Who were the Top Movie Stars of the 1970s 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 1960s. So far we have box office grosses on 2,123 movies made between 1970 and 1979. 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. 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 1970 – 1979
Robert Redford $3,172,900,000
Burt Reynolds $3,101,600,000
Harrison Ford $2,898,800,000
Richard Dreyfuss $2,788,100,000
Robert Shaw $2,686,100,000
Robert Duvall $2,625,700,000
Gene Hackman $2,595,200,000
Roy Scheider $2,474,900,000
James Caan $2,377,500,000
Barbra Streisand $2,262,000,000
Clint Eastwood $2,157,100,000
Ryan O’Neal $2,148,000,000
Richard Pryor $2,134,300,000
Paul Newman $2,058.000,000
Diane Keaton $2,048.000,000
Faye Dunaway $2,013.000,000
Top 15 Average Critic/Audience Rating Leaders 1970 – 1979 (minimum 9 movies)
Diane Keaton 78.2 % critic and audience voting
Dustin Hoffman 77.0 % critic and audience voting
Clint Eastwood 73.1 % critic and audience voting
Richard Dreyfuss 72.6 % critic and audience voting
Jason Robards 72.2 % critic and audience voting
Robert Duvall 72.0 % critic and audience voting
Roy Scheider 72.0 % critic and audience voting
Jack Nicholson 71.9 % critic and audience voting
Faye Dunaway 71.4 % critic and audience voting
Robert Redford 71.2 % critic and audience voting
Gene Wilder 70.2 % critic and audience voting
Walter Matthau 69.8 % critic and audience voting
Robert DeNiro 69.7 % critic and audience voting
Harrison Ford 69.1 % critic and audience voting
Donald Sutherland 68.8 % critic and audience voting
Top 15 Average UMR Score Per Movie 1970-1979
Al Pacino
Robert Redford
Diane Keaton
Woody Allen
Dustin Hoffman
Barbra Streisand
Faye Dunaway
Richard Dreyfuss
Clint Eastwood
Ellen Burstyn
Roy Scheider
Julie Christie
Jane Fonda
Jack Nicholson
Harrison Ford
Top Movie Stars 1970-1979 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 1970 and 1979
- Sort by average adjusted domestic box office per movie
- Sort by total adjusted domestic box office from 1970 to 1979
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each performers’ movies earned
- Sort by average Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| Box Office Rank | Thespian | Movies | Adj. Domestic Box Office | AVG Review % | Oscar Noms / Wins | AVG UMR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Redford | 12 | $3,154,900,000 | 71.1 % | 031 / 12 | 80.48 | |
| Burt Reynolds | 20 | $3,084,600,000 | 59.4 % | 008 / 00 | 67.11 | |
| Harrison Ford | 9 | $2,882,800,000 | 67.5 % | 026 / 08 | 70.77 | |
| Richard Dreyfuss | 9 | $2,773,100,000 | 75.7 % | 023 / 05 | 73.87 | |
| Robert Shaw | 14 | $2,671,100,000 | 67.1 % | 018 / 06 | 62.79 | |
| Robert Duvall | 20 | $2,610,700,000 | 72.6 % | 052 / 16 | 68.87 | |
| Gene Hackman | 19 | $2,581,200,000 | 70.3 % | 029 / 06 | 67.48 | |
| Roy Scheider | 13 | $2,460,900,000 | 71.2 % | 025 / 13 | 71.44 | |
| Barbra Streisand | 9 | $2,250,000,000 | 61.2 % | 015 / 03 | 76.82 | |
| George Kennedy | 19 | $2,158,600,000 | 58.0 % | 016 / 03 | 59.06 | |
| James Earl Jones | 12 | $2,157,000,000 | 65.3 % | 013 / 06 | 60.26 | |
| Clint Eastwood | 16 | $2,146,100,000 | 73.1 % | 002 / 00 | 73.19 | |
| Ryan O'Neal | 12 | $2,137,000,000 | 66.6 % | 011 / 05 | 69.39 | |
| James Caan | 18 | $2,132,600,000 | 64.5 % | 021 / 03 | 64.66 | |
| Richard Pryor | 21 | $2,122,300,000 | 62.7 % | 018 / 01 | 62.27 | |
| Roddy McDowall | 21 | $2,051,500,000 | 54.6 % | 021 / 02 | 58.19 | |
| Paul Newman | 13 | $2,047,200,000 | 66.7 % | 021 / 06 | 65.18 | |
| Diane Keaton | 12 | $2,037,100,000 | 81.2 % | 039 / 14 | 80.74 | |
