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)
1/Even where it is obvious that the ranking criteria is based purely on acting skills, rarely does a list spell out what its criteria is for making distinctions in acting abilities and achievements, your own being one of those rarities that do make its sources clear.
2/We know that AFI’s much-lauded lists are based on perceptions of all-round Legend status; but AFI has not in anything that I’ve seen spelt out the criteria that governs those perceptions. For example Kirk is two places above Burt on the AFI male list but as you have demonstrated, by any accepted stats measure Burt was the greater star of the two in their heydays, so that you rightly in my opinion list Lancaster as 14th in your book’s tight Top 50 and give Kirk an honourable mention on page 16.
3/I am pleased to see Mr Gimme More making an acting list because as you know I have long contended he is underrated as both a major star and a fine actor [though overrated as a Santa Claus!] so that even you exclude him from your lists. Again though I accept that you go where the stats take you and certainly by excluding Brucie you can’t be accused of bias!!
STEVE An updated list of the perceived greatest 150 movie actors of all time has just been published. Here are the Top 20 and some selected others. Seems like a good mix of the old and new, though only 5 [ie 1 in 4] of the Top 20 are female. Bruce’s book of the 50 greatest stars statistically speaking also is light in female entries with only 10 -ie 1 in 5- making the cut. Any thoughts?
1/Katharine Hepburn
2/Bette Davis
3/Charlie Chaplin
4/Marlon Brando
5/Tom Hanks
6/Laurence Olivier
7/Ingrid Bergman
8/James Stewart
9/Audrey Hepburn
10/Gregory peck
11/Dustin Hoffman
12/Cary Grant
13/Humphrey Bogart
14/Meryl Streep
15/Robert DeNiro
16/Jack Nicholson
17/Paul Newman
18/Alfonso Pacino
19/Anthony Hopkins
20/Morgan Freeman
SELECTED OTHERS
22/Clint
24/Sir Maurice
43/Old Cantankerous
65/The Duke
69/Kirk
75/Chuck
87/Vincent Price
102/Burt
114/Mr Gimme More
Interesting list Bob. If you remove silents superstar Charlie Chaplin from the top than Brando is the no.1 male actor on the list, of the sound era at least. Chaplin is way overrated, he always played the same character.
Good to see Heston hasn’t been forgotten, should have been higher, top 50 at least. Ditto John Wayne, the most popular actor of the 20th century, or doesn’t popularity count in these lists?
I don’t see your favorite Joan Crawford on there, were you happy with her ranking?
Nice seeing Vincent Price on there.
HI STEVE: Thanks for offering me your thoughts. Even where we disagree, I always like to have your views for consideration. My own further comments:
1/The rankings are based purely on just the respective ACTING abilities of the world’s perceived most prestigious thespians. The list therefore cannot be compared with those compiled by WH as he involves wider statistical criteria.
2/I always saw Chaplin’s work as very clever but it did not amuse me. I have found television’s Frasier for example much funnier as it is based largely on verbal humour rather than slapstick. However film historians and critics contend that comedy is one of the most difficult forms of acting; and I’ve seen another [males only] list compiled by the worlds perceived greatest living directors and on it Charlie is again first, followed by Brando with DeNiro 3rd.
3/Sadly my Joan is consigned to 92nd; my Doris is in 137th position; and my Deanna does not appear at all. However I do well in relation to my idols who are in the top 20: Mumbles 4th; Jimmy Stewart 8th; Greg 10th; and Morg 20th.
4/When I read the list out to my son he sarcastically retorted “I’m surprised Ladd isn’t in it.” Sean Penn is very bottom at 150th with Garbo 149th.
Hey Bob….thanks for sharing the list….do they say what the criteria for the rankings are? It is hard to take the list serious when Judd Nelson is not in the Top 20….lol. Seriously, the list does it’s job…it gets people debating. Katie H. in the top spot? Many would agree. The Brando crowd (I wish I knew somebody who liked Brando) would argue he is too low at 4. As Steve points out…John Wayne…..probably the biggest star for the longest period of time seems to be way too low. I of course like that Bruce Willis has a spot…though it is outside the Top 100.
Speaking of Bruce Willis…watched his Air Strike last night….another low budget clunker from one of my favorites. Good stuff…and thanks again for sharing the information.
HI BRUCE: Thanks for the feedback. All I know about most of the lists that I’ve seen is that they tend to be based on perceptions of great acting rather than on the more diverse kind of criteria that you apply.
Even then guys like Steve have, if I recall correctly, argued that on your well thought out lists also, The Duke is too low and should be at least in the Top 3. In your book for example Big John is 7th; and whilst that’s excellent it’s possibly not good enough for the likes of Steve who probably gets a lot of general feedback on stars’ popularity via his video-making activities.
I too think the Duke deserves to be higher; but I respect the fact that you are trying to be impartial and that you go where the stats overall take you, and I WILL admit to personal bias – I’m not under the obligation to draw up impartial lists!
Other thoughts: see Part 2
Good points Steve.
Shouldnt Robert Taylor be in your 100
Hey David Stark. Good question. Our Top 100 listed here was the 50 AFI legends and 50 current stars. When it came to actors…I used the Top 25 AFI mentioned and then picked 25 more actors of the modern era. AFI did not pick Robert Taylor…so he did not make my list. I rearranged that actresses because some of their picks seem out of place. Loren, Monroe and others became famous after AFI’s cutoff of 1950.
