Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

John Wayne still biggest movie money-maker
Merc News ^ | Feb 25 05

Posted on 02/25/2005 4:27:11 PM PST by churchillbuff

Get back, pilgrim. Legendary movie cowboy John Wayne has outshot Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" and has cruised by Tom Cruise.

The late actor has been named as the Top Money-Maker of All Time in the Quigley Publishing Company annual star poll.

...In order to compare The Duke's box office sales to that earned by contemporary stars, a weighted score was given to the star's ranking for each year

(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: duke; johnwayne; movies
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last
To: hosepipe
Not many actors can be characterized as "Genuine" but the duke can..

Another thing you have to appreciate is that he appeared as himself on I Love Lucy. And that was when he was at nearly the top of his career!

He clearly enjoyed himself in that 3-part episode and proved he wasn't too self-important for the small screen.

Back then, that was a very big deal.

21 posted on 02/25/2005 5:25:22 PM PST by freedumb2003 (If you oppose jihad, you are not a Muslim. If you support jihad, you are my enemy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: BigSkyFreeper

Which is why the liberals hate him.

22 posted on 02/25/2005 5:36:05 PM PST by StACase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: StACase

"Which is why the liberals hate him."

I love it when I hear them compare Bush's swagger to the Duke's!


23 posted on 02/25/2005 5:40:45 PM PST by Rebelbase (Who is General Chat?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Tail Gunner John

They Were Expendable is my favorite.


24 posted on 02/25/2005 5:46:45 PM PST by x1stcav (Hooahh!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff

The Duke was a American.


25 posted on 02/25/2005 5:49:47 PM PST by Fast1 (Destroy America buy Chinese goods.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

A more accurate gauge would be to also use the indexed for inflation movie chart. Politics aside, Tom Cruise is most likely going to go down in history as the biggest money maker..when he is done. Harrison Ford has fallen off lately, and you can make a case he shouldn't get credit for the Star Wars movies (he wasn't the "star" that carried the movie).

He has rarely had a movie that "flopped"..Far and Away was dissappointing B.O. and Eyes Wide Shut was a disaster...but his list of moneymaking movies is massive, and he is aging well..so its going to keep going.

I've never really "gotten" why he was so popular, but facts are facts..he is.

Anyone interested in this sort of thing would LOVE Boxofficemojo.com On the site is an "indexed for inflation" chart.......Gone With the Wind still ahead by a mile with Titanic second.


26 posted on 02/25/2005 6:07:34 PM PST by Crimson Elephant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: x1stcav

Here's some trivia for you: The Green Beret was the only Vietnam War movie made during the Vietnam War. If I'm not mistaken, John Wayne paid for the production of that movie out of his own pocket - need to double check on that.

But the plot is very timely...a cynical anti-war reporter goes with Wayne and his Green Berets into Vietnam. Afterwards, he changes his views about the war.

"What are you going to say in that paper of yours?"

Ah, if only art imitated life.

Sands of Iwo Jima is my favorite John Wayne movie.


27 posted on 02/25/2005 6:15:54 PM PST by mwfsu84
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

Just a correction...Titanic is SIXTH not second.


28 posted on 02/25/2005 6:18:15 PM PST by Crimson Elephant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: mwfsu84
The Green Berets was my favorite movie growing up. I never thought then that I would serve. But I do and I love the Duke...........My Heroes have always been Cowboys.
29 posted on 02/25/2005 6:22:18 PM PST by marmar (Even though I may look different then you...my blood runs red, white and blue.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: pissant

I think you mean Marion Morrison, the former college football player. Another good college football player who went on to make millions in the movies was a running back by the name of Burt Reynolds from Florida State...who, by the way, has given millions of dollars back to his alma mater.


30 posted on 02/25/2005 6:26:38 PM PST by KnutCase (When GWB won, we all won!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: pissant

I think you mean Marion Morrison, the former college football player. Another good college football player who went on to make millions in the movies was a running back by the name of Burt Reynolds from Florida State...who, by the way, has given millions of dollars back to his alma mater.


31 posted on 02/25/2005 6:28:47 PM PST by KnutCase (When GWB won, we all won!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff

Check out "Rooster Cogburn," not a "big" movie but one of my favorites. Duke and Kate at their best.


32 posted on 02/25/2005 8:03:08 PM PST by utahguy (Ya gotta kill it before you grill it: Ted Nugent)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: utahguy
Check out "Rooster Cogburn," not a "big" movie but one of my favorites. Duke and Kate at their best.

For those that don't remember "True Grit" was made by Warren Oates, before John Wayne made it. I love John Wayne, but Warren did a better job on that picture.

I don't remember if the titles of the movies were the same, but the story sure was.

33 posted on 02/25/2005 8:13:00 PM PST by itsahoot (There are some things more painful than the truth, but I can't think of them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
I usually watch the beginning of "The Quiet Man," whenever it's on. I love the train station scene. One of my favorite Christmas movies is "Donovan's Reef."

At USC

1931

I believe this photo is from "The Quiet Man," but I'm not certain.

34 posted on 02/25/2005 8:34:47 PM PST by Daaave ( I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff

This is interesting, because I distinctly remember reading about 10 years ago that Mel Gibson had begun to surpas the duke about ten years ago.


35 posted on 02/25/2005 8:38:12 PM PST by mamelukesabre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tail Gunner John
The pic I posted is from The Searchers, Wayne played a very angry sort of "antihero",similar to his role in Liberty Valance.
Late in life JW described his role in The Searchers, as his favorite.
36 posted on 02/25/2005 9:57:28 PM PST by Slicksadick (Go out on a limb........Its where the fruit is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Slicksadick

My only problem with The Searchers is a realism one - - how could Ethan have spent two years, or however long it was, riding around searching for his niece -- without stopping to earn money for food? Was he living off the land the whole time?


37 posted on 02/26/2005 12:03:07 AM PST by churchillbuff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: escapefromboston
"The Searchers" is fantastic and is my favorite Wayne movie, but if you want to see him act, check out "The Long Voyage Home".
38 posted on 02/26/2005 12:08:19 AM PST by fella
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff; escapefromboston

Excellent review (LONG) of The Searchers here. It might explain the wandering penniless issue.
http://www.filmsite.org/sear.html


39 posted on 02/26/2005 7:32:48 AM PST by Slicksadick (Go out on a limb........Its where the fruit is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff

I remember someone asked him who's side are you on, He said I'm on the right side, Makes you wonder where will the John Wayne's of today come from, to safe America and the America of our dreams.


40 posted on 02/26/2005 7:42:51 AM PST by lillybet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson