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.
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HI BIG BOY
My Part 4 has been marked as spam. Can Sherlock Cogerson investigate and resuce?
Part 4 is back.
Much obliged Work Horse.
Part 4: THE PERCEIVED 10 GREATEST ACTORS EVER Published Jan 2018. Source Taste of Cinema site.
10/TISHIRO MIFUNE Japanese. Rashomon; Seven Samurai; Throne of Blood Few actors were as prolific and talented as the great Toshiro Mifune.
9/DIRK BOGARDE: English. The Servant; Darling; Death in Venice. He delivered emotionally charged monologues and become known for his continuous portrayal of doctors.
8/ERLAND JOSEPHSON: Swedish. The Sacrifice; Ulysses Gaze; Nostalgia. His work revealed the ability to work with extremely demanding directors who shaped cinema as we know it today
7/GUNNAR BJORNSTRAND: Swedish. 7th Seal; Smiles of a Summer Night; Wild Strawberries He displayed his range by starring in different films with diagonally opposite roles such as Fredrik Egerman in “Smiles of a Summer Night,” and the troubled characters of “Winter Light” (1963) and “Through a Glass Darkly” (1961).
6/ROBERT De NIRO: American/Italian. Raging Bull; Godfather 2; Once upon a Time in America; Taxi Driver; Goodfellas.. Robert De Niro is one of the most iconic Hollywood actors. who is able to embody the emotional complexity of violent, unstable and troubled characters.
5/ANATOLIY SOLONITSYN: Russian [old Soviet Union]. The Mirror; Stalker; Andre Rublev; Solaris. His greatest roles were the ones he played in the films of the legendary ground-breaking Russian director Tarkovsky. But Solonitsyn worked in many other Russian films though it was in the long shots of Tarkovsky that his sensibility and ability to control his body could be seen.
4/AL PACINO: American. Scarface; Scent of a Woman; The Godfather Trilogy; Sea of Love; Cruising. He has had one of the most prolific careers in the history of cinema. A career full of great roles, awards and collaborations. He is seen by many as the bona fide main rival to DeNiro, Hanks, Nicholson and Brando for the title America’s Greatest ever Actor.
3/DANIEL-DAY LEWIS: English/Irish. My Left Foot; Gangs of New York; Let there be Blood; A Room with a View. Day-Lewis is one of the most selective actors in the actual industry and is famous for an intense and deep immersion in characters. Historically he is the only male ever to win more than 2 Best Actor Oscars having won 3.
2/MARCELLO MASTROAINNI: Italian. La Doica Vita; La Notte; The Beekeeper Age did not be an obstacle to his continued greatness, as he collaborated with the great Theo Angelopoulos in “The Beekeeper” and “The Suspended Step of the Stork.” Angelopoulos once said that one could see the marks of time in Mastroianni’s face.
1/MARLON BRANDO. American. The Godfather; Last Tango in Paris; Apocalypse Now; on the Waterfront; Streetcar Named Desire When one thinks about the legendary Actors Studio, the first name that one thinks of is Marlon Brando. In one position or another he seems a fixture in Top 30 ranking lists of the greatest all-time thespians and iconic stars. Considered by many contemporary critics and fellow-actors to be realistically rivalled in acting greatness by just Nicholson, Pacino, DeNiro and Tom Hanks for recognition as America’s greatest-ever actor.
Another interesting list. I am sure it made you very happy to see Mr. Brando sitting on the Top Spot….and even more happy to see Mr. Bogarde in the Top 10. I actually have Dirk’s Dear Mr. Prohack on my stack of DVDs to watch. One day Mifune will have a UMR page….I do not know #5, #7 or #8 at all. Good stuff.
HI BIG BOY
Astute observation. Brando -somewhere – on a Top 20 ranking list is par for the course. He is currently No 2 behind Nicholson [no disgarce] on IMDB’s self proclaimed ‘”Ultimate” 100 greatest actors’ List; he is again No 2 behind Eastwood on another list currently going the rounds; AFI rank him 4th among its Male Legends; and a panel of the world’s greates directors place Marlon behind only Chaplin on a list of the greatest ACTORS ever.
So as you rightly conclude Sir Dirk for me is the real cream on the cake. I have never seen him before on any ranking list outside Britain and was beginning to worry that I was the only one who appreciated him – with one exception; but then THAT person had remarkable perception in relation to movie matters!*** As you know Sir Dirk sits alongside Sir Maurice in my top two British stars.
***”Dirk Bogarde has elegance, style, kooks and extraordinary talent ” [Rating the Movie Stars Page 50 1983]
PART THREE: THE PERCEIVED 10 GREATEST ACTRESSES EVER Published Jan 2018. Source Taste of Cinema site.