| Alec Guinness | 6 | $2,009,100,000 | 79.2 % | 017 / 07 | 73 | |
| Faye Dunaway | 13 | $2,003,000,000 | 73.2 % | 036 / 08 | 74.83 | |
| Charlton Heston | 16 | $1,984,800,000 | 57.3 % | 007 / 01 | 62.28 | |
| Dustin Hoffman | 11 | $1,951,600,000 | 76.5 % | 029 / 09 | 78.42 | |
| Marlon Brando | 6 | $1,879,900,000 | 79.7 % | 024 / 05 | 85.43 | |
| Carrie Fisher | 2 | $1,845,500,000 | 83.0 % | 014 / 07 | 94.16 | |
| Donald Sutherland | 23 | $1,798,200,000 | 69.0 % | 011 / 03 | 59.83 | |
| Gene Wilder | 12 | $1,746,700,000 | 70.4 % | 009 / 00 | 69.03 | |
| Martin Balsam | 15 | $1,740,700,000 | 64.6 % | 023 / 06 | 65.04 | |
| Scatman Crothers | 19 | $1,739,700,000 | 64.4 % | 018 / 05 | 61.16 | |
| Mark Hamill | 3 | $1,737,600,000 | 79.7 % | 010 / 06 | 72.94 | |
| Eileen Brennan | 10 | $1,722,700,000 | 66.0 % | 018 / 05 | 68.01 | |
| Al Pacino | 8 | $1,677,700,000 | 81.8 % | 032 / 10 | 84.98 | |
| Elliott Gould | 23 | $1,622,900,000 | 61.4 % | 013 / 02 | 57.42 | |
| Joel Hirschhorn | 8 | $1,611,100,000 | 65.4 % | 018 / 04 | 71.06 | |
| Jacqueline Bisset | 14 | $1,602,500,000 | 63.3 % | 018 / 02 | 61.28 | |
| Max Von Sydow | 14 | $1,597,800,000 | 59.6 % | 019 / 02 | 56.89 | |
| Jack Nicholson | 15 | $1,591,000,000 | 73.7 % | 031 / 06 | 70.79 | |
| Burgess Meredith | 18 | $1,550,800,000 | 63.2 % | 016 / 03 | 59.65 | |
| Ernest Borgnine | 19 | $1,529,600,000 | 56.3 % | 010 / 01 | 56.39 | |
| Mel Brooks | 6 | $1,525,100,000 | 76.7 % | 007 / 00 | 79.78 | |
| Ellen Burstyn | 9 | $1,514,400,000 | 76.2 % | 023 / 06 | 71.03 | |
| Jack Warden | 15 | $1,510,200,000 | 62.4 % | 030 / 08 | 63.66 | |
| John Cazale | 5 | $1,465,400,000 | 92.0 % | 040 / 15 | 96.96 | |
| Teri Garr | 7 | $1,357,600,000 | 79.3 % | 016 / 01 | 74.87 | |
| Steve McQueen | 6 | $1,325,000,000 | 70.4 % | 009 / 03 | 73.24 | |
| Cloris Leachman | 16 | $1,313,300,000 | 67.9 % | 015 / 03 | 62.3 | |
| Karen Black | 23 | $1,309,800,000 | 57.6 % | 013 / 03 | 54.83 | |
| Jane Fonda | 12 | $1,301,900,000 | 65.8 % | 030 / 08 | 71.11 | |
| John Travolta | 5 | $1,262,800,000 | 65.9 % | 004 / 00 | 68.94 | |
| Sean Connery | 14 | $1,250,400,000 | 62.7 % | 015 / 01 | 61.89 | |
| Sally Field | 7 | $1,247,700,000 | 61.8 % | 007 / 02 | 69.99 | |
| Susan Sarandon | 10 | $1,220,200,000 | 62.4 % | 003 / 00 | 63.08 | |
| Ben Johnson | 17 | $1,211,600,000 | 63.9 % | 011 / 02 | 61.13 | |
| Peter Sellers | 15 | $1,207,600,000 | 62.8 % | 003 / 01 | 61.29 | |
| Peter Boyle | 17 | $1,201,900,000 | 67.3 % | 012 / 01 | 60.55 | |
| Harry Dean Stanton | 20 | $1,184,800,000 | 72.6 % | 017 / 07 | 61.58 | |
| Kris Kristofferson | 11 | $1,149,600,000 | 65.8 % | 007 / 02 | 62.7 | |
| Margot Kidder | 8 | $1,139,800,000 | 68.0 % | 003 / 00 | 65.47 | |
| Lee J. Cobb | 6 | $1,130,100,000 | 62.6 % | 010 / 02 | 57.99 | |
| Sidney Lumet | 9 | $1,124,300,000 | 73.6 % | 031 / 06 | 72.68 | |
| Russell Hawn | 15 | $1,108,000,000 | 57.0 % | 008 / 02 | 58.14 | |
| Walter Matthau | 13 | $1,100,400,000 | 70.7 % | 013 / 02 | 68.29 | |
| Anthony Perkins | 12 | $1,096,900,000 | 63.7 % | 010 / 01 | 62.29 | |
| Trevor Howard | 25 | $1,096,700,000 | 55.9 % | 014 / 03 | 51.14 | |
| George C. Scott | 15 | $1,093,800,000 | 63.3 % | 018 / 08 | 61.09 | |
| Sylvester Stallone | 8 | $1,072,000,000 | 62.2 % | 010 / 03 | 63.81 | |
| Jason Robards | 14 | $1,068,500,000 | 69.0 % | 025 / 08 | 63.44 | |
| Mercedes McCambridge | 3 | $1,066,100,000 | 62.8 % | 010 / 02 | 62.63 | |
| Ray Walston | 3 | $1,034,400,000 | 68.6 % | 011 / 03 | 74.89 | |
| Ali MacGraw | 4 | $1,029,900,000 | 65.8 % | 000 / 00 | 71.46 | |
| Jane Alexander | 6 | $1,028,700,000 | 61.8 % | 019 / 09 | 72.49 | |
