 01 | 67.44 | |
| Elvis Presley | 4 | $604,400,000 | $604,200,000 | 69.4 % | 000 / 00 | 76.01 | |
| Brian Keith | 14 | $602,000,000 | $633,800,000 | 60.8 % | 003 / 00 | 55.02 | |
| Red Buttons | 3 | $600,000,000 | $797,600,000 | 71.1 % | 010 / 04 | 78.98 | |
| Fay Wray | 10 | $597,000,000 | $723,100,000 | 63.5 % | 004 / 00 | 59.07 | |
| Ben Johnson | 7 | $578,200,000 | $736,800,000 | 71.3 % | 006 / 01 | 62.05 | |
| Bette Davis | 10 | $578,000,000 | $782,600,000 | 62.2 % | 016 / 06 | 59.68 | |
| Olivia de Havilland | 6 | $577,200,000 | $617,100,000 | 60.6 % | 006 / 00 | 59.98 | |
| Joanne Woodward | 7 | $572,600,000 | $572,300,000 | 65.3 % | 001 / 01 | 64.9 | |
| Walter Matthau | 10 | $570,000,000 | $569,600,000 | 66.9 % | 000 / 00 | 60.27 | |
| Cliff Robertson | 6 | $567,600,000 | $567,800,000 | 64.3 % | 006 / 02 | 62.50 | |
| William Bendix | 12 | $558,000,000 | $571,000,000 | 59.2 % | 004 / 00 | 55.12 | |
| Ruth Hussey | 5 | $557,000,000 | $557,200,000 | 61.3 % | 001 / 00 | 66.28 | |
| Herbert Marshall | 12 | $544,800,000 | $545,000,000 | 64.6 % | 001 / 00 | 56.97 | |
| Ethel Barrymore | 9 | $535,500,000 | $651,800,000 | 61.7 % | 003 / 00 | 57.55 | |
| Linda Darnell | 13 | $534,300,000 | $534,000,000 | 59.4 % | 001 / 00 | 54.41 | |
| Angela Lansbury | 10 | $522,000,000 | $601,900,000 | 64.2 % | 001 / 00 | 58.04 | |
| Peter Lawford | 9 | $515,700,000 | $627,600,000 | 61.9 % | 002 / 00 | 57.89 | |
| Lucille Ball | 4 | $512,400,000 | $573,400,000 | 65.0 % | 000 / 00 | 68.39 | |
| Robert Cummings | 6 | $508,800,000 | $641,900,000 | 63.4 % | 000 / 00 | 62.41 | |
| Oscar Levant | 5 | $503,500,000 | $756,900,000 | 70.7 % | 011 / 06 | 70.74 | |
| Pat Boone | 4 | $492,000,000 | $492,000,000 | 62.6 % | 004 / 00 | 67.91 | |
| Joan Blondell | 7 | $486,500,000 | $577,800,000 | 69.3 % | 002 / 00 | 63.69 | |
| Basil Rathbone | 5 | $481,500,000 | $481,700,000 | 77.1 % | 000 / 00 | 70.51 | |
| Dean Stockwell | 6 | $475,800,000 | $628,700,000 | 68.2 % | 000 / 00 | 64.07 | |
| Merle Oberon | 5 | $469,000,000 | $554,300,000 | 56.3 % | 002 / 00 | 59.47 | |
| Lee Remick | 4 | $465,200,000 | $465,200,000 | 80.9 % | 007 / 00 | 74.90 | |
| Dennis Morgan | 9 | $459,900,000 | $594,500,000 | 53.2 % | 000 / 00 | 53.17 | |
| Scatman Crothers | 7 | $457,100,000 | $457,000,000 | 63.1 % | 005 / 01 | 60.11 | |
| Martin Landau | 3 | $455,700,000 | $633,500,000 | 72.9 % | 004 / 00 | 73.45 | |
| John Gavin | 6 | $447,000,000 | $447,200,000 | 66.5 % | 003 / 00 | 60.79 | |
| Andy Griffith | 3 | $445,500,000 | $445,600,000 | 75.3 % | 000 / 00 | 72.62 | |
| Charles Boyer | 7 | $438,200,000 | $468,000,000 | 66.8 % | 001 / 00 | 61.29 | |
| Myrna Loy | 4 | $436,000,000 | $435,900,000 | 61.4 % | 001 / 00 | 64.27 | |
