This page of Top 100 Movie Stars comes from two lists. The first list is the American Film Institute’s Top 50 Classic Stars. The second list is our list of the Top 50 Current Stars. Current at least compared to the AFI list. There are 50 Actors and 50 Actresses Listed Here. Yes some great performers were left off…but overall we feel this is an outstanding Top 100.
- AFI’s Top 50 Stars – stars before 1950
- UMR’s Top 25 Actors – actors who became stars after 1950
- UMR’s Top 25 Actresses – actresses who became stars after 1950
Top 100 Movie Stars by Category
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies any way you want.
- Sort Top 100 Movie Stars by the number of their movies in our database
- Sort Top 100 Movie Stars by career adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost.
- Sort Top 100 Movie Stars by career average critics and audience rating…all their movies combined
- Sort Top 100 Movie Stars by how many career Oscar® nominations and Oscar® wins their combined movies earned
- Sort Top 100 Movie Stars by their career average Ultimate Movie Ranking (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
- The actor link takes you to our UMR page on that performer
Our Top 100 Stars Are Ranked By Using All The Stats In The Table – James Stewart is our “Best of the Best” while Sophia Loren is the “Worst of the Best”.
| Rank | Top 100 Star | Overall Rank | Movies | Total Adjusted Domestic Box Office | AVG Review % | Oscar Noms / Wins | AVG UMR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Stewart | 1st | 76 | $10,571,600,000 | 70.3 % | 081 / 014 | 79.10 | |
| Cary Grant | 2nd | 65 | $9,373,000,000 | 72.6 % | 071 / 009 | 79.90 | |
| Gary Cooper | 3rd | 73 | $10,767,500,000 | 67.7 % | 101 / 018 | 79.50 | |
| Spencer Tracy | 4th | 62 | $9,606,156,000 | 68.4 % | 090 / 017 | 77.70 | |
| Tom Hanks | 5th | 50 | $8,355,000,000 | 68.8 % | 090 / 020 | 73.10 | |
| Gregory Peck | 6th | 53 | $7,875,800,000 | 67.2 % | 095 / 022 | 73.90 | |
| Humphrey Bogart | 7th | 70 | $8,624,000,000 | 69.8 % | 052 / 010 | 76.70 | |
| Fred Astaire | 8th | 39 | $5,850,000,000 | 69.7 % | 059 / 007 | 81.50 | |
| Clark Gable | 9th | 64 | $11,475,200,000 | 67.5 % | 047 / 017 | 82.70 | |
| Marlon Brando | 10th | 38 | $5,874,800,000 | 69.1 % | 092 / 023 | 72.60 | |
| Burt Lancaster | 11th | 69 | $7,010,400,000 | 69.5 % | 088 / 020 | 70.10 | |
| Harrison Ford | 12th | 52 | $11,996,400,000 | 67.0 % | 088 / 022 | 68.90 | |
| Judy Garland | 13th | 31 | $5,784,600,000 | 72.5 % | 039 / 006 | 87.60 | |
| Paul Newman | 14th | 60 | $7,512,000,000 | 66.7 % | 102 / 022 | 67.40 | |
| John Wayne | 15th | 94 | $12,154,200,000 | 64.5 % | 077 / 014 | 73.80 | |
| Olivia de Havilland | 16th | 48 | $7,483,200,000 | 65.4 % | 081 / 025 | 74.50 | |
| Ingrid Bergman | 17th | 32 | $4,899,200,000 | 72.3 % | 066 / 013 | 74.00 | |
| Clint Eastwood | 18th | 65 | $7,065,500,000 | 69.5 % | 049 / 013 | 74.30 | |
| Jack Nicholson | 19th | 51 | $5,599,800,000 | 69.9 % | 097 / 022 | 66.30 | |
| Leonardo DiCaprio | 20th | 26 | $3,842,800,000 | 71.1 % | 095 / 031 | 73.30 | |
| Tom Cruise | 21st | 42 | $7,047,600,000 | 66.7 % | 055 / 009 | 78.40 | |
| Robert Redford | 22nd | 47 | $7,256,800,000 | 67.6 % | 070 / 027 | 70.00 | |
| Daniel Day-Lewis | 23rd | 17 | $1,052,300,000 | 80.2 % | 082 / 021 | 78.10 | |
| Meryl Streep | 24th | 59 | $4,489,900,000 | 69.5 % | 119 / 028 | 67.30 | |
| Katharine Hepburn | 25th | 43 | $5,314,800,000 | 69.0 % | 063 / 014 | 71.30 | |
| Cate Blanchett | 26th | 47 | $4,577,800,000 | 69.9 % | 094 / 029 | 61.80 | |
| Dustin Hoffman | 27th | 55 | $7,067,500,000 | 66.5 % | 088 / 023 | 63.70 | |
| William Holden | 28th | 66 | $7,510,800,000 | 64.6 % | 088 / 028 | 66.60 | |
| Jack Lemmon | 29th | 53 | $5,225,800,000 | 67.9 % | 073 / 015 | 69.70 | |
| Brad Pitt | 30th | 45 | $4,315,500,000 | 68.3 % | 076 / 013 | 71.70 | |
| James Cagney | 31st | 61 | $6,801,500,000 | 66.8 % | 046 / 008 | 75.30 | |
| Myrna Loy | 32nd | 74 | $9,057,600,000 | 65.3 % | 041 / 013 | 73.40 | |
| Marlene Dietrich | 33rd | 32 | $3,952,000,000 | 70.1 % | 043 / 008 | 77.00 | |
| Gene Hackman | 34th | 76 | $7,083,200,000 | 65.7 % | 092 / 017 | 57.50 | |
| Deborah Kerr | 35th | 39 | $4,543,500,000 | 67.0 % | 071 / 022 | 71.10 | |
| Irene Dunne | 36th | 31 | $4,067,200,000 | 67.9 % | 042 / 007 | 79.40 | |
| Vivien Leigh | 37th | 15 | $3,196,500,000 | 71.6 % | 041 / 015 | 78.00 | |
| Claudette Colbert | 38th | 48 | $6,273,600,000 | 66.4 % | 041 / 008 | 74.60 | |
| Bette Davis | 39th | 79 | $6,351,600,000 | 65.2 % | 084 / 014 | 65.00 | |
| Henry Fonda | 40th | 83 | $8,690,100,000 | 64.2 % | 058 / 013 | 66.60 | |
| Grace Kelly | 41st | 11 | $2,338,600,000 | 77.2 % | 028 / 008 | 89.50 | |