| Laurence Olivier | 11 | $1,023,800,000 | 67.4 % | 018 / 03 | 68.73 | |
| Ray Milland | 13 | $1,003,700,000 | 49.1 % | 002 / 00 | 49.29 | |
| Helen Hayes | 4 | $999,200,000 | 63.6 % | 010 / 01 | 74.56 | |
| Michael Caine | 21 | $999,000,000 | 57.9 % | 013 / 01 | 54.47 | |
| Brian Dennehy | 6 | $986,100,000 | 63.7 % | 005 / 00 | 73.01 | |
| Richard Benjamin | 11 | $985,200,000 | 69.8 % | 005 / 01 | 65.35 | |
| Richard Chamberlain | 9 | $969,400,000 | 62.9 % | 012 / 03 | 62.26 | |
| Christopher Lee | 22 | $963,900,000 | 56.3 % | 005 / 00 | 53.44 | |
| Shelley Winters | 19 | $960,200,000 | 55.5 % | 011 / 01 | 51.94 | |
| Jeff Bridges | 14 | $950,700,000 | 68.3 % | 012 / 02 | 60.42 | |
| Burt Lancaster | 15 | $949,700,000 | 62.5 % | 010 / 01 | 55.51 | |
| William Holden | 9 | $947,600,000 | 65.7 % | 018 / 07 | 62.08 | |
| Ann-Margret | 10 | $946,400,000 | 59.4 % | 003 / 00 | 62.79 | |
| George Segal | 16 | $937,300,000 | 61.0 % | 006 / 01 | 57.84 | |
| Roger Moore | 12 | $937,200,000 | 60.0 % | 006 / 00 | 58.51 | |
| Meryl Streep | 5 | $936,600,000 | 78.3 % | 031 / 13 | 88.79 | |
| Ron Howard | 7 | $922,000,000 | 63.4 % | 006 / 00 | 60.37 | |
| Woody Allen | 8 | $919,500,000 | 85.2 % | 008 / 04 | 78.78 | |
| Jon Voight | 9 | $912,700,000 | 68.8 % | 012 / 03 | 66.53 | |
| Jill Clayburgh | 9 | $912,200,000 | 62.8 % | 003 / 00 | 65.44 | |
| Gary Busey | 10 | $907,900,000 | 60.9 % | 008 / 02 | 58.74 | |
| Robert Wagner | 3 | $886,800,000 | 54.5 % | 008 / 03 | 71.12 | |
| Joan Blondell | 7 | $872,300,000 | 61.2 % | 002 / 00 | 56.78 | |
| Bruce Dern | 16 | $868,600,000 | 63.2 % | 010 / 05 | 59.18 | |
| Dyan Cannon | 9 | $867,400,000 | 63.4 % | 009 / 01 | 63.61 | |
| Candice Bergen | 13 | $856,500,000 | 58.8 % | 007 / 00 | 58.6 | |
| Jan-Michael Vincent | 12 | $848,200,000 | 59.8 % | 003 / 00 | 57.73 | |
| Charles Bronson | 20 | $847,700,000 | 56.9 % | 000 / 00 | 53.23 | |
| Louise Fletcher | 8 | $833,300,000 | 64.7 % | 009 / 05 | 62.22 | |
| Jack Lemmon | 10 | $832,100,000 | 64.3 % | 011 / 01 | 65.81 | |
| Don Knotts | 8 | $829,900,000 | 60.9 % | 000 / 00 | 64.09 | |
| Marsha Mason | 7 | $816,900,000 | 61.8 % | 009 / 01 | 66.83 | |
| John Wayne | 10 | $815,100,000 | 60.8 % | 001 / 00 | 61.83 | |
| Henry Fonda | 16 | $812,600,000 | 49.9 % | 004 / 00 | 51.16 | |
| Glenn Ford | 3 | $804,400,000 | 69.6 % | 003 / 00 | 72.34 | |
| James Mason | 20 | $802,500,000 | 61.1 % | 015 / 01 | 54.26 | |
| Red Buttons | 7 | $801,400,000 | 54.5 % | 010 / 01 | 57.92 | |
| Eve Arden | 2 | $792,900,000 | 66.0 % | 001 / 00 | 72.58 | |
| Sterling Hayden | 6 | $791,200,000 | 73.8 % | 011 / 03 | 62.66 | |
| Sondra Locke | 9 | $788,900,000 | 56.9 % | 001 / 00 | 57.16 | |
| Julie Christie | 7 | $785,700,000 | 72.1 % | 020 / 03 | 71.31 | |
| Peter Falk | 8 | $781,800,000 | 75.2 % | 003 / 00 | 69.74 | |
| Liza Minnelli | 7 | $767,200,000 | 67.4 % | 010 / 08 | 67.65 | |
| Tim Conway | 8 | $764,100,000 | 53.8 % | 000 / 00 | 59.62 | |
| Robby Benson | 8 | $755,800,000 | 64.0 % | 001 / 00 | 64.53 | |
| Goldie Hawn | 9 | $751,700,000 | 60.5 % | 008 / 02 | 61.82 | |
| Lee Grant | 11 | $743,800,000 | 55.1 % | 009 / 01 | 58.97 | |
| Oliver Reed | 20 | $736,500,000 | 59.7 % | 003 / 00 | 54.03 | |
| Warren Beatty | 7 | $731,800,000 | 63.1 % | 014 / 02 | 64.36 | |
| Robert DeNiro | 13 | $727,300,000 | 70.6 % | 026 / 11 | 63.43 | |
| Alan Arkin | 9 | $718,100,000 | 66.2 % | 002 / 00 | 62.1 | |
| Richard Widmark | 11 | $713,200,000 | 55.6 % | 007 / 01 | 55.22 | |
| Frankie Avalon | 2 | $708,000,000 | 67.8 % | 001 / 00 | 67.06 | |
| Genevieve Bujold | 12 | $703,400,000 | 63.8 % | 005 / 01 | 56.73 | |