| Harry Belafonte | 5 | $434,500,000 | $459,700,000 | 67.6 % | 002 / 00 | 64.43 | |
| John Saxon | 7 | $415,100,000 | $476,700,000 | 62.5 % | 003 / 00 | 58.97 | |
| Teresa Wright | 11 | $405,900,000 | $437,300,000 | 58.1 % | 002 / 00 | 52.64 | |
| Angie Dickinson | 5 | $396,500,000 | $607,300,000 | 64.6 % | 000 / 00 | 61.02 | |
| Judy Garland | 2 | $394,800,000 | $529,200,000 | 79.5 % | 006 / 00 | 87.43 | |
| Laurence Harvey | 11 | $391,600,000 | $474,600,000 | 60.8 % | 007 / 02 | 55.22 | |
| Thomas Mitchell | 6 | $391,200,000 | $397,400,000 | 70.0 % | 007 / 04 | 63.31 | |
| Zero Mostel | 6 | $388,200,000 | $455,500,000 | 70.1 % | 002 / 01 | 62.87 | |
| Ethel Merman | 2 | $385,800,000 | $385,700,000 | 68.0 % | 005 / 01 | 79.06 | |
| Annette Funicello | 1 | $377,400,000 | $377,400,000 | 66.0 % | 000 / 00 | 82.00 | |
| Barry Fitzgerald | 6 | $373,800,000 | $490,200,000 | 65.0 % | 007 / 02 | 61.35 | |
| Barbara Bel Geddes | 4 | $359,600,000 | $359,600,000 | 84.3 % | 008 / 01 | 74.26 | |
| Claude Rains | 6 | $352,200,000 | $445,100,000 | 55.7 % | 000 / 00 | 55.28 | |
| Jean Arthur | 1 | $345,100,000 | $487,700,000 | 87.5 % | 006 / 01 | 97.35 | |
| June Haver | 4 | $341,600,000 | $376,500,000 | 58.9 % | 001 / 00 | 61.21 | |
| Hedy Lamarr | 6 | $338,400,000 | $366,300,000 | 53.3 % | 000 / 00 | 53.20 | |
| Loretta Young | 6 | $337,800,000 | $387,400,000 | 59.2 % | 000 / 00 | 57.01 | |
| George C. Scott | 2 | $334,000,000 | $334,000,000 | 78.5 % | 008 / 00 | 85.08 | |
| Sean Connery | 3 | $321,300,000 | $321,200,000 | 61.8 % | 000 / 00 | 62.45 | |
| Greer Garson | 6 | $316,800,000 | $604,700,000 | 64.0 % | 005 / 01 | 58.35 | |
| Don Knotts | 1 | $312,300,000 | $312,300,000 | 78.5 % | 000 / 00 | 87.90 | |
| Tuesday Weld | 3 | $311,700,000 | $311,800,000 | 59.4 % | 004 / 00 | 63.95 | |
| Anna Magnani | 9 | $311,400,000 | $311,600,000 | 68.4 % | 011 / 03 | 59.21 | |
| Ann Sheridan | 8 | $311,200,000 | $359,600,000 | 65.2 % | 000 / 00 | 56.92 | |
| Robert Walker | 5 | $306,000,000 | $446,400,000 | 61.7 % | 001 / 00 | 57.11 | |
| Norman Lloyd | 7 | $303,800,000 | $504,500,000 | 67.8 % | 003 / 01 | 58.67 | |
| Vivien Leigh | 2 | $300,000,000 | $300,000,000 | 83.0 % | 012 / 04 | 87.45 | |
| Ida Lupino | 9 | $295,200,000 | $295,300,000 | 67.4 % | 000 / 00 | 56.56 | |
| Helen Hayes | 3 | $293,400,000 | $294,800,000 | 63.0 % | 003 / 01 | 63.47 | |
| Roger Moore | 5 | $291,000,000 | $569,400,000 | 58.2 % | 003 / 01 | 56.72 | |
| Gail Russell | 6 | $290,400,000 | $300,400,000 | 58.0 % | 000 / 00 | 54.77 | |
| Jessica Tandy | 3 | $288,900,000 | $289,000,000 | 66.7 % | 000 / 00 | 66.23 | |
| Harry Dean Stanton | 6 | $285,600,000 | $331,300,000 | 64.2 % | 000 / 00 | 56.90 | |
| Claudette Colbert | 8 | $284,800,000 | $309,500,000 | 57.8 % | 000 / 00 | 52.20 | |
