Want to know the best Don Ameche movies? How about the worst Don Ameche movies? Curious about Don Ameche box office grosses or which Don Ameche movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Don Ameche 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.
Don Ameche (1908-1993) was an Oscar®-winning American actor whose career spanned over 7 decades. His IMDb page shows 91 acting credits from 1935-1994. This page will rank 53 Don Ameche 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. This page was requested many moons ago by Søren.
Don Ameche Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
1938
Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938)
AA Best Picture Nom
1943
Heaven Can Wait (1943)
AA Best Picture Nom
1983
Trading Places (1983)
1938
In Old Chicago (1938)
AA Best Picture Nom
1985
Cocoon (1985)
AA Best Supp Actor Win
1944
Wing and a Prayer (1944)
1940
Down Argentina Way (1940)
1941
That Night in Rio (1941)
1988
Coming to America (1988)
1939
Swanee River (1939)
1937
Love is News (1937)
1944
Greenwich Villiage (1944)
1938
Happy Landing (1938)
1939
Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)
1939
Midnight (1939)
1937
You Can't Have Everything (1937)
1943
Happy Land (1943)
1941
Moon Over Miami (1941)
1936
One in a Million (1936)
1993
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
1936
Ramona (1936)
1939
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939)
1940
Lillian Russell (1940)
1937
Love Under Fire (1937)
1942
The Magnificent Dope (1942)
1937
Fifty Roads To Town (1937)
1945
It's In The Bag! (1945)
1936
Ladies in Love (1936)
1948
Sleep, My Love (1948)
1938
Josette (1938)
1938
Gateway (1938)
1946
So Goes My Love (1946)
1970
The Boatniks (1970)
1949
Slightly French (1949)
1945
Guest Wife (1945)
1942
Girl Trouble (1942)
1987
Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
1941
The Feminine Touch (1941)
1988
Things Change (1988)
1994
Corrina, Corrina (1994)
1940
Four Sons (1940)
1939
The Three Musketeers (1939)
1941
Kiss The Boys Goodbye (1941)
1947
That's My Man (1947)
1943
Something To Shout About (1943)
1941
Confirm Or Deny (1941)
1936
Sins of Man (1936)
1961
A Fever In The Blood (1961)
1988
Cocoon: The Return (1988)
1970
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came (1970)
1991
Oscar (1991)
1992
Folks! (1992)
1954
Phantom Caravan (1954)
Don Ameche 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 Don Ameche movies by co-stars of his movies.
- Sort Don Ameche movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Don Ameche movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Don Ameche 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 Don Ameche movie received and how many Oscar® wins each Don Ameche movie won.
- Sort Don Ameche 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.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) AA Best Picture Nom |
Tyrone Power | 12.00 | 479.1 | 479.10 | 1 | 75 | 06 / 01 | 98.6 | |
| 3 | Heaven Can Wait (1943) AA Best Picture Nom |
Gene Tierney | 7.10 | 256.7 | 256.70 | 31 | 77 | 03 / 00 | 98.4 | |
| 4 | Trading Places (1983) | Eddie Murphy & Dan Aykroyd |
90.40 | 309.4 | 309.40 | 4 | 82 | 01 / 00 | 97.8 | |
| 2 | In Old Chicago (1938) AA Best Picture Nom |
Tyrone Power | 10.00 | 399.3 | 399.30 | 3 | 68 | 06 / 02 | 97.6 | |
| 5 | Cocoon (1985) AA Best Supp Actor Win |
Directed by Ron Howard | 76.10 | 231.1 | 259.10 | 6 | 73 | 02 / 02 | 96.8 | |
| 6 | Wing and a Prayer (1944) | Dana Andrews | 7.30 | 244.5 | 244.50 | 30 | 66 | 01 / 00 | 94.4 | |
| 8 | Down Argentina Way (1940) | Betty Grable | 5.60 | 214.5 | 214.50 | 12 | 64 | 03 / 00 | 94.2 | |
| 10 | That Night in Rio (1941) | Alice Faye | 5.20 | 198.7 | 198.70 | 24 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 93.5 | |
| 7 | Coming to America (1988) | Eddie Murphy | 128.20 | 336.1 | 757.40 | 3 | 62 | 02 / 00 | 93.4 | |
| 11 | Swanee River (1939) | Al Jolson | 5.00 | 192.5 | 192.50 | 29 | 64 | 01 / 00 | 93.2 | |
| 12 | Love is News (1937) | Tyrone Power | 4.00 | 165.8 | 165.80 | 46 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 92.0 | |
| 13 | Greenwich Villiage (1944) | Carmon Miranda | 6.00 | 201.0 | 201.00 | 51 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 91.3 | |
| 12 | Happy Landing (1938) | Sonja Henie | 8.00 | 319.4 | 319.40 | 9 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 91.0 | |
| 15 | Hollywood Cavalcade (1939) | Buster Keaton & Alice Faye |
