Elivs Presley vs. Frank Sinatra

this is like pitting an all-powerful god against mel torme

I think some of this can be chalked up to Elvis regarding Sinatra with awe and Sinatra regarding Elvis with contempt.

sheeit, at the full height of their sodden pwers, it's like sweat-laden amphet freak vs mafia muzzlin anne frank banging sleaze drippin king - they are the twins spliced from a gene of american armpit perspiration.

I disagree that they were in any way twins; their approaches and styles were so very different.

I've been mulling over a would-be lengthy post on Elvis for some time, and this reminds me I've gotta get on it. In the meantime, do check out that 1960 post-Army LP "Elvis Is Back"... it's one of his best.

ALL the best stuff is post army. okay i am open to debate on the sun sessions but after that the world is wrong and i am right.

elvis sold out when he went *into* sun records: his best stuff was sung on the street-corner wearing a burberry and a domino

"ALL the best stuff is post army"

heresy!! Though I kinda like From Elvis in Memphis.

Sean, what's your mammoth Elvis thread?? Bring it on!

His only good stuff is post-1977.

yes sean bring on the Elvis thread so i can convert everyone to the MGM-era dark side.

(mark s just summarized chapter 1 of my thesis but fortunately it has INFINITE CHAPTERS)

There's that whole early seventies period after "Suspicious Minds" where he does all these wonderfully overorchestrated songs that invent solo Nick Cave without lyrics about blood and death. It's like Nick the Stripper took that and Scott Walker and made himself, which I have no problem with in the slightest.

I'd have to say Elvis.

i'm starting to think maybe most of the appeal of Sinatra was in his stage presence/charisma, cause i really can't stand his voice. Give me Bing Crosby or Louis Armstrong over Sinatra anyday.

http://www.drugs.com/PDR/images/pills/n03506c3.jpg

sinatra's voice just sounds so forced. plus he's got the definition-lounge type voice, which i really can't stand. i know that's a personal bias, but i seriously can't understand how people prefer him to Bing. The only way i can think to justify it is that he was a more popular star-figure in his time, recorded more, and is therefore just more exposed...

frank wins when it comes to movies: the manchurian candidate may be my favorite film ever. but i listen to elvis about 50,000 times more than i listen to frank (who i also like), so i'd have to go with him.

http://img148.echo.cx/img148/7756/mafia2eu.jpg vs.
http://www.blacksheep.com/portfolio/memphismafia/images/logo.gif

HITLER >>>>>>>>>>> elvis >>>> sinatra

i like elvis' cover of "i don't care if the sun don't shine" (done when he was about 18) more than any sinatra song.

SO, Elvis.

Mary got it so wrong in 2002 when she said that 'Elvis appeared on the Ed Sullivan show with Sinatra'. This was Sinatra's TV program and he paid Elvis an all time record to appear. The duet that they performed exposed a generational contrast. You cannot compare these two artists at this stage of their careers. Sinatra at this point was the 'King' of Hollywood and entertainment generally in America. Not the pop idol that he was in the 40's. Elvis was just starting to find his confidence. Sinatra's vocal is in a 'cool' swinging style which was where his music was heading and in contrast Elvis was simply the Elvis pop stylist. Elvis was causing the same amount of teen hysteria that Sinatra was causing in the early forties. In any case Sinatra's vocal was superior to Presley's and nearly all serious musicians, music critics and artists would agree. Pop culture writers and mainstream journalists I suggest however would strongly disagree, but mainly because it's much easier for them to relate to a phenomenon in the 1960's than the 1940's.

Bing is supposedly technically superior to Frank. Bing was the bigger movie star than Frank (the #1 box office draw for several years running). Bing was the 'first hip white man' but became uncool.

In an Elvis-Sinatra shootout, it's worth noting that Elvis could sing more Sinatra type songs very well while Frank was utterly bewildered by rock and roll.

Googlegooglegoogle.

Ned OTM.

The answer is Dean Martin.

Well, neither of them would have existed without Dino, so yeah.

