Johnny Depp Top Money-Making Star in 2007, Tom Cruise Tumbles

Johnny Depp has been voted the Top Money-Making Star of 2007 in Quigley Publishing Company’s 76th Annual Poll. Depp, who starred in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” in 2007, also placed first in 2006. He first appeared as #6 in 2003 and was second to Tom Cruise in 2005.

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 they believe 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 real box-office draw because the selections are done by people whose livelihood depends on choosing the films that will bring audiences to their theatres, the Quigley Poll appears annually in Quigley Publishing Company’s International Motion Picture Almanac and at http://www.quigleypublishing.com.

Will Smith, who starred in “I Am Legend,” finished second in the voting followed by George Clooney (”Michael Clayton” and “Ocean’s Thirteen”) and Matt Damon (”The Bourne Ultimatum” and “Ocean’s Thirteen.”) Clooney has been in the poll five times to date. Somewhat surprisingly, this year is Matt Damon’s first Top Ten mention. Denzel Washington (”The Great Debaters” and “American Gangster”) was fifth and Russell Crowe (”American Gangster” and “3:10 to Yuma”) was sixth.

The rest of the Top Ten in order were: Tom Cruise #7 (”Lions for Lambs,”) Nicholas Cage #8 (”Ghost Rider” and “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,”) Will Ferrell #9 (”Blades of Glory”) and Tom Hanks #10 (”Charlie Wilson’s War.”) This is the first year in 24 years, since 1983, that exhibitors have not included a female star in the Top Ten.

Perennial powerhouse Tom Cruise has been in the Top Ten an amazing 20 times since 1983. To date, Cruise has been voted number one seven times. Tom Hanks, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds and Bing Crosby have all won five times. John Wayne, Doris Day and Shirley Temple each finished first four times, but John Wayne was voted one of the Top Ten Money-Making Stars an
astounding 25 times from 1949 to 1974. Exhibitors were also asked to name the Stars of Tomorrow for 2007: one actor and one actress who they feel will be Top Money- Makers in the years to come. The 2007 winners are Shia LaBeouf who starred in “Transformers,” “Disturbia” and voice talent in “Surf’s Up” and Ellen Page who had a breakthrough performance in “Juno” in
2007.

Top Ten Money-Making Stars of 2007
1. Johnny Depp
2. Will Smith
3. George Clooney
4. Matt Damon
5. Denzel Washington
6. Russell Crowe
7. Tom Cruise
8. Nicholas Cage
9. Will Ferrell
10. Tom Hanks

Stars of Tomorrow:
1. Shia LaBeouf
2. Ellen Page

Quigley Publishing Company was founded in 1915 and has published the International Motion Picture Almanac annually since 1930 and the International Television & Video Almanac since 1955. Historical data and all of the Top Ten Money-Making Star Poll dating back to 1932 are available in the 2008 edition of the International Motion Picture Almanac and on our web site: http://www.quigleypublishing.com

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