| Harry Morgan | 9 | $702,200,000 | 61.2 % | 001 / 00 | 60.59 | |
| Danny DeVito | 8 | $700,600,000 | 64.2 % | 009 / 05 | 58.7 | |
| Robert Mitchum | 12 | $697,000,000 | 56.9 % | 005 / 02 | 53.86 | |
| Ian Holm | 9 | $685,500,000 | 65.6 % | 016 / 04 | 59.91 | |
| Raquel Welch | 13 | $683,200,000 | 57.8 % | 001 / 00 | 55.14 | |
| Jodie Foster | 11 | $681,400,000 | 68.6 % | 012 / 01 | 62.62 | |
| Cliff Robertson | 10 | $680,100,000 | 63.1 % | 002 / 00 | 57.64 | |
| Martin Sheen | 7 | $679,800,000 | 70.9 % | 008 / 02 | 64.68 | |
| Ava Gardner | 8 | $677,300,000 | 49.3 % | 005 / 01 | 53.79 | |
| Orson Welles | 14 | $673,900,000 | 62.4 % | 005 / 00 | 55.81 | |
| Kevin Bacon | 2 | $673,800,000 | 73.5 % | 002 / 00 | 80.48 | |
| Anne Bancroft | 6 | $673,200,000 | 58.4 % | 017 / 00 | 67.16 | |
| Peter Ustinov | 9 | $673,100,000 | 58.7 % | 004 / 01 | 58.79 | |
| James Coburn | 16 | $670,200,000 | 64.3 % | 002 / 00 | 56.01 | |
| John Hurt | 6 | $666,500,000 | 77.9 % | 008 / 03 | 69.73 | |
| Omar Sharif | 11 | $662,700,000 | 58.1 % | 006 / 00 | 55.45 | |
| John Houseman | 6 | $656,500,000 | 65.9 % | 004 / 01 | 67.66 | |
| Jessica Lange | 2 | $655,700,000 | 66.3 % | 011 / 04 | 85.92 | |
| Dean Martin | 4 | $642,400,000 | 60.6 % | 010 / 01 | 59.52 | |
| Vanessa Redgrave | 11 | $635,700,000 | 65.4 % | 025 / 05 | 60.83 | |
| Barbara Harris | 10 | $633,000,000 | 62.4 % | 006 / 01 | 60 | |
| Jean Seberg | 7 | $618,600,000 | 60.0 % | 010 / 01 | 54.16 | |
| Joseph Cotten | 8 | $618,300,000 | 64.8 % | 006 / 01 | 62.6 | |
| Van Heflin | 1 | $601,700,000 | 63.3 % | 010 / 01 | 88.28 | |
| Brian Keith | 9 | $592,100,000 | 53.2 % | 004 / 00 | 53.98 | |
| Warren Oates | 20 | $587,900,000 | 65.2 % | 007 / 00 | 55.33 | |
| Steve Martin | 4 | $586,600,000 | 60.8 % | 002 / 00 | 67.35 | |
| Gregory Peck | 6 | $586,400,000 | 61.5 % | 005 / 01 | 59.17 | |
| Christopher Lloyd | 7 | $580,100,000 | 70.5 % | 009 / 05 | 60.46 | |
| Jack Albertson | 3 | $579,000,000 | 73.2 % | 009 / 01 | 70.55 | |
| Scott Glenn | 7 | $575,000,000 | 60.2 % | 014 / 03 | 57.96 | |
| Fred Astaire | 3 | $570,600,000 | 58.3 % | 008 / 03 | 60.72 | |
| Louis Gossett Jr. | 9 | $565,700,000 | 63.8 % | 006 / 01 | 57.15 | |
| Christopher Reeve | 2 | $563,200,000 | 77.0 % | 003 / 00 | 74.07 | |
| Jeff Goldblum | 10 | $562,900,000 | 69.6 % | 006 / 02 | 61.12 | |
| Jennifer Jones | 1 | $559,500,000 | 69.0 % | 008 / 03 | 91.9 | |
| Eva Gabor | 3 | $552,000,000 | 72.4 % | 001 / 00 | 74.12 | |
| John Saxon | 6 | $549,900,000 | 61.5 % | 001 / 00 | 61.55 | |
| Eli Wallach | 14 | $549,400,000 | 58.8 % | 004 / 00 | 52.6 | |
| Myrna Loy | 2 | $548,500,000 | 55.5 % | 000 / 00 | 75.16 | |
| Carol Lynley | 5 | $536,500,000 | 53.0 % | 008 / 01 | 51.33 | |
| David Niven | 7 | $534,200,000 | 64.3 % | 001 / 01 | 60.38 | |
| Telly Savalas | 8 | $533,200,000 | 59.4 % | 003 / 00 | 56.66 | |
| Terence Stamp | 2 | $526,300,000 | 76.4 % | 003 / 00 | 70.86 | |
| James Woods | 8 | $526,300,000 | 66.6 % | 006 / 02 | 58.26 | |
| Paul Winfield | 11 | $522,800,000 | 65.8 % | 004 / 00 | 58.19 | |
| Dean Jones | 7 | $522,400,000 | 59.3 % | 000 / 00 | 58.3 | |
| George Burns | 5 | $517,500,000 | 60.2 % | 005 / 01 | 65.93 | |
| Sidney Poitier | 9 | $517,000,000 | 60.4 % | 000 / 00 | 57.33 | |
| John Gielgud | 13 | $513,600,000 | 64.0 % | 007 / 01 | 55.1 | |
| Lee Remick | 9 | $507,300,000 | 65.1 % | 005 / 01 | 55.28 | |
| John Cassavetes | 11 | $504,500,000 | 62.9 % | 003 / 00 | 58.91 | |
| Maggie Smith | 5 | $498,500,000 | 64.5 % | 008 / 03 | 68.31 | |
| Rod Steiger | 9 | $497,900,000 | 58.0 % | 000 / 00 | 53.85 | |