4.00 | 154.0 | 154.00 | 48 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 89.0 | |
| 14 | Midnight (1939) | Claudette Colbert | 2.30 | 87.0 | 87.00 | 103 | 86 | 00 / 00 | 89.0 | |
| 16 | You Can't Have Everything (1937) | Alice Faye | 3.70 | 151.8 | 151.80 | 54 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 88.1 | |
| 18 | Happy Land (1943) | Frances Dee | 4.30 | 154.0 | 154.00 | 74 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 87.5 | |
| 17 | Moon Over Miami (1941) | Betty Grable | 3.10 | 118.0 | 118.00 | 81 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 87.3 | |
| 20 | One in a Million (1936) | Sonja Henie | 4.30 | 186.9 | 186.90 | 27 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 86.3 | |
| 19 | Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) | Michael J. Fox | 41.80 | 108.9 | 108.90 | 35 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 86.2 | |
| 21 | Ramona (1936) | Loretta Young | 3.30 | 143.7 | 143.70 | 44 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 85.6 | |
| 22 | The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939) | Henry Fonda | 3.80 | 146.3 | 146.30 | 51 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 85.4 | |
| 23 | Lillian Russell (1940) | Henry Fonda | 2.90 | 110.0 | 110.00 | 52 | 62 | 01 / 00 | 82.5 | |
| 24 | Love Under Fire (1937) | Loretta Young | 2.80 | 115.3 | 115.30 | 90 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 82.4 | |
| 25 | The Magnificent Dope (1942) | Henry Fonda | 3.60 | 132.8 | 132.80 | 73 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 81.7 | |
| 26 | Fifty Roads To Town (1937) | Ann Sothern | 2.90 | 118.2 | 118.20 | 85 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 80.4 | |
| 26 | It's In The Bag! (1945) | Jack Benny & Fred Allen |
2.50 | 79.1 | 79.10 | 112 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 80.2 | |
| 28 | Ladies in Love (1936) | Tyrone Power & Loretta Young |
2.30 | 100.6 | 100.60 | 85 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 80.2 | |
| 29 | Sleep, My Love (1948) | Claudette Colbert | 2.40 | 65.1 | 65.10 | 126 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 78.7 | |
| 30 | Josette (1938) | Robert Young | 2.40 | 95.0 | 95.00 | 97 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 76.3 | |
| 32 | Gateway (1938) | Lyle Talbot | 2.30 | 90.8 | 90.80 | 101 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 75.5 | |
| 31 | So Goes My Love (1946) | Myrna Loy | 2.60 | 78.7 | 78.70 | 112 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 75.1 | |
| 33 | The Boatniks (1970) | Robert Morse | 15.20 | 105.4 | 105.40 | 28 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 74.2 | |
| 35 | Slightly French (1949) | Dorothy Lamour | 3.80 | 94.2 | 94.20 | 94 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 70.9 | |
| 34 | Guest Wife (1945) | Claudette Colbert | 2.80 | 88.0 | 88.00 | 106 | 54 | 01 / 00 | 70.8 | |
| 36 | Girl Trouble (1942) | Joan Bennett | 1.80 | 68.5 | 68.50 | 131 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 68.5 | |
| 38 | Harry and the Hendersons (1987) | John Lithgow | 29.80 | 82.1 | 82.10 | 41 | 53 | 01 / 01 | 68.2 | |
| 39 | The Feminine Touch (1941) | Van Heflin & Rosalind Russell |
2.00 | 77.4 | 77.40 | 118 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 66.1 | |
| 38 | Things Change (1988) | Joe Mantenga | 3.50 | 9.3 | 9.30 | 141 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 65.0 | |
| 40 | Corrina, Corrina (1994) | Ray Liotta & Whoopi Goldberg |
20.20 | 53.3 | 53.30 | 69 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 62.5 | |
| 41 | Four Sons (1940) | Eugenie Leontovich | 2.00 | 76.5 | 76.50 | 97 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 62.2 | |
| 43 | The Three Musketeers (1939) | Gloria Stuart | 1.80 | 70.6 | 70.60 | 125 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 60.1 | |
| 42 | Kiss The Boys Goodbye (1941) | Mary Martin | 1.30 | 51.6 | 51.60 | 152 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 59.3 | |
| 44 | That's My Man (1947) | Catherine McLeod | 1.50 | 42.6 | 42.60 | 147 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 56.8 | |
| 46 | Something To Shout About (1943) | Janet Blair | 1.80 | 66.2 | 66.20 | 118 | 50 | 02 / 00 | 55.4 | |
| 45 | Confirm Or Deny (1941) | Joan Bennett | 1.10 | 42.1 | 42.10 | 166 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 54.1 | |
| 47 | Sins of Man (1936) | Jean Hersholt | 0.90 | 37.7 | 37.70 | 158 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 47.2 | |
