Tom Cruise Tops 2005 Motion Picture Money-Makers Poll
GROTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 01/03/06 -- Tom Cruise has been voted the Top Money-Making Star of 2005 in Quigley Publishing Company's 74th Annual Top Ten Money-Making Stars Poll. Cruise, who appeared in "War of the Worlds" in 2005, has won the poll seven times, the most of any actor since 1932, and has placed in the Top Ten eighteen times. This was his first top finish since 2001 when he starred with Penelope Cruz in "Vanilla Sky."
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 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 box-office draw, the Quigley Poll appears annually in Quigley Publishing Company's International Motion Picture Almanac and at www.quigleypublishing.com
Johnny Depp finished second in the voting and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt tied for third based on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." This is Angelina Jolie's first appearance in the poll and Brad Pitt's fourth. Vince Vaughn made his first appearance in the poll at #5 acting in, "Wedding Crashers," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "Be Cool" and "Thumbsucker," all released in 2005.
The rest of the Top Ten in order were: George Clooney #6, Will Smith #7, Reese Witherspoon #8, Adam Sandler #9 and last year's winner, Tom Hanks, was #10. Although "Polar Express" opened in 2004, it played in theatres throughout 2005 and was re-released in 3-D in November. Five on last year's list who did not make it in 2005 were Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicholas Cage, Denzel Washington, Jim Carrey and Julia Roberts.
To date, Tom 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 2005: one actor and one actress who they feel will be Top Money-Makers in the years to come. The 2005 winners are Jack Black who starred in "King Kong" and Dakota Fanning who was in "The War of the Worlds," "Hide and Seek" and "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story."
Top Ten Money-Making Stars of 2005
1. Tom Cruise
2. Johnny Depp
3. Angelina Jolie
3. Brad Pitt
5. Vince Vaughn
6. George Clooney
7. Will Smith
8. Reese Witherspoon
9. Adam Sandler
10. Tom Hanks
Stars of Tomorrow
Dakota Fanning
Jack Black
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 on the Top Ten Money-Making Star Poll dating back to 1932 is available in the 2006 edition of the International Motion Picture Almanac and on our web site: www.quigleypublishing.com