| Art Carney | 10 | $494,000,000 | 60.3 % | 003 / 01 | 57.12 | |
| Nick Nolte | 4 | $492,900,000 | 66.8 % | 001 / 00 | 63.76 | |
| Pam Grier | 17 | $490,300,000 | 55.9 % | 000 / 00 | 50.77 | |
| Malcolm McDowell | 9 | $487,400,000 | 70.8 % | 007 / 00 | 60.11 | |
| Wilford Brimley | 2 | $484,900,000 | 70.8 % | 005 / 00 | 84.61 | |
| Tatum O'Neal | 4 | $482,100,000 | 69.8 % | 004 / 01 | 70.98 | |
| Billy Dee Williams | 8 | $476,500,000 | 63.2 % | 006 / 00 | 58.88 | |
| Peter Fonda | 11 | $473,500,000 | 59.8 % | 000 / 00 | 54.38 | |
| Anthony Hopkins | 10 | $473,300,000 | 56.0 % | 003 / 00 | 53.23 | |
| Tom Selleck | 5 | $473,000,000 | 56.9 % | 000 / 00 | 57.94 | |
| Richard Harris | 17 | $472,200,000 | 61.3 % | 003 / 01 | 52.56 | |
| Laurence Fishburne | 3 | $470,000,000 | 67.7 % | 008 / 02 | 70.11 | |
| Vic Morrow | 8 | $464,200,000 | 62.2 % | 000 / 00 | 55.78 | |
| Christopher Plummer | 11 | $463,700,000 | 63.8 % | 004 / 00 | 56.91 | |
| Dudley Moore | 4 | $458,200,000 | 61.0 % | 003 / 00 | 63.19 | |
| Ruth Gordon | 6 | $456,900,000 | 62.5 % | 000 / 00 | 58.52 | |
| Geraldine Page | 7 | $452,800,000 | 72.6 % | 010 / 00 | 65.27 | |
| Karl Malden | 5 | $449,500,000 | 53.3 % | 012 / 07 | 55.96 | |
| Shelley Duvall | 7 | $446,600,000 | 79.3 % | 011 / 05 | 68.74 | |
| Gig Young | 5 | $438,400,000 | 62.8 % | 006 / 01 | 63.95 | |
| Yvette Mimieux | 6 | $435,000,000 | 45.4 % | 002 / 00 | 51.56 | |
| Dana Andrews | 5 | $424,400,000 | 49.1 % | 001 / 00 | 51.29 | |
| Kirk Douglas | 11 | $422,400,000 | 56.5 % | 001 / 00 | 52.52 | |
| William Shatner | 6 | $419,000,000 | 48.0 % | 003 / 00 | 50.71 | |
| Harvey Keitel | 10 | $418,500,000 | 74.3 % | 007 / 01 | 61.18 | |
| Elsa Lanchester | 3 | $410,200,000 | 61.4 % | 000 / 00 | 65.71 | |
| Elisha Cook Jr. | 12 | $408,400,000 | 60.1 % | 004 / 00 | 53.78 | |
| Leonard Nimoy | 3 | $405,800,000 | 64.6 % | 003 / 00 | 65.84 | |
| Joel Grey | 4 | $405,700,000 | 74.2 % | 012 / 08 | 69.8 | |
| Glenda Jackson | 16 | $401,800,000 | 63.6 % | 013 / 02 | 55.91 | |
| Alan Alda | 7 | $398,700,000 | 57.1 % | 003 / 01 | 55.97 | |
| Olivia de Havilland | 5 | $392,200,000 | 41.5 % | 001 / 00 | 52.5 | |
| Christopher Walken | 2 | $390,500,000 | 89.2 % | 014 / 09 | 106.42 | |
| Dennis Hopper | 6 | $390,100,000 | 68.4 % | 008 / 02 | 58.69 | |
| Shirley MacLaine | 5 | $385,600,000 | 70.3 % | 013 / 01 | 67.49 | |
| Sigourney Weaver | 1 | $384,900,000 | 92.0 % | 002 / 01 | 95.6 | |
| Mickey Rooney | 7 | $384,400,000 | 59.2 % | 005 / 00 | 56.6 | |
| Robert Preston | 4 | $384,100,000 | 64.6 % | 000 / 00 | 62.8 | |
| Michael Douglas | 6 | $382,700,000 | 63.9 % | 005 / 00 | 60.09 | |
| James Stewart | 6 | $378,500,000 | 58.7 % | 002 / 00 | 57.93 | |
| Mia Farrow | 9 | $375,700,000 | 58.7 % | 003 / 03 | 54.54 | |
| Gloria Swanson | 1 | $373,600,000 | 43.0 % | 000 / 00 | 71.2 | |
| Julie Andrews | 3 | $368,600,000 | 66.8 % | 005 / 00 | 68.23 | |
| Chevy Chase | 3 | $367,400,000 | 56.3 % | 001 / 00 | 65.79 | |
| Royal Dano | 12 | $365,700,000 | 60.9 % | 001 / 00 | 53.3 | |
| Lauren Bacall | 2 | $359,900,000 | 79.4 % | 007 / 01 | 80.71 | |
| Kurt Russell | 6 | $356,300,000 | 51.6 % | 000 / 00 | 53.45 | |
| Albert Finney | 4 | $354,800,000 | 76.4 % | 010 / 01 | 67.83 | |
| Ingrid Bergman | 5 | $338,800,000 | 66.7 % | 008 / 01 | 62.2 | |
| Scott Wilson | 5 | $337,200,000 | 56.0 % | 003 / 02 | 57.65 | |
| Danny Aiello | 5 | $331,300,000 | 76.1 % | 014 / 06 | 66.67 | |
| Walter Pidgeon | 6 | $323,300,000 | 46.3 % | 001 / 00 | 50.2 | |
| Rip Torn | 8 | $316,100,000 | 66.7 % | 000 / 00 | 56.55 | |
| John Lithgow | 4 | $315,900,000 | 70.0 % | 010 / 04 | 67.28 | |
