Britain's Money – Makers

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 7 (Supplement)

Britain's Money - Makers

SUPPLEMENTING the list of Holly-wood stars voted by American box-office comptrollers their biggest drawcards, published on this page last week, a list of the most important money-mak-ing stars of British films—also by exhibitors' vote—is to hand. Here is tlie list' of mentions:— George Formby 1)56 Gracio Fields. .............. V 683 Will Hay .......... / 633 ' Jessie Matthews . .v.340 Sandy Powell . 256 / .Tack Buchanan 263 - Charles Laugliton 262 Anna Xeagte 245 "Will Fyffe 225 George 'Arliss .....*. 223 FIFTEEN" HONOUR STARS. Paul Robeson 216 Gordon Harker • 21u Annabella 1«4 : Tom Walls 1 ; »4 Stanley Lnplno Robert Donat 14.Tack Hulbert 141 Binkie Stuart v. 130 Max Miller ...i . , 120 Arthur Tracy ' IJJBobby Howes r* Otto Kruger Conrad Vcidt .Tohn Lodge Lucan and McShane ....•••• ••• 1 0 Three years, ago in fourth position, last year runner-up, tliis year George Form by, famous son of a famous father, heads "the poll. He beats the winner of last year and the year before, Gracic Fields, by- a margin which can scarcely be called narrow. Formby's success is significant on its own merits. It is even so in relationship to the recession to second. position .of Miss Fields. He is, as already sug-

gested, a strictly local phenomenon, whose comedy is limited even in his native Britain. It is true that Miss Fields' screen appearances have been fewer than ever before. On the other hand, the virtual change of character in her comedy as evidenced in her newest film, marking a slight tangent towards the melodramatic, may also have weighed the balance

Result Of Exhibitors Poll

one way or another. She remains a terrific box-ollice draw. Formby, on the other hand, lias been fortunate in meeting his audience in more films within the same period, though wisely his producers are not bent on choking the public cat with an excess of screen butter. , Of the remainder of the chosen 10, all but two of last year's elect remain. Robeson and Hulbert, both of whom have passed into a partial or temporary retirement, recede to the lesser "Honour Group." Into the limelight come two new faces, Sandy Powell and Will Fyffe, both again regional comedians, one talking in the warm accents of Yorkshire, the other with the burred speech of Glasgow. Will Hay, still a favourite with British audiences, steps up from position four to position three. Jessie Matthews, a quiet personality during the last theatre year, and now retired from films, goes down from third to fourth. Jack Buchanan recedes one place, from fifth to sixth. Charles Laughton's popularity remains precisely where it was. So, too, does that of Anna Xcagle. Down to tenth place goes number six of last year, George Arliss. Britain also had a vote on the matter of Westerns, exhibitors placing- their best drawing stars in this order:— Gene Autry, Bill Boyd, Dick Foran, Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Ken Maynard, The Three Mesquiteers, Tex Hitter, George O'Brien, John Wayne.