| Audrey Hepburn | 42nd | 25 | $2,862,500,000 | 71.9 % | 058 / 015 | 69.50 | |
| Shirley Temple | 43rd | 37 | $5,072,700,000 | 67.6 % | 013 / 002 | 80.00 | |
| Charles Chaplin | 44th | 13 | $2,860,000,000 | 81.9 % | 007 / 001 | 83.00 | |
| James Dean | 45th | 3 | $930,300,000 | 85.5 % | 017 / 002 | 98.70 | |
| Edward G. Robinson | 46th | 72 | $7,365,600,000 | 66.6 % | 033 / 002 | 68.70 | |
| Gene Kelly | 47th | 40 | $5,140,000,000 | 64.8 % | 052 / 013 | 72.30 | |
| Ginger Rogers | 48th | 55 | $6,644,000,000 | 64.7 % | 039 / 003 | 72.30 | |
| Marilyn Monroe | 49th | 25 | $3,217,500,000 | 70.8 % | 030 / 007 | 73.40 | |
| Greta Garbo | 50th | 24 | $2,217,600,000 | 71.9 % | 014 / 001 | 80.00 | |
| Laurence Olivier | 51st | 49 | $3,856,300,000 | 67.2 % | 073 / 017 | 64.50 | |
| Doris Day | 52nd | 39 | $4,945,200,000 | 65.2 % | 029 / 004 | 78.20 | |
| Steve McQueen | 53rd | 26 | $3,400,800,000 | 69.7 % | 030 / 005 | 71.80 | |
| Robert DeNiro | 54th | 95 | $5,937,500,000 | 62.2 % | 099 / 019 | 51.50 | |
| Denzel Washington | 55th | 47 | $3,886,900,000 | 68.2 % | 035 / 007 | 71.10 | |
| Jean Harlow | 56th | 22 | $2,844,600,000 | 69.7 % | 004 / 000 | 80.20 | |
| Barbara Stanwyck | 57th | 81 | $7,484,400,000 | 64.8 % | 029 / 001 | 67.40 | |
| Elizabeth Taylor | 58th | 48 | $6,840,000,000 | 58.4 % | 076 / 023 | 61.20 | |
| Al Pacino | 59th | 46 | $4,117,000,000 | 65.6 % | 078 / 016 | 59.70 | |
| Morgan Freeman | 60th | 70 | $7,028,000,000 | 62.3 % | 061 / 018 | 58.00 | |
| Mary Pickford | 61st | 33 | $4,596,900,000 | 65.8 % | 001 / 001 | 79.70 | |
| Julie Andrews | 62nd | 28 | $5,862,920,000 | 64.7 % | 064 / 012 | 69.18 | |
| Barbra Streisand | 63rd | 19 | $4,005,200,000 | 59.1 % | 044 / 008 | 78.00 | |
| Michael Caine | 64th | 100 | $6,500,000,000 | 62.3 % | 072 / 013 | 48.80 | |
| Kirk Douglas | 65th | 71 | $5,580,600,000 | 64.1 % | 048 / 015 | 59.70 | |
| Lillian Gish | 66th | 31 | $3,865,700,000 | 68.6 % | 006 / 001 | 69.60 | |
| Robert Mitchum | 67th | 85 | $7,335,500,000 | 62.1 % | 037 / 006 | 58.50 | |
| Mel Gibson | 68th | 44 | $5,253,600,000 | 63.8 % | 038 / 011 | 66.20 | |
| Julie Christie | 69th | 34 | $3,002,200,000 | 67.8 % | 054 / 012 | 58.20 | |
| Natalie Wood | 70th | 44 | $4,822,400,000 | 61.7 % | 051 / 015 | 66.00 | |
| Shirley MacLaine | 71st | 51 | $4,411,500,000 | 61.1 % | 075 / 017 | 57.60 | |
| Sidney Poitier | 72nd | 46 | $4,140,000,000 | 63.6 % | 054 / 012 | 62.40 | |
| Diane Keaton | 73rd | 48 | $4,387,200,000 | 63.6 % | 067 / 017 | 54.80 | |
| Robin Williams | 74th | 66 | $6,923,400,000 | 57.1% | 056 / 010 | 54.59 | |
| Anne Bancroft | 75th | 50 | $3,495.000000 | 63.9% | 044 / 003 | 55.50 | |
| Sean Connery | 76th | 57 | $6,857,100,000 | 62.8 % | 034 / 007 | 57.00 | |
| Sally Field | 77th | 33 | $4,669,500,000 | 61.0 % | 046 / 013 | 63.30 | |
| Jane Fonda | 78th | 45 | $3,978,000,000 | 62.2 % | 063 / 013 | 58.80 | |
| Rita Hayworth | 79th | 35 | $3,790,500,000 | 64.0 % | 035 / 005 | 69.20 | |
| Lauren Bacall | 80th | 36 | $3,272,400,000 | 68.0 % | 018 / 005 | 62.60 | |
| Richard Burton | 81st | 47 | $4,032,600,000 | 61.0 % | 073 / 018 | 53.80 | |
| Joan Crawford | 82nd | 78 | $6,762,600,000 | 58.8 % | 032 / 003 | 60.50 | |
| Peter O'Toole | 83rd | 37 | $2,834,200,000 | 66.0 % | 054 / 021 | 57.30 | |
| Will Smith | 84th | 32 | $5,574,400,000 | 58.4 % | 012 / 003 | 69.50 | |
| Marx Brothers | 85th | 18 | $1,704,600,000 | 68.0 % | 001 / 000 | 67.70 | |
| Kate Winslet | 86th | 36 | $2,354,400,000 | 66.0 % | 054 / 016 | 52.10 | |
| Ava Gardner | 87th | 42 | $4,569,600,000 | 60.3 % | 030 / 003 | 61.70 | |
| Buster Keaton | 88th | 29 | $664,888,000 | 66.6% | 003 / 002 | 64.60 | |
| Orson Welles | 89th | 56 | $3,382,400,000 | 66.0 % | 034 / 009 | 50.50 | |
| Jodie Foster | 90th | 40 | $2,568,000,000 | 66.7 % | 027 / 007 | 59.00 | |
| Carole Lombard | 91st | 39 | $3,279,900,000 | 63.4 % | 008 / 000 | 68.30 | |
| Julia Roberts | 92nd | 46 | $4,926,600,000 | 58.1 % | 022 / 001 | 60.50 | |
| Faye Dunaway | 93rd | 43 | $3,186,300,000 | 60.3 % | 049 / 011 | 44.90 | |
| Susan Sarandon | 94th | 76 | $3,724,000,000 | 62.1 % | 034 / 002 | 47.00 | |
| Sandra Bullock | 95th | 37 | $3,977,500,000 | 54.2 % | 025 / 014 | 54.80 | |
| Mae West | 96th | 12 | $1,515,600,000 | 60.4 % | 002 / 000 | 67.60 | |
| Charlize Theron | 97th | 44 | $2,455,200,000 | 59.8 % | 029 / 010 | 48.30 | |
| Goldie Hawn | 98th | 30 | $2,649,000,000 | 57.1 % | 016 / 004 | 57.80 | |
| Angelina Jolie | 99th | 35 | $3,178,000,000 | 56.2 % | 016 / 001 | 53.10 | |
| Sophia Loren | 100th | 35 | $2,261,000,000 | 58.4 % | 018 / 001 | 51.20 |
So what do you think of our rankings? Look good? Think we are crazy? Left somebody out? Look forward to some feedback.