| Wendy Hiller | 3 | $305,400,000 | 72.8 % | 009 / 01 | 65.29 | |
| Melvyn Douglas | 7 | $302,800,000 | 75.0 % | 007 / 02 | 64.08 | |
| Ralph Bellamy | 3 | $299,700,000 | 50.8 % | 001 / 00 | 57.72 | |
| Lee Marvin | 10 | $298,500,000 | 61.7 % | 000 / 00 | 53.63 | |
| Alain Delon | 29 | $294,300,000 | 61.1 % | 000 / 00 | 50.39 | |
| Katharine Ross | 9 | $287,900,000 | 52.3 % | 004 / 00 | 50.7 | |
| Yul Brynner | 10 | $287,700,000 | 55.5 % | 000 / 00 | 50 | |
| Dirk Bogarde | 7 | $287,500,000 | 68.7 % | 001 / 00 | 57.89 | |
| Carol Burnett | 3 | $278,700,000 | 69.8 % | 002 / 00 | 67.88 | |
| Gena Rowlands | 5 | $277,200,000 | 73.2 % | 004 / 00 | 64.32 | |
| Robert Morley | 11 | $274,200,000 | 61.3 % | 002 / 01 | 52.09 | |
| Joanne Woodward | 6 | $272,300,000 | 63.1 % | 002 / 00 | 57.62 | |
| Bo Derek | 1 | $271,700,000 | 65.5 % | 002 / 00 | 83.22 | |
| Alan Bates | 9 | $270,200,000 | 70.3 % | 005 / 00 | 57.78 | |
| Richard Burton | 15 | $269,400,000 | 56.3 % | 003 / 00 | 49.8 | |
| David Carradine | 15 | $264,600,000 | 61.4 % | 006 / 02 | 51.54 | |
| Lew Ayres | 6 | $263,400,000 | 51.2 % | 000 / 00 | 50.92 | |
| Angela Lansbury | 4 | $262,300,000 | 67.8 % | 006 / 02 | 63.52 | |
| Peter Finch | 7 | $261,900,000 | 71.3 % | 010 / 04 | 59.94 | |
| Sissy Spacek | 6 | $260,300,000 | 79.3 % | 002 / 00 | 62.34 | |
| Jim Brown | 12 | $257,900,000 | 59.4 % | 000 / 00 | 50.9 | |
| Frank Langella | 4 | $255,300,000 | 62.4 % | 001 / 00 | 59.32 | |
| Richard Gere | 6 | $254,300,000 | 68.5 % | 007 / 01 | 58.57 | |
| Melanie Griffith | 5 | $252,700,000 | 68.6 % | 000 / 00 | 58.91 | |
| Troy Donahue | 6 | $247,800,000 | 60.6 % | 011 / 06 | 52.35 | |
| Tuesday Weld | 5 | $245,400,000 | 58.8 % | 002 / 00 | 56.59 | |
| Rita Moreno | 3 | $239,100,000 | 65.6 % | 001 / 00 | 62.08 | |
| Peter O'Toole | 11 | $237,600,000 | 59.2 % | 002 / 00 | 51.78 | |
| Ralph Richardson | 10 | $236,600,000 | 61.1 % | 000 / 00 | 53.05 | |
| Carrie Snodgress | 3 | $229,100,000 | 66.5 % | 001 / 00 | 64.74 | |
| Tommy Lee Jones | 6 | $227,400,000 | 55.4 % | 000 / 00 | 52.22 | |
| Anthony Quinn | 9 | $211,200,000 | 60.9 % | 002 / 00 | 52.04 | |
| Tom Berenger | 2 | $205,200,000 | 62.5 % | 002 / 00 | 65.65 |
There aren’t as many 70’s films as the previous decades that I’ve seen since film 8000 in 1992, only 894. By 1979 I began to see a number in cinemas. That year I saw over 100 in revival theaters but only about 80 current films in cinemas. I finally went over 100 currents seen in cinemas by 1980 (I was working now). I did not see The Godfather flics, Jaws, Dog Day Afternoon, The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror or American Graffiti in cinemas. I saw them when they came to TV. I saw Grease in 1981 in a short lived revival theater. It took me a year to see Star Wars in a cinema (none were high on my agenda). The 70’s were mainly Disney comedies, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and occasional exploition epics which were cool when you were 17. I remember Jaws 2 (I saw that in the theater) and Grease (see above) opened in Manhattan on the same day and the lines were all the way down and around ythe blocks for both pictures. I later learned the deuce (42nd street dives) would get opening movies the night before on Thursday which is so common today. You could get 2 openers together and no crowds for much cheaper prices. You could go to bad action pictures no other theaters played. There were still double features around so I saw 4 of the 5 Planet of the Apes pictures sharing the screen with something else. Of course it was the something else pictures I wanted