Dean Martin was influenced by Sinatra. Martin didn't have a hit until the late 50's. Elvis was actually influenced heavily by Martin and sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between their voices.
As for Sinatra vs Elvis. Sinatra never sang rock n roll. He was a big band singer. He only dabbled with soft rock in the late 60's. The simple rationale was that the material wasn't good enough to sing. Sinatra badgered Presley for not singing better songs but his technique didn't allow it. If you study the TV duet 'Witchcraft' & 'Love me Tender'. Elvis indeed re-interprets 'Witchcraft' but he sings the lazy notes in an effort to differentiate himself and why wouldn't he? Elvis famously went on to shoot his TV set while watching Sinatra singing. Elvis knew he was trapped in singing substandard material for fame and fortune while Sinatra sang exactly what he wanted to sing and made it his own.

Also Carlos, Bing indeed was a bigger movie star than Sinatra in the 1940's however Sinatra took over big time in the mid 1950's after his Oscar for 'From Here Here to Eternity'. He was the highest paid actor in Hollywood until 1960.

Pete, I don't know what they are paid. I have seen this drawing power list referred to a lot (probably because it goes back so far). On this, Frank never was higher than 5th (in 1957--Pat Boone #3!?). Of the names mentioned in this thread, it's like there was a really long Hope & Crosby era, at the tail end of which Martin & Lewis got white hot. Then Frank first shows up in 1956 after Bing's last in 1954 like a baton was passed almost. The other recording artist who was just absolutely huge (#11 all-time weighted ranking) is Doris Day.

2005 1 Tom Cruise
2 Johnny Depp
3 Angelina Jolie
3 Brad Pitt
5 Vince Vaughn
6 George Clooney
7 Will Smith
8 Reese Witherspoon
9 Adam Sandler
10 Tom Hanks

2004 1 Tom Hanks
2 Tom Cruise
3 Leonardo Di Caprio
4 Nicholas Cage
5 Jim Carrey
6 Denzel Washington
7 Julia Roberts
8 Will Smith
9 Brad Pitt
10 Adam Sandler

2003 1 Jim Carrey
2 Nicole Kidman
3 Jack Nicholson
4 Tom Cruise
5 Julia Roberts
6 Johnny Depp
7 Russell Crowe
8 Tom Hanks
9 Will Ferrell
10 Renee Zellweger

2002 1 Tom Hanks
2 Tom Cruise
3 Mike Myers
4 Reese Witherspoon
5 Leonardo Di Caprio
6 Nicole Kidman
7 Catherine Zeta-Jones
8 Denzel Washington
9 Mel Gibson
10 Vin Diesel

2001 1 Tom Cruise
2 George Clooney
3 Julia Roberts
4 Russell Crowe
5 Nicole Kidman
6 Denzel Washington
7 Will Smith
8 Brad Pitt
9 Ben Affleck
10 Jackie Chan

2000 1 Tom Cruise
2 Julia Roberts
3 George Clooney
4 Eddie Murphy
5 Russell Crowe
6 Mel Gibson
7 Martin Lawrence
8 Tom Hanks
9 Jim Carrey
10 Harrison Ford

1999 1 Julia Roberts
2 Tom Hanks
3 Adam Sandler
4 Bruce Willis
5 Mike Myers
6 Tom Cruise
7 Will Smith
8 Mel Gibson
9 Meg Ryan
10 Sandra Bullock

1998 1 Tom Hanks
2 Jim Carrey
3 Leonardo Di Caprio
4 Robin Williams
5 Meg Ryan
6 Mel Gibson
7 Adam Sandler
8 Eddie Murphy
9 Cameron Diaz
10 Julia Roberts

1997 1 Harrison Ford
2 Julia Roberts
3 Leonardo Di Caprio
4 Will Smith
5 Tom Cruise
6 Jack Nicholson
7 Jim Carrey
8 John Travolta
9 Robin Williams
10 Tommy Lee Jones

1996 1 Tom Cruise (Tie)
1 Mel Gibson (Tie)
3 John Travolta
4 Arnold Schwarzenegger
5 Sandra Bullock
6 Robin Williams
7 Sean Connery
8 Harrison Ford
9 Kevin Costner
10 Michelle Pfeiffer

1995 1 Tom Hanks
2 Jim Carrey
3 Brad Pitt
4 Harrison Ford
5 Robin Williams
6 Sandra Bullock
7 Mel Gibson
8 Demi Moore
9 John Travolta
10 Kevin Costner (Tie)
10 Michael Douglas (Tie)