| Wendy Hiller | 5 | $283,000,000 | $282,900,000 | 68.3 % | 007 / 02 | 63.83 | |
| Steve McQueen | 4 | $268,800,000 | $268,800,000 | 52.3 % | 000 / 00 | 54.62 | |
| Carol Lynley | 4 | $266,000,000 | $265,800,000 | 57.8 % | 000 / 00 | 57.72 | |
| Peter Sellers | 8 | $260,000,000 | $260,200,000 | 68.3 % | 001 / 00 | 57.27 | |
| Lena Horne | 2 | $259,600,000 | $405,500,000 | 62.5 % | 001 / 00 | 69.66 | |
| Laurence Olivier | 5 | $257,500,000 | $258,500,000 | 68.9 % | 003 / 00 | 61.57 | |
| Johnny Weissmuller | 13 | $256,100,000 | $256,600,000 | 58.6 % | 000 / 00 | 50.36 | |
| Rip Torn | 4 | $253,600,000 | $274,800,000 | 69.4 % | 004 / 00 | 63.71 | |
| Maureen O'Sullivan | 9 | $241,200,000 | $265,300,000 | 62.4 % | 000 / 00 | 53.26 | |
| Lee Grant | 3 | $240,000,000 | $239,900,000 | 67.2 % | 004 / 00 | 66.20 | |
| Marsha Hunt | 6 | $224,400,000 | $269,600,000 | 57.6 % | 000 / 00 | 53.14 | |
| Michael Redgrave | 16 | $214,400,000 | $318,200,000 | 65.8 % | 001 / 00 | 53.27 | |
| Robert Donat | 3 | $214,200,000 | $214,300,000 | 72.0 % | 001 / 00 | 64.27 | |
| Rex Harrison | 6 | $210,600,000 | $357,100,000 | 59.8 % | 001 / 00 | 53.83 | |
| Richard Crenna | 5 | $207,500,000 | $211,300,000 | 56.0 % | 001 / 00 | 53.41 | |
| Miriam Hopkins | 3 | $205,200,000 | $205,200,000 | 68.6 % | 003 / 00 | 62.80 | |
| Lionel Barrymore | 4 | $203,200,000 | $295,300,000 | 49.4 % | 000 / 00 | 51.07 | |
| Ruth Gordon | 3 | $202,200,000 | $246,600,000 | 68.0 % | 002 / 00 | 62.67 |
Top Stars In Other Decades
- 1930s Decade
- 1940s Decade
- 1950s Decade
- 1960s Decade
- 1970s Decade
- 1980s Decade
- 1990s Decade
- 2000s Decade
Interesting to compare the 40s and 50s. I see Glenn Ford which I like to see at 15. And as you mentioned, Kirk Douglas did shoot up to 22nd. Great to see Stewart on top.
Hey Flora….I thought you would like seeing Mr. Ford in 15th place. This has been very fun for me to put together. James Stewart finished in the Top 3 in all three major categories….that is very impressive.
THE BRUCE 1 As Barbara Hershey’s mother said to Hackman in Hoosiers [aka Best Shot] “The sun won’t shine on the same dog’s a** every day,” but certainly your 1950s page brings much sunshine to my own Saturday!
2 Not only do the sheer scale of information and its variety make it a collector’s item for a movie stats buff like me but many of my top 10 favourite stars such as Stewart, Glenn Ford and the Duke are included in one Top 15 list or more and of my second best 10 favourite stars I have been given the likes of Lancaster and Chuck – sorry Steve you can’t claim him for yourself alone! John should be pleased at Debs being ranked the highest box office star of the decade as he has been fighting her corner for some time now and predicted her doing well here.