10/ ISABELLE HUPPERT: Elle; La Pianiste; Les Valseuses. French actress Isabelle Huppert has been nominated 50 times for different international recognitions and has won more than 100 awards
9/ANNA KARINA: Danish/French. A Woman is a Woman; The Stranger; Alphaville. This classy actress has had an outstanding career. She appeared in some of Jacques Rivette’s films and In 1967, she impersonated Marie Cardona as a lead character along with Marcello Mastroianni in Luchino Visconti’s “The Stranger.” She even appeared in films directed by Werner Fassbinder and Ingmar Bergman.
8/GIULETTA MASINA: La Strada; Ginger and Fred; Nights in Cabairia. She was born in Italy and became one of the most revered actresses, not only in Italy but in Europe overall
7/SETSUKO HARA: Japanese. Late Spring; Early Summer; Tokyo Story. Appeared in almost 100 films. Regarded as “Japan’s Bette Davis”
6/MERYL STREEP: American. Sophie’s Choice; The Iron Lady; Kramer v Kramer. One of the most awarded careers in the history of acting.
5/BIBI ANDERSSON: Swedish. Persona; 7th Seal; Wild Strawberries. The highlight of her career is considered to be her roles in Bergman’s films in the 50s and 60s; her role as Alma in “Persona” (1966) is one her more demanding roles in film history, as her identity is slowly transformed due to her interaction with a woman who has decided to remain completely silent (Liv Ullmann).Andersson indeed occupies a place as important as the films of Bergman in the history of acting.
4/LIV ULLMANN: Norwegian. Scenes from a Marriage; Cries and Whispers; Autumn Sonata; Persona. She has become one of the greatest actresses in film history by impersonating emotionally complex and demanding characters.
3/INGRID BERGMAN: Swedish. Casablanca; For Whom the Bell Tolls; Bells of St Mary’s. A great personal friend of the legendary Cary Grant she developed her career in five languages (Swedish, French, German, English and Italian). She starred in the iconic film “Casablanca” (1942) and her work has been internationally recognized far beyond the confines of Hollywood
2/BETTE DAVIS: American. Dangerous; Jezebel; Marked Woman; Whatever Happened to Baby Joel? One of greatest stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood many think that her only serious rivals for the tag greatest actress of all time are Katherine Hepburn from her own times and Meryl Streep among modern actresses.
1/KATHARINE HEPBURN: American. Bill of Divorcement; Morning Glory; On Golden Pond; Adam’s Rib; The Lion in Winter. For many historians she is unquestionably IT – the greatest actress ever and rivalled in her own times by just the most legendary men of her day such as Tracy, Brando and Olivier. That contention is supported by her winning 4 Best performer Oscars, more than any other star male or female.
Interesting list….4 of the actresses have UMR pages. 2 of the actresses (Hara & Masina) I do not know at all. 1 actress (Karina) I am only vaguely aware of. One day, Ullman and Huppert will have UMR pages. Ullman has the A Bridge Too Far connection while Huppert is still going strong…just saw her Frankie a few days ago. Good stuff.
PART TWO: LEAD-IN INTRODUCTION BY THE LISTS’ AUTHORS
Acting is one of the capital aspects of films. Even though there are filmmakers who have decided to use non-actors, make animation, or even do not display people in their films, most of the films do need the work of professionals who specialize in impersonating another human being.
Since the first actors started in theatres, the theory on acting is principally written by theatre theorists. The one theorist who started with a formal and systematic approach to the art was Konstantin Stanislavski (1863 – 1938). This Russian director and actor is famous for being the author of “the method” even though he always argued that what he proposed was not a method.
Here are lists that present some of the greatest actors in the history of film. These thespians worked with the greatest filmmakers during their careers. Some of them stayed with one single director with whom they developed a very specific style, and other worked with a wide variety of directors, managing to adapt to their styles while keeping their own personal approach
Hey Bob…interesting about Konstantin Stanislavsk….I had never heard of him before.
Cogerson
June 30, 2020 at 7:48 am
Hey Bob…interesting about Konstantin Stanislavsk….I had never heard of him before.
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene
Those dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear.
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”
Kubla Khan(1798) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
HI BIG BOY: Bumper Bundle Time! I think that’s everything up to date as far as I am concerned.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback on Eli/Christian/ Sir Pat/the additional comments on Fay/and your thoughts on Schumacher’s personal gay orientation as THOSE comments of yours particularly pleased me. It will be great if you can give us a Book 2.
I recently came across 2 lists which were published in 2018 and which contain fresh perceptions of the 20 greatest actor and actresses of all time in respect of ACTING abilities only. You know: that thing that Jason Statham can’t do.
It occurred to me that to see what his ‘competitors’ are up to these days this site’s No 1 Buff might wish to glance down the lists when he comes up for breath some time or takes a break from building fences! See Parts 2-4. Meanwhile continue to keep safe. WE need you – our Forrest Gump!.
Hey Bob…every day I think…I will get more done on the book….and everyday I fail…..the house currently has two daughters and a granddaughter causing chaos…they are currently lined up in ages at 13 (daughter #2), 12 (grandchild #1) and 11 (daughter #3). They are keeping me busy.