1994 1 Tom Hanks
2 Jim Carrey
3 Arnold Schwarzenegger
4 Tom Cruise
5 Harrison Ford
6 Tim Allen
7 Mel Gibson
8 Jodie Foster
9 Michael Douglas
10 Tommy Lee Jones

1993 1 Clint Eastwood
2 Tom Cruise
3 Robin Williams
4 Kevin Costner
5 Harrison Ford
6 Julia Roberts
7 Tom Hanks
8 Mel Gibson
9 Whoopi Goldberg
10 Sylvester Stallone

1992 1 Tom Cruise
2 Mel Gibson
3 Kevin Costner
4 Jack Nicholson
5 Macaulay Culkin
6 Whoopi Goldberg
7 Michael Douglas
8 Clint Eastwood
9 Steven Seagal
10 Robin Williams

1991 1 Kevin Costner
2 Arnold Schwarzenegger
3 Robin Williams
4 Julia Roberts
5 Macaulay Culkin
6 Jodie Foster
7 Billy Crystal
8 Dustin Hoffman
9 Robert De Niro
10 Mel Gibson

1990 1 Arnold Schwarzenegger
2 Julia Roberts
3 Bruce Willis
4 Tom Cruise
5 Mel Gibson
6 Kevin Costner
7 Patrick Swayze
8 Sean Connery
9 Harrison Ford
10 Richard Gere

1989 1 Jack Nicholson
2 Tom Cruise
3 Robin Williams
4 Michael Douglas
5 Tom Hanks
6 Michael J. Fox
7 Eddie Murphy
8 Mel Gibson
9 Sean Connery
10 Kathleen Turner

1988 1 Tom Cruise
2 Eddie Murphy
3 Tom Hanks
4 Arnold Schwarzenegger
5 Paul Hogan
6 Danny De Vito
7 Bette Midler
8 Robin Williams
9 Tom Selleck
10 Dustin Hoffman

1987 1 Eddie Murphy
2 Michael Douglas
3 Michael J. Fox
4 Arnold Schwarzenegger
5 Paul Hogan
6 Tom Cruise
7 Glenn Close
8 Sylvester Stallone
9 Cher
10 Mel Gibson

1986 1 Tom Cruise
2 Eddie Murphy
3 Paul Hogan
4 Rodney Dangerfield
5 Bette Midler
6 Sylvester Stallone
7 Clint Eastwood
8 Whoopi Goldberg
9 Kathleen Turner
10 Paul Newman

1985 1 Sylvester Stallone
2 Eddie Murphy
3 Clint Eaastwood
4 Michael J. Fox
5 Chevy Chase
6 Arnold Schwarzenegger
7 Chuck Norris
8 Harrison Ford
9 Michael Douglas
10 Meryl Streep

1984 1 Clint Eastwood
2 Bill Murray
3 Harrison Ford
4 Eddie Murphy
5 Sally Field
6 Burt Reynolds
7 Robert Redford
8 Prince
9 Dan Aykroyd
10 Meryl Streep

1983 1 Clint Eastwood
2 Eddie Murphy
3 Sylvester Stallone
4 Burt Reynolds
5 John Travolta
6 Dustin Hoffman
7 Harrison Ford
8 Richard Gere
9 Chevy Chase
10 Tom Cruise

1982 1 Burt Reynolds
2 Clint Eastwood
3 Sylvester Stallone
4 Dudley Moore
5 Richard Pryor
6 Dolly Parton
7 Jane Fonda
8 Richard Gere
9 Paul Newman
10 Harrison Ford

1981 1 Burt Reynolds
2 Clint Eastwood
3 Dudley Moore
4 Dolly Parton
5 Jane Fonda
6 Harrison Ford
7 Alan Alda
8 Bo Derek
9 Goldie Hawn
10 Bill Murray

1980 1 Burt Reynolds
2 Robert Redford
3 Clint Eastwood
4 Jane Fonda
5 Dustin Hoffman
6 John Travolta
7 Sally Field
8 Sissy Spacek
9 Barbra Streisand
10 Steve Martin

1979 1 Burt Reynolds
2 Clint Eastwood
3 Jane Fonda
4 Woody Allen
5 Barbra Streisand
6 Sylvester Stallone
7 John Travolta
8 Jill Clayburgh
9 Roger Moore
10 Mel Brooks