3 Mr. Mumbles certainly does especially well topping two tables and even though [as John has highlighted] Brando didn’t as was wont make enough films to get into the box office Top 15 in terms of overall gross, use of the helpful sorter button on the main table will show that he ranks 7th among those with best average grosses and indeed with an average of $193 million Brando is second to just Grace Kelly in terms of averages when only performers with a movie output in double figures are included and of course the 50s were Grace’s all.
4 Performance and rankings lists confined to any 10 year period usually give just one snapshot of a star’s overall career. If for example we ignored strict calendar decades and picked the 10 years between 1957 and 1966 Cary Grant made 12 movies in those years which have a total adjusted Cogerson domestic gross of around $2.1 billion averaging out at approx. a high $175 million per movie which would put him in 15th position in your 1950s table if that were his 1950s average compared with his existing 24th position in the 1950s chart.
5 Rock Hudson had a fine overall run of Quigley Top 10 entries from 1957 until 1964 but he had no Quigley Top 10 placings outside those 8 years whereas Brando had 3 fewer Quigley Top 10s in his career than Rock but the first of those was in 1954 and the last a long 18 years later in 1973 suggesting longevity of popularity if not consistency. However in terms of popularity longevity AND consistency on top of sheer box office volume the Duke is probably the Daddy of Them All at least among classic era stars notwithstanding his relatively low 50s impact.
6. My 2nd own all-time favourite Greg Peck does relatively poorly in the 1950s charts as does my top favourite Richard Widmark. However Greg at least is one of the big winners when careers in their entirety are ranked and he like Cary was of course a strong player in 1940’s surveys.
7 Leaving aside my personal idols,objectivity would surely dictate that Grant’s career is IN THE ROUND as grand and admirable as that of any movie star who ever lived. Cary amazingly enjoyed a Quigley entry in every one of the last 8 years of career from 1959-1966 when he was aged 62. Forget all about the Curse of 39 or even 49, Cary made mincemeat of the Curse of 59 and a few of its annual successors after that when many from earlier years were demoted to A C Lyles or television supporting parts.!
8 The above-mentioned minor qualifications do not dilute the brilliance of your work in providing a comprehensive insight of the box office performances and artistic achievement in the 1950s movie world. Your previous caveat about accumulating the information over 6 years is for me immaterial as you knew the sources to consult to get us the most accurate and tested data available as your raw material and you and W o C are to be congratulated on the comprehensive and concise assembly and presentation of so much information so that all that I can bring to the party is to simply say – thanks.
Hey Bob.
1. Glad this page made your Saturday….I figured Brando being first on two lists would at least make you somewhat happy….lol.
2. I am also very glad that the leaders are all main leading actors and actresses….versus some of the supporting ones that popped up on the 1940s page.
2A. I agree John did very well in naming Ms. Kerr…..an actress that does not always get a lot of respect.
3. I also noticed how well Brando’s movies did when looking at averages….as I said in a previous comment…every Brando movie made in the 1950s was an “event movie”….not sure the same could be said for anybody else….even Kelly.
4. The beauty of the way WoC sit up our database…I can quickly get the leaders for 1957 through 1966….and they would be…#1 Tony Curtis #2 John Wayne #3 Julie Andrews #4 Charlton Heston #5 Frank Sinatra #6 Sean Connery #7 Paul Newman #8 Dean Martin #9 Doris Day #10 Jack Lemmon #11 Elizabeth Taylor #12 Rock Hudson #13 Cary Grant #14 Richard Burton and #15 Gregory Peck
5. I think you and John are underestimating the power of the Duke….11th for the decade is pretty impressive…especially when he never really had a massive box office hit….he got his totals from solid movie after solid movie.
6. Peck was about to rebound…as he was 15th when I did #4 in this comment….as for Widmark….he did pretty well…..he is a great actor….but box office clout was not really his strength.
7. Cary Grant’s 1960s revival is truly impressive….I think Denzel Washington is currently one of the few stars to maintain that superstardom in their 60s like Grant did….it simply does not happen much.