| 48 | A Fever In The Blood (1961) | Angie Dickinson | 1.40 | 20.1 | 32.60 | 110 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 45.0 | |
| 49 | Cocoon: The Return (1988) | Hume Cronyn | 18.90 | 49.6 | 49.60 | 53 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 36.0 | |
| 50 | Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came (1970) | Ernest Borgnine & Tony Curtis |
1.90 | 13.3 | 13.30 | 108 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 25.9 | |
| 51 | Oscar (1991) | Sylvester Stallone & Kirk Douglas |
23.60 | 60.3 | 60.30 | 56 | 35 | 00 / 00 | 21.7 | |
| 52 | Folks! (1992) | Tom Selleck | 6.10 | 15.9 | 15.90 | 113 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 13.4 | |
| 53 | Phantom Caravan (1954) | Genine Graham | 0.50 | 11.8 | 11.80 | 181 | 25 | 00 / 00 | 0.6 |
Ten Possibly Interesting Facts About Don Ameche
1. Dominic Felix Amici was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on May 31, 1908
2. Don Ameche’s cousin, Alan Ameche, won the Heisman Trophy (best college football of the year) in 1954.
3. Don Ameche first career path was to become a lawyer….but he quickly realized he liked theatricals more interesting and decided on a stage career.
4. Don Ameche began his career singing and acting in vaudeville.
5. Don Ameche’s career adjusted domestic box office gross is 5.42 billion!
6. Don Ameche worked with Tyrone Power 4 times: 1936’s Ladies in Love (1936), 1937’s In Old Chicago, 1937’s Love Is News and 1938’s Alexander’s Ragtime Band. Almost 50 years later Ameche Power’s son Tyrone Power Jr. in 1985’s Cocoon and 1988’s Cocoon: The Return.
7. Don Ameche was considered for the role of Don Vito Corleone in 1972’s The Godfather. Marlon Brando was cast and won the Best Actor Oscar® for the role.
8. Don Ameche was married one time…..he was married to Honore Prendergast from 1932 to her death in 1986…they had 6 children.
9. Don Ameche made only five films from 1949 to 1983.
10. Check out Don Ameche’s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
Academy Award® and Oscar® are the registered trademarks of the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences.
I have seen 15 of his movies. My favorites are the Betty Grable ones. Another wonderful page.
Thanks BERN1960….well you are in the lead currently…maybe you can finally get that Gold Medal. Glad you enjoyed the Grable/Ameche movies.
Bern1960….15 Ameche movies watched
Søren….12 Ameche movies watched
Flora………..12 Ameche movies watched
Steve Lensman…..12 Ameche movies watched
Cogerson….11 Ameche movies watched
I have seen 12 of these movies.
My favourites are Cocoon from this later career, and In Old Chicago, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, and Heaven Can Wait from his early career as a star.
Happy Birthday Wife of Cogerson. 🙂
Tally count:
Bern1960….15 Ameche movies watched
Søren….12 Ameche movies watched
Flora………..12 Ameche movies watched
Steve Lensman…..12 Ameche movies watched
Cogerson….11 Ameche movies watched
WoC’s birthday is today…..but we did her celebration yesterday….as today….we all had to go to work and school….so poor Little Debbie is all alone today.
I really want to see Heaven Can Wait….not sure why I have avoided that one.
In Old Chicago and Cocoon….are two of my favorites as well.
Thanks for the comment, the visit and the tally count. 🙂
Hello Bruce, we don’t see you much around here anymore… it’s a pretty good movie site you should hang around more. A happy birthday to WoC! I take it this is the day you keep the movie and website chit-chat to a bare minimum. 🙂
Let’s see… I’ve seen 12 of the 53 films listed here, favorites include Heaven Can Wait, In Old Chicago, Cocoon, Trading Places, Harry and the Hendersons, Coming to America (only a cameo) and Oscar (an underrated Sylvester Stallone comedy).
I watched three colorful 40s musicals starring Ameche fairly recently – Down Argentine Way, Moon Over Miami and That Night in Rio.
Good to see Cocoon topping the UMR chart, it’s a movie I’ve enjoyed watching quite a few times over the years. I particularly liked James Horner’s music score, I have the CD. The sequel was unnecessary though it’s always a treat to see that cast together again.
I haven’t seen Midnight or Wing and a Prayer.
Looking at the trivia I can’t imagine Don Ameche as Don Corleone or even Laurence Olivier in the role either, so glad it went to Mr. Mumbles. 😉
Another excellent movie page Bruce. Vote Up!