1978 1 Burt Reynolds
2 John Travolta
3 Richard Dreyfuss
4 Warren Beatty
5 Clint Eastwood
6 Woody Allen
7 Diane Keaton
8 Jane Fonda
9 Peter Sellers
10 Barbra Streisand

1977 1 Sylvester Stallone
2 Barbra Streisand
3 Clint Eastwood
4 Burt Reynolds
5 Robert Redford
6 Woody Allen
7 Mel Brooks
8 Al Pacino
9 Diane Keaton
10 Robert De Niro

1976 1 Robert Redford
2 Jack Nicholson
3 Dustin Hoffman
4 Clint Eastwood
5 Mel Brooks
6 Burt Reynolds
7 Al Pacino
8 Tatum O?Neal
9 Woody Allen
10 Charles Bronson

1975 1 Robert Redford
2 Barbra Streisand
3 Al Pacino
4 Charles Bronson
5 Paul Newman
6 Clint Eastwood
7 Burt Reynolds
8 Woody Allen
9 Steve McQueen
10 Gene Hackman

1974 1 Robert Redford
2 Clint Eastwood
3 Paul Newman
4 Barbra Streisand
5 Steve McQueen
6 Burt Reynolds
7 Charles Bronson
8 Jack Nicholson
9 Al Pacino
10 John Wayne

1973 1 Clint Eastwood
2 Ryan O?Neal
3 Steve McQueen
4 Burt Reynolds
5 Robert Redford
6 Barbra Streisand
7 Paul Newman
8 Charles Bronson
9 John Wayne
10 Marlon Brando

1972 1 Clint Eastwood
2 George C. Scott
3 Gene Hackman
4 John Wayne
5 Barbra Streisand
6 Marlon Brando
7 Paul Newman
8 Steve McQueen
9 Dustin Hoffman
10 Goldie Hawn

1971 1 John Wayne
2 Clint Eastwood
3 Paul Newman
4 Steve McQueen
5 George C. Scott
6 Dustin Hoffman
7 Walter Matthau
8 Ali MacGraw
9 Sean Connery
10 Lee Marvin

1970 1 Paul Newman
2 Clint Eastwood
3 Steve McQueen
4 John Wayne
5 Elliott Gould
6 Dustin Hoffman
7 Lee Marvin
8 Jack Lemmon
9 Barbra Streisand
10 Walter Matthau

1969 1 Paul Newman
2 John Wayne
3 Steve McQueen
4 Dustin Hoffman
5 Clint Eastwood
6 Sidney Poitier
7 Lee Marvin
8 Jack Lemmon
9 Katharine Hepburn
10 Barbra Streisand

1968 1 Sidney Poitier
2 Paul Newman
3 Julie Andrews
4 John Wayne
5 Clint Eastwood
6 Dean Martin
7 Steve McQueen
8 Jack Lemmon
9 Lee Marvin
10 Elizabeth Taylor

1967 1 Julie Andrews
2 Lee Marvin
3 Paul Newman
4 Dean Martin
5 Sean Connery
6 Elizabeth Taylor
7 Sidney Poitier
8 John Wayne
9 Richard Burton
10 Steve McQueen

1966 1 Julie Andrews
2 Sean Connery
3 Elizabeth Taylor
4 Jack Lemmon
5 Richard Burton
6 Cary Grant
7 John Wayne
8 Doris Day
9 Paul Newman
10 Elvis Presley

1965 1 Sean Connery
2 John Wayne
3 Doris Day
4 Julie Andrews
5 Jack Lemmon
6 Elvis Presley
7 Cary Grant
8 James Stewart
9 Elizabeth Taylor
10 Richard Burton

1964 1 Doris Day
2 Jack Lemmon
3 Rock Hudson
4 John Wayne
5 Cary Grant
6 Elvis Presley
7 Shirley MacLaine
8 Ann-Margret
9 Paul Newman
10 Jerry Lewis

1963 1 Doris Day
2 John Wayne
3 Rock Hudson
4 Jack Lemmon
5 Cary Grant
6 Elizabeth Taylor
7 Elvis Presley
8 Sandra Dee
9 Paul Newman
10 Jerry Lewis