8. I appreciate the kind words about the database that WoC and I have put together over these last few years….it is getting to the point that taking the time to study these numbers is worthwhile and fun.
FYI….if I do a 1960 to 1960 search….John Wayne comes out 2nd….only behind Julie Andrews for that decade…..so John Wayne was 6th in the 1940s…..11th in the 1950s ….and 2nd in the 1960s….that is thirty years of awesomeness!
Cogerson
I forgot to comment on the wonderful mural on the top of the icons of the 1950’s. Very fun photos. Thanks for posting that one.
The mural might have cut off and so the creator put more folks in it, but what I noticed is the lack of TV stars. Where are Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason and perhaps Groucho Marx?
I loved the contrast between the three front and center icons. Ike posed with Marilyn and Elvis. Perhaps that is why so many remember the fifties with affection. Serious adults were in charge, but the kids were having fun.
Hey John….glad you liked the mural…..it was the one I liked the most of all the ones I looked at…..you are right….tv stars did not get much love at all. “Serious adults were in charge, but the kids were having fun”….I like that quote a lot. 🙂
Cogerson
Fantastically interesting posting. These decade evaluations are really great for historical perspective. Especial thanks for these posts above your usual fine work.
As you might notice if you go through the comments, I posted guesses on how things would turn out just to see how I would do, and
I think I hit a home run with the men. I picked Marlon Brando to come out the star of the decade, and I would judge he more or less did. His relatively low number of films pulled him down a bit in total box office, but he was among the best in average and did best with the critics.
I picked William Holden, James Stewart, and Charlton Heston to be his main rivals, and I think Holden and Stewart were. One might make an argument for Holden and especially Stewart, but I think the case for Brando is just a trifle stronger. I am not surprised at Heston coming out first in box office.
I was less successful with the actresses. I figured Elizabeth Taylor would win, but Grace Kelly surprised me, although I had her as one of the runner-ups along with Marilyn Monroe, Doris Day, and Deborah Kerr. Other than underestimating Kelly, I did reasonably.
The biggest positive surprise was Susan Hayward who was a more estimable star in the 1950’s than I had thought.
On the negative side, John Wayne did not perform as well as I thought. I was surprised he did not crack the top ten at the box office, and despite having career defining hits in The Quiet Man, The Searchers, and Rio Bravo, his flops & mediocre efforts pulled him pretty far down the list in quality.
The biggest surprise overall was the poor showing by Gary Cooper. He did very well in the 1950’s in the Quigley polls, but your stats just don’t back any of that up (with top performer Heston never even cracking the Quigley top ten in any single year!). I think this shows how vastly overrepresented the small rural theatres were in the Quigley polls. Gable was fading also, but he actually did better at the box office than Cooper, although only making one Quigley poll in 1955 and that in 10th place.
As for my Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright awards, named after the most overlooked stars, for the women I give it goes to Susan Hayward. For the men, I think Glenn Ford is a good choice. He was quietly solid the whole decade, starring in several good to great movies, and very prolific.
Again, thanks for these decade postings and for how they really put the history of Hollywood in perspective. I look forward to other decades, especially the 1930’s. Are they on the agenda for the future?
Hey John
1. Yep a 1930s decade look will be published soon….though I do not have as many movies for that decade as I do for 1940s and 1950s….but the numbers still look pretty interesting.
2. Thanks for such nice words about this new type of UMR page…WoC has opened up an amazing amount of information….by creating a way to separate the information.
3. I agree the 1950s belonged to Brando….but Holden and Stewart were not too far behind. I think every movie Brando made was an event…..not sure Holden and Stewart can make that claim.
4. As for the actresses….I think your guesses were pretty impressive….you did mention Deborah Kerr….which I think most movie fans would have forgotten about her….as she rarely gets mentioned with the greats.
5. John Wayne finished 11th in box office….that is pretty impressive….especially since he was about there in the 1940s decade page…..the man was very consistent for almost 40 years.
