The Big Money

After totting up the 1953 box-office figures this week, Variety reported that the No. 1 picture--though in release only three months -- was 20th Century-Fox's first CinemaScopepic, The Robe. The estimated gross: between $20 million and $30 million, a fair start toward topping Gone With the Wind, the alltime top-grosser ($35 million).

Other expected big-grossers: From Here to Eternity (Columbia), $12,500,000 Shane (Paramount), $8,000,000; How to Marry a Millionaire (20th Century-Fox, CinemaScope), $7,500,000; Peter Pan (Walt Disney; RKO Radio), $7,000,000; Hans Christian Andersen (Samuel Goldwyn; RKO Radio), $6,000,000; House of Wax (Warner, 3-D), $5,500,000; Mogambo (M-G-M), $5,200,000; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (20th Century-Fox), $5,100,000; Moulin Rouge (Romulus Films; United Artists), $5,000,000; Salome (Beckworth Corp.; Columbia), $4.750,000; The Charge at Feather River (Warner, 3-D), $3,650,000; The Caddy (Hal Wallis; Paramount), $3,500,000; Come Back, Little Sheba (Hal Wallis; Paramount), $3,500,000; The Moon Is Blue (Preminger-Herbert; United Artists), $3,500,000.

Motion Picture Herald polled exhibitors for their favorite box-office draws for 1953. To nobody's surprise, most of the favorites were oldtimers, and eight of the top ten spots were held by men. The only newcomer--much-publicized Marilyn Monroe--placed sixth. The big ten: 1) Gary Cooper. 2) Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, 3) John Wayne. 4) Alan Ladd--up from 16th place. 5) Bing Crosby, 6) Marilyn Monroe, 7) James Stewart, 8) Bob Hope. 9) Susan Hayward. 10) Randolph Scott.

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