1962 1 Doris Day
2 Rock Hudson
3 Cary Grant
4 John Wayne
5 Elvis Presley
6 Elizabeth Taylor
7 Jerry Lewis
8 Frank Sinatra
9 Sandra Dee
10 Burt Lancaster

1961 1 Elizabeth Taylor
2 Rock Hudson
3 Doris Day
4 John Wayne
5 Cary Grant
6 Sandra Dee
7 Jerry Lewis
8 William Holden
9 Tony Curtis
10 Elvis Presley

1960 1 Doris Day
2 Rock Hudson
3 Cary Grant
4 Elizabeth Taylor
5 Debbie Reynolds
6 Tony Curtis
7 Sandra Dee
8 Frank Sinatra
9 Jack Lemmon
10 John Wayne

1959 1 Rock Hudson
2 Cary Grant
3 James Stewart
4 Doris Day
5 Debbie Reynolds
6 Glenn Ford
7 Frank Sinatra
8 John Wayne
9 Jerry Lewis
10 Susan Hayward

1958 1 Glenn Ford
2 Elizabeth Taylor
3 Jerry Lewis
4 Marlon Brando
5 Rock Hudson
6 William Holden
7 Bridgitte Bardot
8 Yul Brynner
9 James Stewart
10 Frank Sinatra

1957 1 Rock Hudson
2 John Wayne
3 Pat Boone
4 Elvis Presley
5 Frank Sinatra
6 Gary Cooper
7 William Holden
8 James Stewart
9 Jerry Lewis
10 Yul Brynner

1956 1 William Holden
2 John Wayne
3 James Stewart
4 Burt Lancaster
5 Glenn Ford
6 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
7 Gary Cooper
8 Marilyn Monroe
9 Kim Novak
10 Frank Sinatra

1955 1 James Stewart
2 Grace Kelly
3 John Wayne
4 William Holden
5 Gary Cooper
6 Marlon Brando
7 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
8 Humphrey Bogart
9 June Allyson
10 Clark Gable

1954 1 John Wayne
2 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
3 Gary Cooper
4 James Stewart
5 Marilyn Monroe
6 Alan Ladd
7 William Holden
8 Bing Crosby
9 Jane Wyman
10 Marlon Brando

1953 1 Gary Cooper
2 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
3 John Wayne
4 Alan Ladd
5 Bing Crosby
6 Marilyn Monroe
7 James Stewart
8 Bob Hope
9 Susan Hayward
10 Randolph Scott

1952 1 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
2 Gary Cooper
3 John Wayne
4 Bing Crosby
5 Bob Hope
6 James Stewart
7 Doris Day
8 Gregory Peck
9 Susan Hayward
10 Randolph Scott

1951 1 John Wayne
2 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
3 Betty Grable
4 Abbott & Costello
5 Bing Crosby
6 Bob Hope
7 Randolph Scott
8 Gary Cooper
9 Doris Day
10 Spencer Tracy

1950 1 John Wayne
2 Bob Hope
3 Bing Crosby
4 Betty Grable
5 James Stewart
6 Abbott & Costello
7 Clifton Webb
8 Esther Williams
9 Spencer Tracy
10 Randolph Scott

1949 1 Bob Hope
2 Bing Crosby
3 Abbott & Costello
4 John Wayne
5 Gary Cooper
6 Cary Grant
7 Betty Grable
8 Esther Williams
9 Humphrey Bogart
10 Clark Gable

1948 1 Bing Crosby
2 Betty Grable
3 Abbott & Costello
4 Gary Cooper
5 Bob Hope
6 Humphrey Bogart
7 Clark Gable
8 Cary Grant
9 Spencer Tracy
10 Ingrid Bergman

1947 1 Bing Crosby
2 Betty Grable
3 Ingrid Bergman
4 Gary Cooper
5 Humphrey Bogart
6 Bob Hope
7 Clark Gable
8 Gregory Peck
9 Claudette Colbert
10 Alan Ladd

1946 1 Bing Crosby
2 Ingrid Bergman
3 Van Johnson
4 Gary Cooper
5 Bob Hope
6 Humphrey Bogart
7 Greer Garson
8 Margaret O?Brien
9 Betty Grable
10 Roy Rogers

