The Box Office of Norma Shearer

Lady of the Night

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The Box Office of Norma Shearer

A rare color photograph of Queen Norma from 'Marie Antoinette' (1938)

While many consider Norma the creation of Irving Thalberg, she was indeed a star in her own right. Her films made money, and a lot of it. The following chart, unfortunately incomplete, gives a great example of how strong Norma’s stature really was. During the PreCode (1929 – 1934) years, Norma was the biggest film star in the world –reviews and film profits are surviving proof.

If you have any information on any other box office receipts for Norma Shearer films, please Email Me.

The following information comes from the Alternative Film Guide. An (e) next to a number represents an estimated amount printed in either Bob Thomas' Thalberg, or Gavin Lambert's Norma Shearer: A Life. The numbers are as follows:

"125" = $125,000 and "1,025" = $1,025,000

Movie (Year Released)	Cost	Domestic Gross	Foreign Gross	Total Gross	Profit	Loss
The Snob (1924)	82	243	84	327	96	---
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)	172	493	388	881	349	---
Excuse Me (1925)	122	267	121	388	83	---
Lady of the Night (1925)	80	235	91	326	96	---
Walking Up the Town (1925)	No Information	---	---	---	---	---
A Slave of Fashion (1925)	131	356	122	478	167	---
Pretty Ladies (1925)	No Information	---	---	---	---	---
The Tower of Lies (1925)	185	433	220	653	271	---
His Secretary (1925)	149	433	155	588	229	---
The Devil's Circus (1926)	204	375	244	619	191	---
The Waning Sex (1926)	177	483	134	617	223	---
Upstage (1926)	No Information	---	---	---	---	---
The Demi-Bride (1927)	208	420	135	555	146	---
After Midnight (1927)	202	426	126	552	162	---
The Student Prince (1927)	1,025	894	662	1,556	---	307
The Latest From Paris (1928)	254	428	154	582	114	---
The Actress (1928)	358	427	168	595	14	---
A Lady of Chance (1928)	381	452	176	628	---	09
The Trial of Mary Dugan (1929)	402	1,087	347	1,434	421	---
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929)	569	644	477	1,121	128	---
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929)	426	1,527	894	2,421	1,135	---
Their Own Desire (1929)	351	621	234	855	188	---
The Divorcee (1930)	341	842	376	1,218	335	---
Let Us Be Gay (1930)	257	829	370	1,199	527	---
Strangers May Kiss (1931)	417	980	292	1,272	313	---
A Free Soul (1931)	529	889	883	1,422	244	---
Private Lives (1931)	500	814	311	1,125	256	---
Strange Interlude (1932)	654	957	280	1,237	90	---
Smilin' Through (1932)	851	1,004	1,029	2,033	529	---
Riptide (1934)	769	1,023	718	1,741	333	---
The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)	---	---	---	---	650(e)	---
Romeo and Juliet	2,066	---	---	---	---	922
Marie Antoinette (1938)	2,300	---	---	3,000(e)	---	600(e)
Idiot's Delight (1939)	No Information	---	---	---	---	---
The Women (1938)	1,688	1,610	660	2,270	---	262
Escape (1940)	No Information	---	---	---	---	---
We Were Dancing (1942)	No Information	---	---	---	---