Top 10 Most Popular Movie Stars of 1936

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

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.



1.

Shirley Temple

(1936 films: Stowaway, Dimples, Poor Little Rich Girl, Captain January)


2.

Clark Gable

(San Francisco, Wife Vs. Secretary, Cain and Mabel, Love on the Run)

3.

Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

(1936 films: Follow the Fleet, Swing Time)

4.

Robert Taylor

(1936 films: Small Town Girl, Private Number, His Brother's Wife, The Gorgeous Hussey, Camille)


5.

Joe E. Brown

(1936 films: Polo Joe, Sons O Guns, Earthworm Tractors)

6.

Dick Powell
(Colleen, Hearts Divided, Stage Struck, Gold Diggers of 1937)

7.

Joan Crawford

(1936 films: The Gorgeous Hussy, Love on the Run)

8.

Claudette Colbert

(1936 films: Under Two Flags)

9.

Jeanette MacDonald
(1936 films: Rose Marie, San Francisco)

10.

Cary Cooper

(The Plainsman, Desire, The General Died at Dawn, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town)

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

Dames (1934)

Regular Busby Berkeley cast members Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler star.

It features some good songs and musical numbers, most notably "I Only Have Eyes For You", which comes at the very end.

The film takes a long time to get going.

The silly plot about a millionaire's inheritance and a theater troupe isn't very remarkable.

Not one of Busby Berkeley's best, in my opinion; not as good as "Gold Diggers of 1933" and "Footlight Parade".

About the cast:

Ruby Keeler (1910-1993) often was paired with Dick Powell in Warner Bros musicals in the 1930s. She was married to legendary singer Al Jolsen. She retired from acting in the 1940s but returned to Broadway in 1971. Her most famous roles were in "42nd Street" and "Gold Diggers of 1933".

Dick Powell (1904-1963)was a fresh-faced and energetic star in many comedies and musicals in the 1930s and 40s. Most notably in many of Busby Berkeley's films, as well as "Christmas in July" and "Bad and the Beautiful". He died of lymphoma in 1963 at the age of 58.

Joan Blondell (1906-1979) was a character actress who played wisecracking blondes in many films of the 1930s, providing comedy relief in "The Public Enemy" and "The Perfect Specimen". Her most famous role perhaps was in "The Gold Diggers of 1933" with her scene-stealing performance. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in "The Blue Veil" (1951) which starred Jane Wyman.