to see. Although 1968 I remember going to a compilation film The Future Perils of Laurel and Hardy and all the kids in the neighborhood came out and I was shocked. Actually they wanted to see the other, Planet of the Apes. The 70’s were my first R rated pictures. They wouldn’t let you in, but for me it was Bluebeard starring Richard Burton and a bevy of beauties. The legion of decency used to rate pictures so I went to a condemned picture first, yes. It was Woody Allen’s Bananas. Anyway of those 854 no star has the leads in 10 or more films. By the 80’s everything will be in cinemas and they won’t be on my old film list that I update.
Hey Dan
1. Thanks for your thoughts on movies of the 1970s.
2. Your list of blockbusters not seen in theaters is impressive….how did you manage not to see those movies. Granted three fall into the horror category.
3. Jaws 2 and Grease….now that is an interesting double feature.
4. Very interesting that the 42nd street dives were ahead of the game on Thursday showings.
5. Interesting that Bluebeard was your first R rated movie……mine was either Body Heat or Endless Love….which has a very young Tom Cruise.
6. Good feedback as always.
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for another great decade page. Already a lot of comments for the first day, I guess the 70s really got people excited (memories….as Barbara would sing). A few comments from my side:
1. I appreciate that you provided us with your own top 10, which ultimately makes more sense that what the numbers would make us believe. That’s a thoughtful list that on the whole I agree with…except maybe Redford going down to 6th place. Now I’m the first one to agree that star power is not only a question of numbers, but this is the only decade where your top box office leader is also your top UMR leader. It’s your stats dude! 🙂 Redford just seems to be significantly ahead of the others. From a career perspective though, I agree Nicholson, one of the all-time greats, beats Redford, but looking at the 70s only…I’m not sure.
2. I know you’re a Harrison Ford fan so I may be threading on dangerous territory here, but just to point out (as I’m sure you know), that his number 2 spot as box office leader is only possible because you counted Apocalypse Now, where he had a supporting role and American Graffiti, where he was uncredited. Otherwise, he would not be in the top 15, though if there were an 80s page, no doubt that Harrison would deserve a top spot!
3. It’s interesting to note that if you had allowed 7 movies for the cut (a reasonable number in my view), Woody Allen would be first on the critical rating score and 2nd on UMR score. He was a hallmark of the 70s in my view. Even if his films did not appeal to every-one, they had a major impact on cinema.
4. Now nobody could be more different than Woody Allen than Steve McQueen, but I also wanted to note that if the cut had been 6 films (ok I may be pushing it but bear with me), he would have made the top 15 UMR list. Of course, McQueen practically disappeared in the second half of the decade due to health reasons, but he was a top star in the first half, as shown by the fact that he was billed before Newman in The Towering Inferno (Newman’s name was a little higher, but McQueen was first!)
5. I see that despite his decline, Burt Lancaster still does pretty good in terms of box office, albeit mainly due to Airport, but his UMR score is quite low. (35.48). Are you sure there’s no mistake here? For instance, Roger Moore with a similar average box office, lower rating and lower oscar nominations gets 38.05.
