# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/41 "2009-01-02T15:10:31Z")
The first name I thought of was Clark Gable. But Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks could also lay claim. Also perhaps Valentino, for a short period. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/42 "2009-01-02T15:17:34Z")
There have been some really good guesses, some really crappy guesses, and at least one that made me laugh (Richard Kiel :p.) The person that the author was referring to, and the very first and only name that popped into my head was . . . (do not read if you still want to guess): John Wayne ---
**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, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/43 "2009-01-02T15:18:55Z")
Arguable but silly. ---
**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, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/44 "2009-01-02T15:30:14Z")
No way! Just no way. Sure he was big and everybody still knows who he is; but plenty of those suggested were bigger than he. Cary Grant, for example 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/45 "2009-01-02T15:34:17Z")
This thread has been done before, and the consensus then was the same one as in your spoiler. Also my vote. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/46 "2009-01-02T15:50:21Z")
Another vote for John Wayne. His was the first name to pop into my mind, and in my opinion, he can’t be touched. Long live The Duke. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/47 "2009-01-02T15:54:12Z")
I think, overall, it has to be John Wayne. Long career, some very great films, and the ability to draw in audiences for decades. Cary Grant would be a second choice. If we’re going for the jokes, then it’s [Darlene Cates](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0146055/) (who wasn’t bad as an actress). ---
**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, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/48 "2009-01-02T15:57:21Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > The person that the author was referring to, and the very first and only name that popped into my head was . . . So did the author provide a definition of “biggest”? (i.e., how did the author determine that that person was the biggest movie star of all time?) ---
**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, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/49 "2009-01-02T16:19:44Z")
My quarrel with this choice is simply that he made a lot of so-so pictures which only his fans would feel were worth watching just to see him. Cary Grant, in my opinion, provided entertainment even in bad pictures for people who wouldn’t go specifically because he was in the picture. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/50 "2009-01-02T16:38:04Z")
Mary Pickford. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/51 "2009-01-02T16:39:36Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > So did the author provide a definition of “biggest”? (i.e., how did the author determine that that person was the biggest movie star of all time?) No, it was just a couple of unimportant remarks. He didn’t seem to want to nerd-out about it. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/52 "2009-01-02T16:41:10Z")
Harrison Ford. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/53 "2009-01-02T16:57:04Z")
My instinct was Marlon Brando. ---
**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, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/54 "2009-01-02T16:59:11Z")
And the 54th post mentions Gregory Peck ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/55 "2009-01-02T17:02:37Z")
Andre the Giant ---
**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, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/56 "2009-01-02T18:24:55Z")
Hmmmmm . . . How about Valentino? (Though I still want it to be Gary Cooper.) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/57 "2009-01-02T18:38:51Z")
Wasn’t John Wayne the #1 box office draw for four decades? ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/58 "2009-01-02T22:44:41Z")
Marlon Brando ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/59 "2009-01-02T22:58:42Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > Keiko? {{{hugs you}}} And I’ve never even seen those movies! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567/60 "2009-01-03T00:04:03Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Andre the Giant Drat! that was mine Brian [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-of-when-i-say-biggest-movie-star-of-all-time/479567.md?page=4)