Want more stats? The following link takes you to a page that ranks over 500 Movie Stars…..because more people were involved in the database…the rankings are different. Ranking 564 Movie Stars.
Academy Award® and Oscar® are the registered trademarks of the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences.
(Visited 1 times)
Didn’t know where to put this useless info. Mike quoted a site I never heard of, Box Office Mania. I found the site and got 6 of their decades books, 1920’s to the 70’s listing the top 10 from Variety for every week for each year from the old top 50’s they compiled. I remember researching something from 1971 (many years later) and found a page with Lady Kung Fu as number 1 and there it was in his charts. Variety also used to publish a top 50 singles chart for music too.
Anyway quickly I compiled the top 100 Chronological weeks from 1922 to 1949. He doesn’t list the weekly grosses after. These lists were compiled from the top 20 to 22 markets each week representing about 25% of the final total.
In modern times when you start with the first 100 pictures that made 10 million per weekend (the first was Superman in 1978) 646 different weeks for films have made the list, 546 obviously falling out as dollar amounts moved higher. Titanic had 8 weekends at 1 time in the top 100 the biggest being about 35 million. None make it now.
From 1922 to 1949 Gone with the Wind made the list the most times, 9 and it has the top 3 weekends in that period. .I haven’t worked much with the other lists, just perused them. In 1967 Gone with the Wind on a re-issue was # 1 8 weekends.
Clark Gable with 12, Bing Crosby with 11 and William Powell with 8 had the most different titles that made the list at sometime. The listings list the top 2 people in each film; I only used the top.
2 women had 7 titles where they were top billed that made the list at one time, Janet Gaynor and Ruth Chatterton (bet you didn’t see that 1 coming).
Here’s all the titles that made the list at one time in that period in descending order.
Key , amount, Variety issue date, film (there are some on with multiple weeks like Gone with the Wind), week of release (some high numbers but some films would open only in a few showcase spots and then expand) and the top billed star.
939700 2/7/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 8 CLARK GABLE
928000 1/31/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 7 CLARK GABLE
779200 2/14/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 9 CLARK GABLE
767000 11/5/1947 FOREVER AMBER 2 LINDA DARNELL
670600 2/21/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 10 CLARK GABLE
665000 10/29/1947 FOREVER AMBER 1 LINDA DARNELL
618000 1/1/1947 RAZOR’S EDGE 6 TYRONE POWER
586000 1/8/1947 RAZOR’S EDGE 7 TYRONE POWER
566000 7/23/1947 HUCKSTERS, THE 1 CLARK GABLE
560000 5/5/1948 STATE OF THE UNION 2 SPENCER TRACY
556000 1/2/1946 BELLS OF ST. MARY’S 4 BING CROSBY
530300 2/28/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 11 CLARK GABLE
528000 12/1/1948 WHEN MY BABY SMILES AT ME 3 BETTY GRABLE
508900 2/11/1931 CIMARRON 2 RICHARD DIX
507000 5/19/1948 IRON CURTAIN 1 DANA ANDREWS
493000 1/9/1946 LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 3 GENE TIERNEY
492000 12/3/1947 GREEN DOLPHIN STREET 7 VAN HEFLIN
490000 8/14/1946 NIGHT AND DAY 6 CARY GRANT
489700 10/29/1930 CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK 2 AMOS & ANDY
485000 1/9/1946 BELLS OF ST. MARY’S 5 BING CROSBY
481000 1/5/1949 PALEFACE, THE 3 BOB HOPE
480000 8/24/1938 ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND 13 TYRONE POWER
467000 5/14/1947 DUEL IN THE SUN 19 JENNIFER JONES
463600 1/5/1944 THOUSANDS CHEER 16 KATHRYN GRAYSON
460000 8/20/1930 COMMON CLAY 5 CONSTANCE BENNETT
460000 12/1/1948 THREE MUSKETEERS 6 GENE KELLY
459000 7/30/1947 HUCKSTERS, THE 2 CLARK GABLE
456000 12/31/1947 CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE 1 TYRONE POWER
453000 11/28/1945 WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF 8 GINGER ROGERS
453000 3/3/1948 CALL NORTHSIDE 777 4 JAMES STEWART
452000 1/2/1946 LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 2 GENE TIERNEY
448000 1/9/1946 THEY WERE EXPENDABLE 3 ROBERT MONTGOMERY
446000 1/15/1947 RAZOR’S EDGE 8 TYRONE POWER
444600 12/30/1931 DELICIOUS 1 JANET GAYNOR
443000 1/8/1947 TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY 5 ROBERT WALKER
439000 1/3/1945 THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO 7 SPENCER TRACY
