The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby's 1945 films: The Bells of St. Mary's, Here Come the Waves (released Dec. 1944)
Bells was the long-awaited sequel to "Going My Way", and was the #1 film of the year at the box office. This was also a huge year for co-star Ingrid Bergman, who will make the Top 10 next year.
2.
Van Johnson
Van Johnson's 1945 films: Thrill of a Romance, Between Two Women, Week-End at the Waldorf, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (released Nov. 1944)
Van was a shooting star, and stepped up to the plate with several leading roles this year. In the preceding years, his roles were mostly supporting, yet he gained notice playing servicemen in WWII themed filmes - a soilder in The Human Comedy, pilots in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and A Guy Named Joe, and a sailor in Three Girls and a Sailor.
3.
Greer Garson
(1945 films: The Valley of Decision, Adventure)
In this poster, notice how Greer's name is above Gregory's. She was the star of this one, no question! "Valley of Decision" was one of the Top 5 biggest hits of the year. She also appeared with Clark Gable in "Adventure", which was the first film he appeared in after his service in the war.
4.
Betty Grable
(1945 films: The Dolly Sisters, Diamond Horseshoe)
5.
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy's 1945 films: Without Love, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (released Nov. 1944)
"Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" was one of the Top 5 biggest hits of the year. Spence also starred in "Without Love", which was the third movie he did with Katherine Hepburn, who surprisingly didn't make any of the Top 10 rankings of box office draws in the 1940s. Though I'm sure she was in the Top 20.
6. (TIE)
Humphrey Bogart | Gary Cooper
(Humphrey Bogart's 1945 films: Conflict, To Have and Have Not [wide release])
(Gary Cooper's 1945 films: Along Came Jones, Saratoga Trunk)
7.
Bob Hope
Bob remained a top box office draw this year even though he did not have a new film released during the calender year (Though The Princess and the Pirate was released in Nov. 1944). More "Road" films were planned.
8.
Judy Garland
(Judy Garland's 1945 films: The Clock, Ziegfeld Follies, Meet Me In St. Louis (wide release: Jan 1945)
"Meet Me In St. Louis" was released Christmastime 1944 and became one of the biggest hits of the year. One of everyone's best loved Judy Garland films.
9.
Margaret O'Brien
Margaret O'Brien's 1945 films:Music for Millions, Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, Meet Me In St. Louis (wide release: Jan 1945)
Young Margaret O'Brien was so popular in "Meet Me in St. Louis" that she was cast as a lead in several more films, including "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes".
10.
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers' 1945 films: Don't Fence Me In, Sunset in El Dorado, Along the Navajo Trail, Man from Oklahoma, Bells of Rosarita, Utah
1945 and 1946 were the biggest years for Roy Rogers at the movies.
The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.
The one that keeps surprising me over and over is Greer Garson.
ReplyDeleteNot that I don't like her work...it's more that I'm usually not aware of her work. Even in movies I've seen with her in, I don't really think of her. Like a non-entity.
Obviously though, her contemporary public LOVED her for a looooooooong time.
Jeff, you're right she was a huge star during these war years. "Valley of Decision" was one of the Top 5 box office hits of the year. Interesting that Gregory did not make the Top 10, but he will show up eventually.
ReplyDeleteI am really surprised that Ginger Rogers is not on this list. I have read some articles which claim that she was the highest-paid actress of 45, and the 8th highest-paid person in the country in that year.
ReplyDeleteThat could be accurate if her accumulated earnings and real estate investments are calculated.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the Quigley Publishing list of top money-making stars (they're the ones who come up with these lists) is based on what theater owners have to say about the star that particular year. So inevitably a film's popularity/box office gross plays into how the stars get ranked.
I found an article about the list here which talks about the latest Top Ten that came out last year, where Sandra Bullock is ranked #1:
http://movies.yahoo.com/news/usmovies.thehollywoodreporter.com/sandra-bullock-top-star-09-boxoffice