1945 1 Bing Crosby
2 Van Johnson
3 Greer Garson
4 Betty Grable
5 Spencer Tracy
6 Humphrey Bogart (Tie)
6 Gary Cooper (Tie)
8 Bob Hope
9 Judy Garland
10 Margaret O?Brien

1944 1 Bing Crosby
2 Gary Cooper
3 Bob Hope
4 Betty Grable
5 Spencer Tracy
6 Greer Garson
7 Humphrey Bogart
8 Abbott & Costello
9 Cary Grant
10 Bette Davis

1943 1 Betty Grable
2 Bob Hope
3 Abbott & Costello
4 Bing Crosby
5 Gary Cooper
6 Greer Garson
7 Humphrey Bogart
8 James Cagney
9 Mickey Rooney
10 Clark Gable

1942 1 Abbott & Costello
2 Clark Gable
3 Gary Cooper
4 Mickey Rooney
5 Bob Hope
6 James Cagney
7 Gene Autry
8 Betty Grable
9 Greer Garson
10 Spencer Tracy

1941 1 Mickey Rooney
2 Clark Gable
3 Abbott & Costello
4 Bob Hope
5 Spencer Tracy
6 Gene Autry
7 Gary Cooper
8 Bette Davis
9 James Cagney
10 Judy Garland

1940 1 Mickey Rooney
2 Spencer Tracy
3 Clark Gable
4 Gene Autry
5 Tyrone Power
6 James Cagney
7 Bing Crosby
8 Wallace Beery
9 Bette Davis
10 Judy Garland

1939 1 Mickey Rooney
2 Tyrone Power
3 Spencer Tracy
4 Clark Gable
5 Shirley Temple
6 Bette Davis
7 Alice Faye
8 Errol Flynn
9 James Cagney
10 Sonja Henie

1938 1 Shirley Temple
2 Clark Gable
3 Sonja Henie
4 Mickey Rooney
5 Spencer Tracy
6 Robert Taylor
7 Myrna Loy
8 Jane Withers
9 Alice Faye
10 Tyrone Power

1937 1 Shirley Temple
2 Clark Gable
3 Robert Taylor
4 Bing Crosby
5 William Powell
6 Jane Withers
7 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
8 Sonja Henie
9 Gary Cooper
10 Myrna Loy

1936 1 Shirley Temple
2 Clark Gable
3 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
4 Robert Taylor
5 Joe E. Brown
6 Dick Powell
7 Joan Crawford
8 Claudette Colbert
9 Jeanette MacDonald
10 Gary Cooper

1935 1 Shirley Temple
2 Will Rogers
3 Clark Gable
4 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
5 Joan Crawford
6 Claudette Colbert
7 Dick Powell
8 Wallace Beery
9 Joe E. Brown
10 James Cagney

1934 1 Will Rogers
2 Clark Gable
3 Janet Gaynor
4 Wallace Beery
5 Mae West
6 Joan Crawford
7 Bing Crosby
8 Shirley Temple
9 Marie Dressler
10 Norma Shearer

1933 1 Marie Dressler
2 Will Rogers
3 Janet Gaynor
4 Eddie Cantor
5 Wallace Beery
6 Jean Harlow
7 Clark Gable
8 Mae West
9 Norma Shearer
10 Joan Crawford

1932 1 Marie Dressler
2 Janet Gaynor
3 Joan Crawford
4 Charles Farrell
5 Greta Garbo
6 Norma Sheare
7 Wallace Beery
8 Clark Gable
9 Will Rogers
10 Joe E. Brown

http://www.quigleypublishing.com/MPalmanac/Top10/Top10_lists.html

GROTON, Mass., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Using data from 72 years of Quigley Publishing Company's annual Top Ten Money-Making Star Poll of motion picture exhibitors, John Wayne has been named the Top Money-Maker of All Time. The Quigley Poll, conducted every year since 1932, is an annual survey of motion picture exhibitors, which asks them to vote for the ten stars that generated the most box-office revenue in the preceding year for their theatres. Long regarded as one of the most reliable indicators of a Star's box-office draw, the Quigley Poll has been cited in hundreds of publications and appears annually in Quigley Publishing Company's International Motion Picture Almanac and on our site; http://www.quigleypublishing.com. During this motion picture awards season, it is interesting to see who theatre owners and operators believe really have meant something at their box-office. During his 50-year career John Wayne appeared in over 150 films, including classics such as, The Quiet Man, The Searchers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, but only won one Academy Award for True Grit.