Earlier this year we wrote a book, Top 50 Stars Statistically Speaking,…and we did give Robert Taylor an honorable mention in the book. The can read the first few pages of that book are this link…and you will see Mr. Taylor getting his shout out. https://www.ultimatemovierankings.com/top-50-movie-stars/
Good feedback…thanks for stopping by.
Hey Bob. First of all thanks for these epic comments. They are very well written educational and informative. I like how you broke down the information into different eras. Surprisingly, I agree with almost everything you’ve written. That of course greatly confuses me……lol.
As for modern actresses, I do not see anybody getting close to Meryl Streep’s greatness. Five years ago I would have thought that Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway might make it. However since then they both have slipped somewhat mean it comes to box office success. Lawrence just turned 29. Yet one could argue that are peak is already over. Hathaway’s movies this year have been horrible. Serenity was a bomb in all capacities and The Hustle will probably be on my list of Worst movies of 2019. Charlize Theron might now be the best bet of the current actresses…..so far she is beating the curse of 39.
Once again thanks very much for taking the time to so elegantly express your thoughts. This particular page has become a very popular UMR page..thinking about how to update it and make it better. Great comments!
HI BRUCE
Thanks for the feedback.
The box office stars part of the post is based on your stats and I have merely ‘weighted’ the rankings to take account of my personal and subjective view of the stand alone contributions of the artists. For example Eastwood is 4th because I think he is one of the greatest stand-alone stars in history the way that to a lesser extent Elvis and my Deanna were.
The downside of that is if some guy like Steve sees the post and rubbishes it you will have to take a large share of the blame. [“Always share your billing. That way if the movie flops you can spread the blame. -Harry Lillis Crosby]. Joel will get some of the blame too. I can’t immediately work out what for as he doesn’t ‘do box office’ – but I’ll think of something!
The 30s were a great era for Hollywood female star power and I think the women had a strong edge over the men [though it’s alleged the “casting couch” had a lot to do with that!] In the 40s Archie Leach, Gable, The Duke , Cooper etc changed all that and overall the men have dominated at the box office ever since.
However I think the present era contains the weakest field of great female stars that we have ever seen and the great thing about your site and book is that they highlight that as does no other site that I have ever known . It’s true a lot of the information can be found on Box Office Mojo – but even they don’t bring things together in the clear and comprehensive way that your site does and they do not provide the broader diverse criteria that you do.
PART 2: Perceived Top 21 Greatest ACTORS [as such] in Modern Era- Ranked
Some performers are regarded as both great stars AND great actors but many fall into only one category or the other. Here are probably the 21 perceived greatest ACTORS of the modern era.
1/Jack Nicholson
2/Robert DeNiro
3/Al Pacino
4/Daniel Day-Lewis
5/Dustin Hoffman
6/Tom Hanks
7/Anthony Hopkins
8/Denzel Washington
9/Michael Caine
10/Robin Williams
11/Robert Duvall
12/Sean Penn
13/Morgan Freeman – hurrah!
14/Jeff Bridges
15/Peter O’Toole
16/Clint Eastwood
17/Gene Hackman
18/Leo DiCaprio
19/Russell Crowe
20/Kevin Spacey
21/Philip Seymour Hoffman.
PART 3: MODERN ACTRESSES [ie achieved stardom in the modern era] In my perception there are only a handful of modern era actresses who qualify as mega-stars under the Bette Davis criterion, such as in no particular order Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Barbra Streisand, Sandra Bullock, Julie Andrews, Goldie Hawn, Jane Fonda, and [for a while] Cameron Diaz and Jodie Foster.
Outside 2 partially self-selling franchises with large ensemble casts the much-vaunted Jennifer Lawrence for example among the very recent female stars can barely open a film. Her non-franchise 14 films have a total worldwide adjusted Cogerson gross of approx. $1.5 billion, an average of around $107 million per movie -ie just exceeding the Cogerson adjusted average $100+ million dollar benchmark that the great stars have achieved in US grosses alone over many films.
Conversely Bette Davis has 27 movies that crash that $100 million barrier in US grosses alone and in her heyday between 1936 and 1950 her 25 top grossing global hits have a total worldwide adjusted gross of just under $6 billion, an average of nearly $240 million worldwide per film
I would not therefore presume to attempt to compile with any confidence a ranking list of 20 or so great female box office stars. The potential difficulty of such an exercise is demonstrated by the fact that –
(1) even the painstaking efforts that went into Bruce’s highly valuable Book listing his own well-measured perceptions of the 50 Greatest stars of all eras could identify just one modern female star who made the cut in that book: Meryl Streep ranked 28th. Conversely 16, almost one third, of that list is comprised of male actors from the modern era
(2) in this page’s above table of 100 biggest grossing box office stars of all time the highest ranked female from the modern era is Julie Andrews at 49, followed by Julia Roberts (53) Barbra Streisand (57) Jane Fonda (62) Meryl Streep (64). Helpfully Bruce’s 50 Stars Book lists at pages 269-277 by decade the highest grossing box office stars of each gender.
However whilst the modern era might fall short of a plenitude of great female box office stars this era does compensate with an abundance of very fine ACTRESSES as such. At Part 4 in ranked order are the 28 whom the consensus of film critics/film historians seems to regard as the best. Naturally the rankings are subjective to an extent.