438000 1/7/1948 ROAD TO RIO 3 BING CROSBY
437000 5/12/1948 STATE OF THE UNION 3 SPENCER TRACY
436000 3/26/1947 BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 18 FREDRIC MARCH
435000 12/4/1946 UNDERCURRENT 3 KATHARINE HEPBURN
434000 7/7/1948 EMPEROR WALTZ 6 BING CROSBY
433500 7/28/1937 SARATOGA 1 CLARK GABLE
426000 11/12/1947 FOREVER AMBER 3 LINDA DARNELL
424000 1/16/1946 BELLS OF ST. MARY’S 6 BING CROSBY
423000 8/25/1943 THIS IS THE ARMY 4 GEORGE MURPHY
422000 9/3/1947 BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER 6 CARY GRANT
419100 3/3/1943 RANDOM HARVEST 11 RONALD COLMAN
418000 9/4/1946 NOTORIOUS 3 CARY GRANT
418000 4/9/1947 BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 20 FREDRIC MARCH
416500 7/8/1936 SAN FRANCISCO 2 CLARK GABLE
414000 1/5/1949 WORDS AND MUSIC 4 MICKEY ROONEY
413000 5/1/1946 ZIEGFELD FOLLIES 6 WILLIAM POWELL
410500 8/5/1942 MRS. MINIVER 9 GREER GARSON
407000 8/7/1946 NIGHT AND DAY 5 CARY GRANT
406000 8/27/1947 BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER 5 CARY GRANT
405800 4/23/1930 HIGH SOCIETY BLUES 5 JANET GAYNOR
401000 1/9/1946 STORK CLUB 4 BETTY HUTTON
401000 4/2/1947 BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 19 FREDRIC MARCH
400000 8/21/1946 NIGHT AND DAY 7 CARY GRANT
396700 6/28/1944 WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER 7 IRENE DUNNE
396000 4/27/1949 CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR’S COURT 3 BING CROSBY
395000 11/19/1947 BODY AND SOUL 13 JOHN GARFIELD
392800 3/30/1932 ONE HOUR WITH YOU 1 MAURICE CHEVALIER
392300 9/9/1942 HOLIDAY INN 5 BING CROSBY
392000 9/11/1935 TOP HAT 2 FRED ASTAIRE
391100 2/18/1931 CIMARRON 3 RICHARD DIX
388800 9/1/1943 THIS IS THE ARMY 5 GEORGE MURPHY
386000 1/16/1946 LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 4 GENE TIERNEY
384500 10/13/1943 FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS 12 GARY COOPER
384000 1/23/1946 BELLS OF ST. MARY’S 7 BING CROSBY
382000 5/21/1947 DUEL IN THE SUN 20 JENNIFER JONES
381000 6/2/1948 HOMECOMING 5 CLARK GABLE
380000 9/9/1936 SWING TIME 2 FRED ASTAIRE
379000 9/17/1947 LIFE WITH FATHER 5 WILLIAM POWELL
375500 3/6/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 12 CLARK GABLE
375000 10/14/1931 SUSAN LENOX (HER FALL AND RISE) 2 GRETA GARBO
375000 12/1/1943 GIRL CRAZY 2 MICKEY ROONEY
375000 4/24/1946 DRAGONWYCK 2 GENE TIERNEY
373000 1/7/1948 MY WILD IRISH ROSE 2 DENNIS MORGAN
372100 9/15/1943 SO PROUDLY WE HAIL! 4 CLAUDETTE COLBERT
371000 9/7/1949 TOP O’ THE MORNING 2 BING CROSBY
370000 2/24/1943 RANDOM HARVEST 10 RONALD COLMAN
369000 10/24/1945 HOUSE ON 92ND STREET 6 WILLIAM EYTHE
369000 7/14/1948 EMPEROR WALTZ 7 BING CROSBY
367000 2/5/1947 13 RUE MADELEINE 3 JAMES CAGNEY
366000 9/10/1947 BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER 7 CARY GRANT
365000 3/27/1946 ROAD TO UTOPIA 4 BING CROSBY
365000 9/11/1946 MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE 3 BOB HOPE
364500 5/19/1943 MORE THE MERRIER 8 JEAN ARTHUR
364000 8/12/1942 MRS. MINIVER 10 GREER GARSON
362200 9/20/1944 WILSON 7 ALEXANDER KNOX
361000 1/7/1948 GOOD NEWS 5 JUNE ALLYSON
360000 7/26/1944 GOING MY WAY 12 BING CROSBY
359900 5/26/1943 MORE THE MERRIER 9 JEAN ARTHUR
359500 4/4/1934 RIPTIDE 1 NORMA SHEARER
357900 7/9/1941 CAUGHT IN THE DRAFT 5 BOB HOPE
357500 12/6/1933 LITTLE WOMEN 3 KATHARINE HEPBURN
357000 9/5/1945 INCENDIARY BLONDE 6 BETTY HUTTON
356000 8/2/1944 GOING MY WAY 13 BING CROSBY
354500 11/1/1933 I’M NO ANGEL 4 MAE WEST
354000 7/14/1943 STAGE DOOR CANTEEN 3 CHERYL WALKER
353700 11/11/1931 ONCE A LADY 1 RUTH CHATTERTON
353000 2/27/1946 HARVEY GIRLS 6 JUDY GARLAND
353000 9/3/1947 MOTHER WORE TIGHTS 2 BETTY GRABLE
352000 3/12/1947 BEGINNING OR THE END 3 BRIAN DONLEVY
351900 9/23/1931 MONKEY BUSINESS 1 MARX BROTHERS
351700 10/17/1928 SINGING FOOL 5 AL JOLSON
351000 10/15/1947 FOXES OF HARROW 3 REX HARRISON
349000 10/25/1933 I’M NO ANGEL 3 MAE WEST
347100 2/10/1943 CASABLANCA 11 HUMPHREY BOGART
346000 6/5/1946 POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE 5 LANA TURNER
345000 1/8/1947 BLUE SKIES 12 FRED ASTAIRE
343500 1/7/1942 BABES ON BROADWAY 2 MICKEY ROONEY
343300 1/4/1939 SWEETHEARTS 3 JEANETTE MACDONALD
343000 3/26/1947 MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE 2 BOB HOPE
343000 9/17/1947 MOTHER WORE TIGHTS 4 BETTY GRABLE
342900 3/31/1937 MAYTIME 3 JEANETTE MACDONALD
342000 11/6/1940 GREAT DICTATOR 3 CHARLES CHAPLIN
342000 1/23/1946 LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 5 GENE TIERNEY
