# Who do you think of when I say "biggest movie star of all time"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567 "2009-01-02T06:28:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/21 "2009-01-02T08:04:15Z")
Cary Grant. The quintessence of “movie star.” Move-star handsome. Movie star magnetic. Movie Star charisma. Not a particularly broad-ranging actor, not a master of disguise, not able to modulate his voice or accent very well, but always the reason people came into the theater to see one of his films, the worst of which is watchable if only to see him in it. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/22 "2009-01-02T08:06:33Z")
Okay, serious guess on my part: Jackie Chan? ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/23 "2009-01-02T08:19:00Z")
Cary Grant was the first that came to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/24 "2009-01-02T08:35:36Z")
Cary Grant as well. There may have been greater actors, but there were no greater movie stars. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/25 "2009-01-02T09:02:41Z")
Gary Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/26 "2009-01-02T09:35:45Z")
Rober De Niro. Failing which, Sean penn ---
**Author:** ![Omgalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/41988e/32.png) [@Omgalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omgalion)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/27 "2009-01-02T11:32:19Z")
Marilyn Monroe. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/28 "2009-01-02T11:38:09Z")
Names that popped into my head, in order of poppage: John Wayne Cary Grant Clark Gable James Stewart Marilyn Monroe ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/29 "2009-01-02T11:44:47Z")
Marilyn Monroe ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/30 "2009-01-02T11:53:17Z")
Errol Flynn ---
**Author:** ![PeacePlease](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/31 "2009-01-02T13:06:40Z")
Honestly, there wasn’t one name that popped into my head but after thinking about it I’m going with John Wayne. My pick would be Jack Nicholson. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/32 "2009-01-02T13:52:13Z")
Clark Gable ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/33 "2009-01-02T13:59:08Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Humphrey Bogart My first thought. Note how the only female named is Marilyn Monroe. WTF happened to Streep and Steisand? ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/34 "2009-01-02T14:03:23Z")
Clark Gable was the first to come to mind. I then thought of Charles Chaplin. He was truly international. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/35 "2009-01-02T14:07:46Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Note how the only female named is Marilyn Monroe. WTF happened to Streep and Steisand? Actually, my first thought was Liz Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/36 "2009-01-02T14:14:05Z")
Gene Hackman. I read somewhere that he was considered the most respected living actor. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/37 "2009-01-02T14:15:59Z")
But respected does not translate into biggest. Dustin Hoffman could have an equal claim. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/38 "2009-01-02T14:30:09Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > But respected does not translate into biggest. Dustin Hoffman could have an equal claim. True. Some ppl also consider the lifestyle, glamor, all that, and AFAIK someone like Hackman doesn’t command attention in that way. Or you could look at it from a “body of work” perspective: how many films did Marilyn Monroe make and how good was she in them? Interesting trivia from [imdb.com](http://imdb.com) Dustin Hoffman came to New York after finishing his training at the Pasadena Playhouse. The two of them roomed together in New York at Hackman’s one-bedroom apartment on 2nd Ave. & 26th St. Hoffman slept on the kitchen floor. Originally, Hackman had offered to let him stay a few nights, but Hoffman would not leave. Hackman had to take him out to look for his own apartment. As roommates, Dustin Hoffman and Hackman would often go to the apartment rooftop and play the drums. Hoffman played the bongo drums while Hackman played the conga drums. They did it out of their love for Marlon Brando, who they had heard played music in clubs. They wanted to be like Brando and were big fans of his. Dustin Hoffman asked for the part of Rankin Fitch in Runaway Jury (2003), which had gone to Hackman. Hoffman admits to asking, “Can’t you get rid of Gene and give me the part?”. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000432/bio](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000432/bio) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/39 "2009-01-02T14:58:10Z")
Some possibilities who I don’t think have been mentioned: Liz Taylor Shirley Temple ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/40 "2009-01-02T15:02:04Z")
[Alan Swann](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084370/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567.md?page=3)