Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

T/ie Western Winners Combined Independents Circuits 1. Roy Rogprs 1. Roy Rogers 1. Roy Rogers 2. William Boyd 2. William Boyd 2. William Boyd 3. Smiley Burnette 3. Smiley Burnette 3. Smiley Burnette 4. George "Gabby" Hayes 4. George "Gabby" Hayes 4. George "Gabby" Hayes 5. Bill EllioH 5. Bill Elliott 5. Johnny Mack Brown 6. Johnny Mack Brown 6. Charles Starrett 6. Bill Elliott 1. Don "Red" Barry 7. Johnny Mack Brown 7. Don "Red" Barry 8. Charles S+arreH 8. Don "Red" Barry 8. Russell Hayden 9. Russell Hayden 9. Russell Hayden 9. Tex Ritter 0. Tex Ritter 10. Tex Ritter 10. Fuzzy Knight Honorable Mention Fuzzy Knight Bob Steele Andy Clyde Ken Maynard Buster Crabbe 16. Bob Livingston 1 7. Hoot Gibson 18. Bob Wills 19. Raymond Hatton 20. Al St. John 2 I . Rod Cameron 22. Dave "Tex" O'Brien 23. Allen Lane 24. Eddie Dew 25. Sunset Carson eceived that designation in 1944. In this hst ircuit and independent showmen display somewhat greater divergence of opinion, although ere, too, the differences are chiefly in shades I preference. \estern Leaders Show Consistent Performance Consistency of attraction value, a conspicuus characteristic of the 1944 poll, is reflected 1 the listing of Money-Making Western Stars. It is demonstrated in the poll leaders and leir positions, and right down the line through le players receiving honorable mention. Roy Rogers, voted first place last year after first inclusion among the leaders in 1939, is 2:ain Number One Western Star, and William ;oyd, who has taken second place in six anual pollings, is again Number Two. "Smiley" Burnette is another repeater, as ) position, retaining third place ; and so is reorge "Gabby" Hayes, again voted Number our. Bill Elliott, who ranked ninth in 1943, is lumber Five in the 1944 listing, while Johnny laak Brown, fifth in 1943, is Number Six. )on "Red" Barry Climbs )ne Place in Listing Don "Red" Barry gained a rung in the 1944 tdder of Fame, rising from eighth place to iventh, and Charles Starrett is Number :ight. Russell Hayden, who held tenth position last ear, is Number Nine in the 1944 poll, and "ex Ritter, who missed the Top Ten by two laces in 1943, is 1944's Number Ten. There were few newcomers to the Western eld, and it seems to take more than two or iiree appearances to convince the fans of adenture in the saddle. Some came too late in he year to influence the vote of exhibitors ; Tim Holt, who gained sixth place in 1943, and gave some sign of switching his allegiance to dramatic features, did his fighting for Uncle Sam in 1944. The Three Mesquiteers, in seventh place last year, were another war casualty. THE TOP WINNERS FOR 13 YEARS Seven stars have won the Number One position in the Motion Picture HeraldFame poll of exhibitors since its inception in 1932. Shirley Temple took top honors in four successive years, a record approached only by that of Mickey Rooney, a three time winner. The record: 1944 Bing Crosby 1943 Betty Grabie 1942 Abbott & Costello 1941 Mickey Rooney 1940 Mickey Rooney 1939 Mickey Rooney 1938 Shirley Temple 1937 Shirley Temple 1936 Shirley Temple 1935 Shirley Temple 1934 Will Rogers 1933 Marie Dressier 1932 Marie Dressier Clark Gable holds the unique record of having been placed among the first ten for tv/elve successive years, from 1932 to 1943. ROY ROGERS * * * * Canada Showmen Agree on Nine While Bing Crosby was outdistancing the field in the U. S. exhibitors' vote, Canadian showmen were also going his way. In a display of continental solidarity, they agreed on nine out of ten names on the money-makers list, adding only Walter Pidgeon. Canadian choices show a shift of emphasis to comedy this year, although dramatic performers are well represented. Second to Crosby comes his frequent partner. Bob Hope. Greer Garson, Canada's top choice in 1943, is third. Three Players Are Tied For Fourth Position Humphrey Bogart, Betty Grabie and Gary Cooper ran neck and neck' for fourth position, which Betty has to herself in the U. S. ranking. Spencer Tracy is seventh, Abbott and Costello and Walter Pidgeon tied for eighth place, and Cary Grant completes the list. Bette Davis, in tenth position on the U. S. list, missed out in Canada by one vote of the participating showmen. An interesting feature of the Canadian vote i-s the consistency of exhibitor preference based on performances of the past two years. All but two of 1943's winners are on the list again in 1944. Only Tracy and Grant are newcomers. However, in the shift of positions, which brought Crosby from ninth to first place, no performer takes the same place he had in 1943. Hope and Bogart have improved their positions, while those who have dropped a few places in the scale still remain in the same order of preference. -MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 30, 1944 15