341000 3/21/1945 TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN 3 DOROTHY MCGUIRE
341000 8/21/1946 CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA 1 CLAUDE RAINS
340700 1/5/1944 GANG’S ALL HERE 2 ALICE FAYE
340500 8/5/1931 POLITICS 3 MARIE DRESSLER
339500 1/26/1944 MADAME CURIE 6 GREER GARSON
339200 1/6/1932 LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE 2 SYLVIA SIDNEY
339000 9/11/1946 NOTORIOUS 4 CARY GRANT
338100 2/2/1944 MADAME CURIE 7 GREER GARSON
337500 11/5/1930 CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK 3 AMOS & ANDY
337000 11/6/1946 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 6 ALAN LADD
336000 4/10/1929 BROADWAY MELODY 11 BESSIE LOVE
336000 8/9/1944 GOING MY WAY 14 BING CROSBY
336000 11/28/1945 DOLLY SISTERS 8 BETTY GRABLE
335600 10/20/1943 FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS 13 GARY COOPER
334000 7/29/1942 MRS. MINIVER 8 GREER GARSON
334000 1/30/1946 LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 6 GENE TIERNEY
333600 9/8/1943 THIS IS THE ARMY 6 GEORGE MURPHY
332000 1/3/1945 HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN 3 BETTE DAVIS
332000 1/2/1946 SAN ANTONIO 2 ERROL FLYNN
331500 1/6/1937 AFTER THE THIN MAN 2 WILLIAM POWELL
331000 1/1/1947 SHOW-OFF, THE 1 RED SKELTON
330800 1/5/1944 DESTINATION TOKYO 3 CARY GRANT
330100 8/31/1938 ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND 14 TYRONE POWER
330000 9/26/1934 BELLE OF THE NINETIES 3 MAE WEST
329000 7/11/1945 NOB HILL 4 GEORGE RAFT
328000 1/10/1945 THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO 8 SPENCER TRACY
327900 1/9/1935 FORSAKING ALL OTHERS 2 JOAN CRAWFORD
326000 8/7/1946 EASY TO WED 6 VAN JOHNSON
324000 6/10/1931 DADDY LONG LEGS 3 JANET GAYNOR
324000 4/27/1938 TEST PILOT 2 CLARK GABLE
321800 12/31/1930 HOOK, LINE AND SINKER 2 WHEELER & WOOLSEY
321700 12/30/1936 COLLEGE HOLIDAY 2 JACK BENNY
321000 5/1/1946 DRAGONWYCK 3 GENE TIERNEY
320700 1/7/1931 PAID 5 JOAN CRAWFORD
320000 3/9/1938 SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 11 ANIMATED
319800 4/12/1939 DODGE CITY 2 ERROL FLYNN
319000 4/17/1946 ROAD TO UTOPIA 7 BING CROSBY
318500 9/11/1940 BOOM TOWN 5 CLARK GABLE
318400 1/8/1941 COMRADE X 5 CLARK GABLE
318000 1/16/1946 STORK CLUB 5 BETTY HUTTON
316800 4/8/1931 SKIPPY 1 JACKIE COOPER
314000 12/5/1945 WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF 9 GINGER ROGERS
313000 1/30/1946 BELLS OF ST. MARY’S 8 BING CROSBY
312100 10/27/1943 FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS 14 GARY COOPER
312000 1/6/1932 MATA HARI 2 GRETA GARBO
311500 11/29/1944 MRS. PARKINGTON 7 GREER GARSON
310900 3/13/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 13 CLARK GABLE
309300 7/17/1929 DANGEROUS CURVES 2 CLARA BOW
309000 7/7/1943 STAGE DOOR CANTEEN 2 CHERYL WALKER
309000 5/23/1945 DIAMOND HORSESHOE 3 BETTY GRABLE
308300 1/29/1936 STRIKE ME PINK 2 EDDIE CANTOR
307500 10/10/1928 SINGING FOOL 4 AL JOLSON
307500 1/5/1938 ROSALIE 2 NELSON EDDY
307500 9/13/1944 WILSON 6 ALEXANDER KNOX
306800 8/13/1930 COMMON CLAY 4 CONSTANCE BENNETT
305700 3/13/1935 ROBERTA 2 IRENE DUNNE
305300 12/5/1934 FLIRTATION WALK 2 DICK POWELL
305000 9/12/1945 ANCHORS AWEIGH 9 FRANK SINATRA
304400 10/6/1943 FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS 11 GARY COOPER
304000 4/6/1932 ONE HOUR WITH YOU 2 MAURICE CHEVALIER
304000 4/7/1943 KEEPER OF THE FLAME 14 SPENCER TRACY
303700 5/18/1938 ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD 1 ERROL FLYNN
302900 9/16/1942 HOLIDAY INN 6 BING CROSBY
302500 9/9/1942 SOMEWHERE I’LL FIND YOU 1 CLARK GABLE
302200 2/15/1939 GUNGA DIN 3 CARY GRANT
301300 7/17/1935 LOVE ME FOREVER 3 GRACE MOORE
301000 1/6/1937 THAT GIRL FROM PARIS 1 LILY PONS
300500 1/22/1930 SUNNY SIDE UP 16 JANET GAYNOR
300500 9/18/1935 TOP HAT 3 FRED ASTAIRE
300500 9/8/1943 SO PROUDLY WE HAIL! 3 CLAUDETTE COLBERT
299900 3/4/1936 FOLLOW THE FLEET 2 FRED ASTAIRE
299500 9/4/1935 TOP HAT 1 FRED ASTAIRE
297100 1/3/1934 DINNER AT EIGHT 19 MARIE DRESSLER
297000 1/21/1931 MAN WHO CAME BACK 2 JANET GAYNOR
297000 11/30/1938 ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES 2 JAMES CAGNEY
296800 12/2/1942 FOR ME AND MY GAL 6 JUDY GARLAND
296000 11/26/1941 SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN 1 WILLIAM POWELL
295800 12/31/1930 PAID 4 JOAN CRAWFORD
295500 1/20/1932 DANCE TEAM 1 JAMES DUNN
294500 5/8/1935 G MEN 2 JAMES CAGNEY
294200 1/6/1943 STAND BY FOR ACTION 1 ROBERT TAYLOR
294000 6/22/1932 THUNDER BELOW 1 TALLULAH BANKHEAD