6. Finally, on Charles Bronson. I had already noted some time ago on his UMR page that his box office in the 70s was not stellar. Still, I would not underestimate his popularity in the decade. No doubt, he was a much bigger star internationally than in the US, but even there, he made the Quigley top 10 (yes, here I go again) 4 times between 1973 and 1976 – a bit strange, but I believe his appeal was wider than a group of devout fans.
7. Hope you enjoyed your memorial day week-end!
Hey Phil
1. Glad you liked me including my Top 10. I think many people do not realize that the numbers do not always represent what I personally feel. Granted I agree with the UMR rankings many times…but there are numerous times that I realize my formula failed. A Mel Gibson commentor recently pointed that out to me.
2. I think all of my Top 10 are razor thin close….as I do not put too much distance between my 1st and 10th pick….and they Top 6 are even closer. Heck even today I am agreeing with you that Redford needs to move up more….but then tomorrow I will read something about Brando and think…no Redford should be behind him.
3. Too bad Woody was not the movie making machine he is now…or he would have made the cut. I agree Woody was a huge star of the 1970s….and he was beloved….I wonder how many people have forgotten how beloved he was back then.
4. McQueen’s 1970s could have been so much more impressive…..as he passed on Close Encounters, Bridge Too Far and other blockbusters…..but his 6 movies still rank pretty high.
5. Once again ….when really looking at the stats….Quigley’s list make no sense. I think the power of Death Wish kept Bronson in their minds…even though his movies after that one started to be less impressive at the box office.
6. Speaking of Quigley…..when I was looking for names for the 1980s page….I noticed Paul Hogan made the Quigley list 3 times…..yet he only made 2 movies. Explain that one.
Good feedback as always.
Hello Bruce,
I love that page because it was my 20 and during that DECADE I saw a lot of movies Classic and contemporains, I met Dietrich and Sternberg ,Cooper on the screen and all the others stars from Monroe to Grant for the classic to Reynolds and Harrison Ford and Dunaway very good in Network, films like Stars Wars, Alien ,the Woody Allens and Mel Brooks films were so funny , Bronson and Jill Ireland , Jill Clayburg and Gene Wilder, De Niro and SHeperd but my favorite film is Américan Graffiti with Dreyfus and Ron Howard.
I saw it a lot.
In one day I started at10 in the morning and sent out of the theater at midnight.
I saw it 7 Times in the same day with just one ticket and of course i was alone nobody wanted to come with me.
For the music, for the story, evrything was perfect in that film for me.
G.Lucas was at his beginning and with his friend Steven Spielberg They were becoming the new kings of Hollywood.
The first Time I saw Jaws it was really very new , and the rythm of the films change from that Time.
I saw a film like the Shop around the corner with Stewart from LUBISTCH not so Long Time ago and everything take Time, it is slow ,so you Can just look the actors play.
And that the pleasure of movies.
Thank you very much for this page, and I am not surprised by the place of Redford, he was with Newman so good in the Sting.
Have a Nice day
Pierre
Hey Pierre.
1. Great comment…fun to read…as I enjoyed reading your movie memories.
2. American Graffiti is still a fun movie to watch.
3. Wow….seven times in one day…..that has me beat….I once saw The Breakfast Club three times in one day…..an impressive feat for you.
4. Glad you like our UMR champ of the decade….Redford had one awesome 1970s.
🙂
Salut Pierre, I agree with Bruce about your comment, your love for the movies really shines through and I like the way you you evoke the essence of the decade in a few words:)
Salut et Bonsoir Phil,
Simply Merci
Have a Nice day
Pierre
Glad to see Robert Redford at Number 1 and Paul Newman is in the top 10. I see Gregory is at 90.
Hey Flora…thanks for the visit….yep your Mr. Peck still managed a Top 100 spot….even with only 6 movies. Glad you like Butch and Sundance being in the Top 10. 🙂
Cogerson
My reactions are rather similar to Steve’s. The big positive surprise was Charlton Heston at the box office. I really didn’t anticipate Heston ending in the top fifteen of this decade. Your critics savaged him, but quite a few of his movies–Julius Caesar, Midway, Skyjacked–I like better than the critics do. And Airport ’75 is one of the all time hoots with Stewardess Karen Black flying the crippled plane. It is easy to see where Airplane got its inspiration. That Heston edges Eastwood at the box office in this decade really surprised me.
And Charles Bronson? As with Steve, he’s one of the actors I think of immediately when I think of 1970’s movies. I kind of expected him to be a bit down at the domestic box office, but nothing like the mediocre performance you credit. It raises a question. Could there be “creative bookkeeping” at work here? I know studios often claim paper losses to avoid taxes even when the budgets and grosses point to big profits. It just seems Bronson must have done a bit better than this chart indicates.
Eastwood? I would have thought him doing better, but unlike Bronson he is still among the leaders.
Hey John
1. Chuck surprised me as well…..you are 100% correct the critics had a field day with most of his movies from that decade.
2. I think Airport 75 was the last good Airport movie…..the others got bad really quickly.
3. As for Bronson….I think he was like Chuck Norris and today’s Jason Statham……they had serious devout fans….but they did not reach mass audiences with most of their movies. Yes every once in awhile they would hit the jackpot….Death Wish….but most were pretty low budgets that made action fans happy.
4. Clint reached mass audiences…..but his decade numbers were not as impressive as I thought they would be.
Thanks for the feedback.