I covered this in the newest issue of the newsletter associated with my magazine collecting site. The January 1936 issue of The American Magazine included an article where a midwest theater operator took issue with a critics list of top 10 attractions.
The critics had these 10:
1. Charles Laughton
2. Claudette Colbert
3. George Arliss
4. Clark Gable
5. Leslie Howard
6. Norma Shearer
7. Greta Garbo
8.Will Rogers
9. Shirley Temple
10. Helen Hayes
While the author of the article said these were the 10 who filled his theaters:
1. Will Rogers
2. Shirley Temple
3.Clark Gable
4. Mae West
5. Norma Shearer
6. Bing Crosby
7. Claudette Colbert
8. Myrna Loy
9. Joan Crawford
10. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
I'd have to side with the writer of the article, I mean Charles Laughton and George Arliss in the top 3? I can't see it.
Anyway, the same article included this writer's 53 most popular film stars which I'll be including on things-and-other-stuff.com in the near future.