294000 3/20/1935 ROBERTA 3 IRENE DUNNE
294000 12/30/1942 ROAD TO MOROCCO 7 BING CROSBY
293200 7/1/1936 SAN FRANCISCO 1 CLARK GABLE
293000 6/15/1932 MERILLY WE GO TO HELL 1 SYLVIA SIDNEY
290800 11/13/1935 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY 1 CHARLES LAUGHTON
290300 1/31/1940 FIGHTING 69TH 2 JAMES CAGNEY
290100 11/26/1930 MIN AND BILL 4 MARIE DRESSLER
290000 3/18/1931 CITY LIGHTS 7 CHARLES CHAPLIN
289900 11/23/1932 PROSPERITY 2 MARIE DRESSLER
289800 1/24/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 6 CLARK GABLE
288600 4/3/1929 WILD PARTY 1 CLARA BOW
288000 9/28/1932 GRAND HOTEL 24 GRETA GARBO
285750 10/24/1928 SINGING FOOL 6 AL JOLSON
285600 6/4/1930 TRUE TO THE NAVY 2 CLARA BOW
285200 1/3/1940 HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME 2 CHARLES LAUGHTON
283700 8/21/1935 CHINA SEAS 2 CLARK GABLE
283100 1/5/1938 WELLS FARGO 3 JOEL MCCREA
283000 8/23/1939 WIZARD OF OZ 2 JUDY GARLAND
283000 3/6/1940 GRAPES OF WRATH 6 HENRY FONDA
282500 11/27/1935 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY 3 CHARLES LAUGHTON
282300 3/19/1930 SARAH AND SON 1 RUTH CHATTERTON
282300 10/18/1933 BOWERY, THE 2 WALLACE BEERY
280900 2/1/1939 JESSE JAMES 3 TYRONE POWER
280100 8/27/1930 COMMON CLAY 6 CONSTANCE BENNETT
279800 7/15/1936 SAN FRANCISCO 3 CLARK GABLE
279500 6/24/1931 DADDY LONG LEGS 4 JANET GAYNOR
279400 12/25/1935 LITTLEST REBEL 1 SHIRLEY TEMPLE
279000 8/17/1938 ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND 12 TYRONE POWER
278500 10/18/1933 I’M NO ANGEL 2 MAE WEST
278500 10/2/1935 BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936 2 JACK BENNY
277200 1/6/1932 DELICIOUS 2 JANET GAYNOR
276700 3/11/1936 COUNTRY DOCTOR 1 JEAN HERSHOLT
275900 1/1/1930 POINTED HEELS 2 WILLIAM POWELL
275500 1/3/1940 GONE WITH THE WIND 3 CLARK GABLE
275000 9/16/1936 SWING TIME 3 FRED ASTAIRE
274500 11/20/1935 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY 2 CHARLES LAUGHTON
273000 12/2/1931 CHAMP, THE 4 WALLACE BEERY
273000 7/29/1936 SUZY 5 JEAN HARLOW
272500 3/11/1931 EAST LYNNE 3 ANN HARDING
271500 2/8/1939 GUNGA DIN 2 CARY GRANT
271200 3/18/1931 UNFAITHFUL 2 RUTH CHATTERTON
271000 9/21/1932 GRAND HOTEL 23 GRETA GARBO
270900 1/29/1930 SUNNY SIDE UP 17 JANET GAYNOR
269500 12/14/1932 FLESH 1 WALLACE BEERY
269000 8/24/1932 HORSE FEATHERS 2 MARX BROTHERS
268000 12/30/1931 SOOKY 2 JACKIE COOPER
266600 10/19/1932 PHANTOM OF CRESTWOOD 1 RICARDO CORTEZ
266600 2/12/1936 ROSE MARIE 3 JEANETTE MACDONALD
266500 9/4/1935 ANNA KARENINA 1 GRETA GARBO
266500 2/26/1936 FOLLOW THE FLEET 1 FRED ASTAIRE
266100 11/12/1930 FEET FIRST 2 HAROLD LLOYD
265500 1/2/1935 HERE IS MY HEART 2 BING CROSBY
265450 4/3/1929 BROADWAY MELODY 10 BESSIE LOVE
264800 3/30/1929 COHENS AND KELLYS IN ATLANTIC CITY 1 GEORGE SIDNEY
264200 4/11/1928 SPEEDY 1 HAROLD LLOYD
262500 11/9/1932 RED DUST 3 CLARK GABLE
262000 1/4/1933 ANIMAL KINGDOM 1 ANN HARDING
261000 5/20/1936 SHOW BOAT 1 IRENE DUNNE
260500 1/7/1931 RIGHT TO LOVE 3 RUTH CHATTERTON
260500 6/8/1932 AS YOU DESIRE ME 2 GRETA GARBO
260400 12/30/1936 RAINBOW ON THE RIVER 2 BOBBY BREEN
260000 4/11/1934 RIPTIDE 2 NORMA SHEARER
259500 9/2/1931 BAD GIRL 3 SALLY EILERS
259200 5/6/1936 UNDER TWO FLAGS 1 RONALD COLMAN
258500 9/17/1930 FOLLOW THRU 2 CHARLES ‘BUDDY’ ROGERS
258000 10/4/1933 TOO MUCH HARMONY 2 BING CROSBY
257600 12/10/1930 MOROCCO 10 GARY COOPER
256300 12/31/1924 PETER PAN 1 BETTY BRONSON
256200 11/16/1932 I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG 1 PAUL MUNI
255600 1/2/1935 LITTLE MINISTER 2 KATHARINE HEPBURN
255500 9/2/1931 THIS MODERN AGE 1 JOAN CRAWFORD
255400 6/3/1931 WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS 1 VICTOR MCLAGLEN
255000 3/30/1932 ALIAS THE DOCTOR 5 RICHARD BARTHELMESS
254700 11/28/1928 MASKS OF THE DEVIL 3 JOHN GILBERT
253700 1/30/1935 DAVID COPPERFIELD 2 FREDDIE BARTHOLOMEW
253500 4/15/1931 CONNECTICUT YANKEE 5 WILL ROGERS
253000 2/11/1931 SCANDAL SHEET 2 GEORGE BANCROFT
252700 10/8/1930 WHOOPEE 2 EDDIE CANTOR
251100 12/3/1930 MIN AND BILL 5 MARIE DRESSLER
250700 4/24/1929 BROADWAY MELODY 13 BESSIE LOVE
249900 2/15/1928 SPORTING GOODS 1 RICHARD DIX
248800 2/6/1929 DOCTOR’S SECRET 2 RUTH CHATTERTON
247900 4/24/1935 RECKLESS 1 JEAN HARLOW
247500 10/12/1932 PHANTOM PRESIDENT 3 GEORGE M. COHAN
246500 1/13/1932 MATA HARI 3 GRETA GARBO
245500 2/18/1931 STOLEN HEAVEN 1 NANCY CARROLL
244200 9/3/1930 ANIMAL CRACKERS 3 MARX BROTHERS
243500 9/28/1932 BLONDE VENUS 3 MARLENE DIETRICH
243000 10/14/1931 SPIRIT OF NOTRE DAME 2 LEW AYRES