1 STEVE. I am glad somebody else has noticed that we are leaderless these days s I thought that it was maybe me and that I had gone too far in winding him up about his Queen and her easy-earned grosses
2 It is not for nothing that we have labelled him the Work Horse but Franchot Tone said this of his ex-wife the Great Crawford “Joan had her many faults but even before she washed her hair in the morning or made my breakfast she would insist upon dealing with correspondence from her legions of admirers.”
3 Jason Robards Jr said of his own burnout “Friends can go, family can be pushed to the back of the line, you can stop taking an interest in the doings of others but when you cease to be interested in your OWN work you know you’ve hit bottom. When your own work goes that’s it!” I have written five posts to WH in the past 10 days about HIS new pages/updates and all have apparently gone unnoticed. In desperation I was thinking of writing to Box Office Mojo or The Numbers to see if they were still dealing with fan mail.
4 Anyway my thoughts were more on YOU last night. I viewed Sir Maurice Micklewhite in Youth (2015) a slow talkative film that held my attention because Sir M as always was highly watchable and he and Harvey Keitel had some marvellous scenes together. Also Jane Fonda gave a riveting albeit foul-mouthed cameo. However I wasn’t sure if you would like it because Sir M plays a retired music conductor who dogmatically rejects several requests from the Queen of England to perform his music for her at Buckingham Palace. I see that in his new movie Sir M is billed 2nd to Morgan Freeman. For once one of my idols trumps an idol of WH!
Copied to Michael Caine page
I know how you feel Bob, Bruce has missed a few of my comments too in recent days including emails. He did seem a bit bored with everything last time we chatted. I always tell him he’s going through the doldrums, happens to everyone.
I saw Youth, it was okay to watch once but I can’t imagine sitting through it again. The only thing that kept me awake were the naked young ladies walking nonchalantly past the screen every now and then. 🙂
Those young ladies were one of the things that seemed to keep Sir M and Harvey alert too.
🙂
🙂
Hey Steve….and I will make it to those comments…..they were read….just not commented back on…..seems that lately I have only been able to answer a few comments at a time. There is an excellent John comment…about the price of gas that I have been trying to get to for the last couple of months. Sorry you did not like Youth as much as I did. Sir Michael was excellent in the movie.
Hey Bob…..as the site grows….the comments are growing…which is making it real hard to keep up with the comments and get new material out there. You are correct…Morgan is listed first while Caine gets second…..but they are in it together. I have plans to see Going In Style this weekend….at 84 you never know how many new Caine wide release movies are left.
HI BRUCE
1 I’ve told you before the likes of Steve, John and Flora wouldn’t min if you missed out their comments to reply to mine as they realise mine are more meaningful.
2. One thing that old age hasn’t changed in Sir M is that hat engaging smile of his. I don’t think I’ve every seen anyone in movies with so distinct a smile.
Hey Bob…funny comment. Good information to know. I agree with you about Sir M’s smile. At 84 he is headlining a movie that is being released in lots of theaters…I wonder how many 84 year olds have that on their resume. Thanks for explaining everything…lol.
We have been trying to find a “like” button that actually works….that will at least let the commenter know his comment was read and liked. Some of my return comments take awhile to write…..so it makes it real easy to fall behind. Not thinking Box Office Mojo or The Numbers are too fan friendly…especially Box Office Mojo.
Joan Crawford was a legend with regards to responding to fans and people that wrote about her. I will get to those 5 posts…which I have read. Know that they are appreciated.
Hi Bruce
Congratulations to your and WoC.
My tally? . a whopping 12…
I think the first film I saw with Don Ameche was Trading Places and then a few years later Cocoon.
He’s had an impressive career but even more impressive is his marriage – being married to the same woman for 54 years (and in Hollywood), wow, I like that.
Excellent work, Bruce
Hey Søren glad you found and liked your requested Don Ameche movie page. I agree his 54 year Hollywood marriage might be his most amazing accomplishment. Tally counts.
Bern1960….15 Ameche movies watched
Søren….12 Ameche movies watched
Flora………..12 Ameche movies watched
Steve Lensman…..12 Ameche movies watched
Cogerson….11 Ameche movies watched
His 1980s comeback might be one of the most amazing ever. From forgotten star to Oscar winning star. Thanks for the comment and the visit.
Since tomorrow…which is actually today as it is closing in on 2:00 am my time…is all about WoC (Wife of Cogerson)….since it is her birthday….I figured I would share my tally now….before my tally quickly falls to the bottom….I have seen 11 of his movies. With Cocoon, Midnight, Trading Places, Harry and the Hendersons and In Old Chicago being my Top 5. So right now…I am in first place….come on 11….you can make it. 🙂