6. I think Grant, Gable and Cooper were running out of gas by the time the 1950s came around…yes there movies did well….but nothing like they had before….Grant actually rebounded with his 1960s movies….while Gable and Cooper barely lived in the 1960s before their untimely passings.
7. I like the Quigley Polls….but statistically they have never made sense….I think a star’s name had way to long of a lasting impact when it came to voting.
8. I like your Cotten and Hayward winners….even better I do not have to go back and change the photos….lol.
Great feedback…..thank your very much!
Cogerson
on John Wayne–yes, he was the most durable and consistent star, but the Quigley polls had him #1, and that seems to be an overrating for this decade.
Wayne is to me the Warren Spahn of actors. He was consistent, but never quite spectacular–at the box office. Spahn I think won 20 games 13 times, but never more than 23 in any one season. On the other hand, Bob Feller & Sandy Koufax won far fewer games, but Feller won 25 or more 4 times and Koufax 3 times. Their lowest ERA’s and highest strikeout totals were far more impressive than the steady Spahn’s. Wayne had few really big hits. The biggest, I think, was How the West was Won, in which he had a cameo as General Sherman. Would it have made that much of a difference at the box office if someone like Heston or Lancaster had done that cameo?
Now I’m not a Duke basher, but the questions do come to me.
Hey John…I like the comparison between Wayne and Spahn…..both are Hall of Famers…..but you are correct…Spahn never had that “Ron Guidry” year….just like Wayne never had a monster year at the box office….just year after year of solid performances. I am sure Wayne mega fans went to HTWWW to see the Duke…..but I think you are correct….the movie would have been huge even without the Duke’s 2 minute scene. HTWWW looks awesome on Blu-Ray.
Since you are a baseball fan too….I think you might like this baseball story on Catfish Hunter and myself. https://www.ultimatemovierankings.com/hanging-out-with-jim-catfish-hunter/
Cogerson
Thank you for the link to the Catfish article.
I was actually stationed in the Bay Area during Catfish’s prime in the early 1970’s, and followed the A’s as closely as I could between work and guard duty. Catfish was the staff ace, followed by Vida Blue, Ken Holtzman, and closer Rollie Fingers. Reggie led the offense. And there were fellows like Sal and Joe and Billy North. The A’s beat the arrogant Reds with the creepy Pete Rose, the hated Mets (all NYC teams are hated) and the Tinsel-town Wimpsters, I mean Dodgers, in back to back World Series.
It is nice to know that the Catfish was such a nice guy in real life. Thanks again for pointing me to this article.
Hey John….glad you followed that link and enjoyed the story. That is easily my favorite moment in my 22 year grocery career. The A’s of the early 1970s were amazing. Loved reading all the players you mentioned…me and my friends used to pretend to be those players while playing backyard baseball. Ahhhh….those were the days. 🙂
Now this is more like it. No sign of Walter Brannon, Vain Johnson, Joseph Gotton, Danny Andrews or Tracy Wright, just big expensive super epic movie stars that everyone has heard of, as it should be. 😉
Charlton ‘Omega Man’ Heston topping a few charts is a surefire Lensman-pleaser, Mr. Mumbles is up there too which should make at least one of your regulars happy.
Good to see Ray Harryhausen on the chart too. James Dean topping the big chart is a little unfair considering the few films he starred in.
Heston did drop way down on the main chart, below the likes of Dorothy Lamour and Thelma Ritter, seems all those Oscar winning super successful films still weren’t enough for Mr. Epic to get into the top 50.
Another interesting movie page Bruce. Vote Up!
Hey Steve….glad you like this decade more than the previous decade. The top is indeed fillled with one epic star after another.
When I saw Heston and Brando were the leaders on all three lists…I immediately thought of you and Bob….glad both of you are happy too.
I was going to stop the list at $500 million….but then I saw Ray sitting there pretty close to that figure when I decided to go to $392 million as the cut off…..just for you my friend.
When I listed my leaders I used 9 as the cut off…..so by doing that we can get your boy Chuck into the Top 50.
Thanks for the visit and feedback….it is always greatly appreciated.
FYI Looking at the metrics of this page…it is having an average view time of 14 minutes…..that is by far my best total yet.