242050 11/27/1929 RIO RITA 8 BEBE DANIELS
241700 11/26/1930 DERELICT 2 GEORGE BANCROFT
241300 10/31/1928 SINGING FOOL 7 AL JOLSON
241200 9/24/1930 SPOILERS, THE 2 GARY COOPER
240500 11/4/1931 GIRLS ABOUT TOWN 1 KAY FRANCIS
240500 12/9/1931 FRANKENSTEIN 3 COLIN CLIVE
240500 4/18/1934 MEN IN WHITE 3 CLARK GABLE
238500 1/20/1932 TWO KINDS OF WOMEN 1 MIRIAM HOPKINS
238000 4/2/1930 HONEY 2 NANCY CARROLL
237800 8/3/1932 FIRST YEAR 1 JANET GAYNOR
235600 12/3/1930 SIN TAKES A HOLIDAY 4 CONSTANCE BENNETT
234300 1/6/1932 STRICTLY DISHONORABLE 2 PAUL LUKAS
234100 10/7/1931 PALMY DAYS 2 EDDIE CANTOR
233800 11/6/1929 SWEETIE 2 NANCY CARROLL
233000 9/16/1931 STREET SCENE 2 SYLVIA SIDNEY
232000 11/18/1931 TOUCHDOWN 1 RICHARD ARLEN
231300 4/30/1930 LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS 2 RICHARD ARLEN
231000 3/2/1932 BROKEN LULLABY 7 LIONEL BARRYMORE
229900 4/15/1931 STRANGERS MAY KISS 4 NORMA SHEARER
229600 4/24/1929 COQUETTE 4 MARY PICKFORD
228800 9/16/1931 MERELY MARY ANN 6 JANET GAYNOR
228300 11/26/1930 JUST IMAGINE 1 EL BRENDEL
227800 12/31/1930 PART TIME WIFE 5 EDMUND LOWE
227700 12/30/1931 PRIVATE LIVES 4 NORMA SHEARER
227550 1/30/1929 INTERFERENCE 13 WILLIAM POWELL
226000 4/22/1931 CITY STREETS 1 GARY COOPER
222000 7/29/1931 MAGNIFICENT LIE 1 RUTH CHATTERTON
221700 12/11/1929 HALFWAY TO HEAVEN 2 CHARLES ‘BUDDY’ ROGERS
220400 10/15/1930 THOSE THREE FRENCH GIRLS 2 FIFI D’ORSAY
219600 5/1/1929 COQUETTE 5 MARY PICKFORD
219400 7/2/1930 BIG HOUSE 4 CHESTER MORRIS
219000 9/9/1931 THIS MODERN AGE 2 JOAN CRAWFORD
219000 11/18/1931 ARE THESE OUR CHILDREN 1 ERIC LINDEN
219000 2/24/1932 MAN WHO PLAYED GOD 2 GEORGE ARLISS
218700 12/16/1931 FRANKENSTEIN 4 COLIN CLIVE
218000 1/27/1932 UNION DEPOT 2 DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS JR.
217900 4/24/1929 DUKE STEPS OUT 6 WILLIAM HAINES
217600 10/3/1928 FLEET’S IN 5 CLARA BOW
217000 10/28/1931 SUSAN LENOX (HER FALL AND RISE) 3 GRETA GARBO
216300 3/20/1929 IRON MASK 4 DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS
215000 3/22/1922 FOOLISH WIVES 10
215000 6/10/1931 DADDY LONG LEGS 2 JANET GAYNOR
214900 11/5/1930 BIG TRAIL 6 JOHN WAYNE
214800 5/15/1929 GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS 2 WALTER HUSTON
214300 11/20/1929 RIO RITA 7 BEBE DANIELS
214000 11/25/1931 POSSESSED 2 JOAN CRAWFORD
214000 12/2/1931 POSSESSED 3 JOAN CRAWFORD
213200 1/23/1929 IN OLD ARIZONA 4 WARNER BAXTER
213000 12/16/1931 CHEAT, THE 3 TALLULAH BANKHEAD
212900 9/4/1929 COCK-EYED WORLD 5 VICTOR MCLAGLEN
211800 4/16/1930 BENSON MURDER CASE 2 WILLIAM POWELL
210700 9/25/1929 COCK-EYED WORLD 8 VICTOR MCLAGLEN
210600 11/5/1930 PLAYBOY OF PARIS 3 MAURICE CHEVALIER
210000 3/25/1931 CITY LIGHTS 8 CHARLES CHAPLIN
209900 8/20/1930 ANYBODY’S WOMAN 1 RUTH CHATTERTON
209800 11/13/1929 MIGHTY, THE 1 GEORGE BANCROFT
209700 11/20/1929 WELCOME DANGER 5 HAROLD LLOYD
209650 3/12/1930 SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS 1 WARNER BAXTER
209550 3/13/1929 CANARY MURDER CASE 5 WILLIAM POWELL
209000 5/20/1931 YOUNG SINNERS 2 THOMAS MEIGHAN
207500 4/17/1929 BROADWAY MELODY 12 BESSIE LOVE
206800 12/31/1930 RIGHT TO LOVE 2 RUTH CHATTERTON
206700 5/1/1929 BROADWAY MELODY 14 BESSIE LOVE
206600 10/22/1930 SCOTLAND YARD 2 EDMUND LOWE
205600 9/10/1930 SONG OF MY HEART 26 JOHN MCCORMACK
204500 1/26/1927 KID BROTHER 2 HAROLD LLOYD
203000 7/1/1931 FREE SOUL 5 NORMA SHEARER
201600 2/26/1930 HAPPY DAYS 2 CHARLES E. EVANS
201500 1/8/1930 HOT FOR PARIS 3 VICTOR MCLAGLEN
201300 6/12/1929 STUDIO MURDER MYSTERY 2 NEIL HAMILTON
200900 8/28/1928 FORGOTTEN FACES 1 CLIVE BROOK
200600 12/3/1930 TOM SAWYER 3 JACKIE COOGAN
I started with the first 100 films that made 200,000. Obviously the lower you go the films are older.
On a note, I haven’t been able to volunteer at the nursing home I’ve been volunteering at for 10 years since March 12. There was a woman there who was a big Kay Francis fan (who has Girls About Town on this list). This woman had seen all her films and knew everything about her. She is a victim of Covid-19. I saw that film also in a revival house back in the early 80’s that the New York Police Department ran I think on 2nd or 3rd Avenue. It only lasted about 1 1/2 years. I saw Honey from 1930 (also on the list) in Theater 80 at 80 St. Mark’s Place way back when too.
HI BIG BOY
Good to see this page updated. The updating was particularly timely for me as I am just starting a private project for which I will be widely consulting it – so much appreciated.