To come up with a weighted score, an actor received 10 points for a first place finish, nine for a second place finish, etc. The total score was determined by adding up the weighted scores from each year that the actor was voted on the list. John Wayne's appearance 25 times in the poll from 1949 to 1974 yielded 172 points versus 165 points for second place Clint Eastwood, who has been on the list 21 times. Tom Cruise placed third with 133.5 points combining six first place finishes with 16 appearances on the QP poll.

The rest of the Quigley Top Ten All-Time Money Makers are Bing Crosby #4, Gary Cooper #5, Clark Gable #6 and Burt Reynolds #7. Tom Hanks, who was recently voted the Top Ten Money-Making Star of 2004, tied with Bob Hope for #8 and Paul Newman was #10.

Of the current active stars, it appears that only Clint Eastwood and Tom Cruise have a reasonable chance of overtaking John Wayne in the future.

Perhaps reflecting shorter careers in Hollywood than men, no women made it into the Top Ten but Doris Day #11, Julia Roberts #13, Betty Grable #15, Elizabeth Taylor #23 and Shirley Temple #25 were in the Top Twenty Five.

The complete list is:

QP All Time Weighted
Position Top Ten Stars Score
1 John Wayne 172
2 Clint Eastwood 165
3 Tom Cruise 133.5
4 Bing Crosby 111
5 Gary Cooper 106.5
6 Clark Gable 95
7 Burt Reynolds 90
8 Tom Hanks (Tie) 83
Bob Hope (Tie) 83
10 Paul Newman 76
11 Doris Day 72
12 Rock Hudson 69
13 Julia Roberts 68
14 Eddie Murphy 67
15 Betty Grable 66
16 Cary Grant 62
17 Abbott & Costello 57
18 Harrison Ford (Tie) 56
James Stewart (Tie) 56
20 Mel Gibson 55.5
21 Robert Redford 55
22 Arnold Schwarzenegger 53
23 Elizabeth Taylor 52
24 Sylvester Stallone 50
25 Jim Carrey (Tie) 49
Shirley Temple (Tie) 49

Quigley Publishing Company was founded in 1915 and has published the International Motion Picture Almanac annually since 1929 and the International Television & Video Almanac since 1955. Historical data on the Top Ten Money- Making Star Poll dating back to 1932 is available on our web site: http://www.quigleypublishing.com

http://www.s133588269.onlinehome.us/NewsFromThe%20Web.htm

Carlos, thanks for posting the list. It's very interesting especially to see a few surprising names drop in. However as you indicated, this is a poll of $'s revenue (box office). It doesn't reflect what the actor was actually paid. I suppose the point I was trying to make was that Sinatra in those years the late 50's, he could virtually name his price.

My plan is: to open this thread every few days until I see the dense, Xgau-wished-he-could post from edd s. hurt where he disses Elvis, but not really, praises Frank, but takes him down a notch, if only as a formality, and then namechecks the Ruy Castro Bossa Nova book and says the thread should really be about João Gilberto.

Although the Grammy's are certainly no longer considered the musical holy grail, it's interesting that Elvis only ever won 2 Grammy's in the Gospel category. Sinatra won 9 in total from 1958 onwards which is quite significant given that Grammy's only commenced in 1958 and most critics would argue that Sinatra's first 18 years from 1940 to 1958 were his best years.

The poll is basically who made you (the exhibitor) the most $ that year. So even as a measure of box office draw it's not perfect in that it would seem to give a higher ranking to an actor who starred in a large number of moderately successful movies than someone who made fewer movies but which, on average, grossed more. Given his recording schedule I'm guessing Sinatra made less movies than some other stars. I agree who brings in the most vs. who gets the most is apples and oranges and I'm sure there's a lot of overlap between the two with a rising star perhaps getting less than he's been delivering until proven bankable and some people getting too much for a while longer until it's clear they no longer sell tickets at that level.

Yes Sinatra made around 55-60 films which is more than many dedicated actors. Some of his work was clearly for fun ie the Rat Pack films and other like the Manchurian Candidate, From Here to Eternity and The Man with the Golden Arm was taken very seriously