These Top 20 rankings in the chart particularly pleased me:
My Jimmy/No 1
Greg/No 6 – Flora too is gonna like that!
Mumbles/No 10
The Duke/No 15.
But The Thin Woman not making even the Top 30 cut! I had to get W o Bob to give me a swift kick in the rear end so that I could be sure that I wasn’t dreaming!
My Doris is down at 52 but as most lists ignore her I was pleased to see her getting ANY ranking in your chart. Indeed a film historian was speaking just the other night on television and he said that he thought it was a great shame that generally Doris’ reputation hasn’t survived as wel as that of for example Audrey Hepburn as he considered Doris one of the greatest female stars of all time in terms of bosx office appeal AND artistic talent. Your BOOK like your list above also recognises her contribution by including her in the Top 50 stars of all time regardless of gender.
Hey Bob. I changed the way I did the rankings this time….and ultimately I liked how they came out. Basically there were 5 elements in these rankings….movies made, total career box office, average review%, average UMR score and total amount of awards. James Dean was the lithmus test….he actually would top all the categories….but his 3 movies seemed to give him an advantage….doing it this way…Dean falls out of the Top 40….but still has a spot in the Top 50. I can live with that.
Marlon jumped up alot….getting a Top 10 spot. Yep….Doris almost cracked the Top 50…which is about where she was in my book. Comparing it to the book…despite a different approach….the Top 6 are still the same actors….and 7 of the same Top 10. It makes me curious about doing a list that includes everybody….not just the AFI 50 and my current 50…but everybody in my database. Might work on that tomorrow. As for Loy…she might not be in the Top 30…but she is tops when looking at total box office grosses…..now topping the 9 billion mark (I recently added three more movies to her page). Good stuff as always.
HI BRUCE: Thanks for explaining to me the scoring system you used in compiling your new chart. I don’t know how other viewers will react but Flora and I are certainly big winners in the outcome.
It’s definitely a feather in your cap that you can pull these large tables together as credibly as you do because you are not being allowed to deal with a consistently level playing field: Dean made just 3 movies; Astaire made only around 40; whereas the likes of The Duke churned out 100 or so.
Also of course stars like Deanna Durbin and Shirley Temple peaked early because they started out as child/teenage performers; Bogie was almost halfway through his career before he became a star; Dean/Flynn/Ty Power all died prematurely; Cooper and Gable didn’t get beyond 60 years of age; whilst the likes of Katie Hepburn and Brando were able to hang around in movies until they reached old age.
Within such strong situational mixes it takes a sound assessment system like yours to ensure that everyone is treated fairly in the devising of the rankings.
Thanks for the kind words Bob. There is now a new massive 564 movie star ranking page out there….not thinking you will enjoy that new one…as some of your favorites did not fare as well as they did in the Top 100 one. Happy Easter to you and your family.
We were made aware of a question from February 17 on the Tyrone page.We have been discussing this amongst ourselves and would love to know the answer.
Why is Tyrone in your 50 greatest movie stars but not in the online top 100 list which has James Dean at .92 billion. Tyrone’s adjusted box office was 7.2 billion which puts him between Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. So why isn’t he there? In your book he is #25. Why are so many of the same names in your book and he is left off this list?
Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks, Bruce
Hey Anonymous. First of all thanks for stopping by and commenting….and thanks for supporting our cause by buying a book. Ok….to try an answer your question. The Top 100 on this list represent 50 from AFI and 50 I picked. Power was excluded from their legends list, and I picked my 50 from persons that pretty much became famous after the 1950s…which excluded Power from my list and was very very subjective. My book….did not pay any attention to the AFI legend list…and was set up on purely statistics. Power made that list….due to his stellar box office numbers and good to great reviews on most of his movies. He struggled on our third criteria (awards) but not enough to drop him off the Top 50.
I think there are four in my book’s Top 50 that are not on this list…Power, Charlton Heston, Frank Sinatra and Errol Flynn. One day I will re do this page….which has become a very popular page here at UMR. Hope that explains it. Thanks again for the support.
I have reviewed your list. There are a lot more film stars that deserved to be in this list. I know that it is impossible to please everybody. However, it is like the AFI every ten years they come with the new list because people quickly forget the old stars and praise only the recent ones.
Ramon Novarro, the first Latino film star, director, producer, and screenwriter is missing. Monte Blue, the first indigenous film star is missing. Dolores Del Rio, an Mexican indigenous film star is missing. Charlton Heston, co-founder of AFI, Oscar winner, director, and star of some of the biggest box office of the 1950s to the 1970s is missing. Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd are missing, even though there comedies endure. And so forth.
What is the criteria? Box office numbers, contributions to the art form, number of awards, influence on the art form? Compared to the film legends of the 1930s to 1940s, most of the people in this list will be forgotten in fifty years.
Thank you for the opportunity to give my opinion.
Hey Frank….for this Top 100….50 of the stars came from the AFI list…and I had nothing to do with that list….I am fully responsible for the second 50….which I broke up it 25 actors and 25 actresses. Those 50 came from looking at stats, some very subjective reasoning on my part and a dash of legacy importance. Many of the names you mention would have fallen into the AFI Top 50. Charlton Heston made my Top 50 Stars Statistically Speaking book…but not this list. I think this page is now about 4 years old…I bet Heston would sneak his way onto any new Top 100 I picked…which would be bad news for somebody like Daniel Day-Lewis or Peter O’Toole or Mel Gibson. Thanks for the thoughts…and glad our forum was here to accept those thoughts. Good stuff!
“Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!” – Noel Coward.
By the way STEVE have you ever noticed that Hollywood often plumps for a clipped and/or posh English voice when the characters are?-
1/Planetary power figures [ie aliens in effect]. Marlon as Superman’s father and great leader on Krypton put on his “best English accent”.
2/Power crazy madmen who want to take over the world like Terence Stamp’s General Zod in Superman 1978 and 1981. Stamp’s Zod has been ranked as the 32nd greatest villain of all time.
3/Quirky characters like robots such as C-3PO [who was a droid I think it was called?] in Star Wars.
4.Characters who wish to show contempt for their fellow man – England’s Charles [Blofeld] Gray was great at looking down his nose at everyone.
CALVIN LOCKHART’s HERO IN 1974 HORROR FILM The Beast Must Die: “You were thought to have rifled public funds, weren’t you?”
CHARLES GRAY’s BRITISH ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE [Snootily] “There was a full and frank public enquiry and I was completely exonerated.”