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English box office · 1959

English Box Office 1959: Highest-Grossing English Movies

Ben-Hur (1959) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1959, with $74.4M worldwide, ahead of Sleeping Beauty (1959) at $51.6M and North by Northwest (1959) at $197.9K. 19 English-language films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $126.4M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is 24.7 times the total of 1958, whose releases took $5.1M. By genre, Adventure leads with $74.6M across 3 English releases.

1959 releases with a gross
19
combined worldwide
$126.4M
Ben-Hur (1959), the #1
$74.4M
vs 1958
×24.7
Ben-Hur (1959) movie poster #1 of 19
#1 English-language movie of 1959

Ben-Hur (1959)

1959 · Adventure, Drama

$74.4M worldwide · 59% of the chart's total

$74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
Top 5

What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1959?

Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M, 59% of the total. The top 5 together took $126.4M, almost all of what the 19 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.

  1. Ben-Hur (1959) movie poster Number 1
    $74.4M Ben-Hur (1959)
    $74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
  2. Sleeping Beauty (1959) movie poster Number 2
    $51.6M Sleeping Beauty (1959)
    $51.6M US & Canada · 100% $485 elsewhere · <1%
  3. North by Northwest (1959) movie poster Number 3
    $197.9K North by Northwest (1959)
    $66.7K US & Canada · 34% $131.2K elsewhere · 66%
  4. Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959) movie poster Number 4
    $75.4K Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959)
    No US & Canada figure reported
  5. A Summer Place (1959) movie poster Number 5
    $42.3K A Summer Place (1959)
    No US & Canada figure reported

US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world

The chart

Every English Release of 1959, Ranked by Worldwide Gross

Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1959.

  1. 1 Ben-Hur (1959) movie poster
    Ben-Hur (1959) Nov 18, 1959 · Adventure, Drama $74.4M worldwide
    Nov 18, 1959 US and Canada: $74.4M Rest of the world: $6.7K Worldwide: $74.4M
  2. 2 Sleeping Beauty (1959) movie poster
    Sleeping Beauty (1959) Jan 29, 1959 · Fantasy, Romance $51.6M worldwide
    Jan 29, 1959 US and Canada: $51.6M Rest of the world: $485 Worldwide: $51.6M
  3. 3 North by Northwest (1959) movie poster
    North by Northwest (1959) Aug 6, 1959 · Action, Adventure $197.9K worldwide
    Aug 6, 1959 US and Canada: $66.7K Rest of the world: $131.2K Worldwide: $197.9K
  4. 4 Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959) movie poster
    Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959) Aug 23, 1959 · Music, Documentary $75.4K worldwide
    Aug 23, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $75.4K
  5. 5 A Summer Place (1959) movie poster
    A Summer Place (1959) Nov 18, 1959 · Romance, Drama $42.3K worldwide
    Nov 18, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $42.3K
  6. 6 Rio Bravo (1959) movie poster
    Rio Bravo (1959) Apr 4, 1959 · Action, Drama $27.8K worldwide
    Apr 4, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $27.8K
  7. 7 The Savage Eye (1959) movie poster
    The Savage Eye (1959) Aug 26, 1959 · Drama $16.4K worldwide
    Aug 26, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $16.4K
  8. 8 Pillow Talk (1959) movie poster
    Pillow Talk (1959) Oct 7, 1959 · Comedy, Romance $10.3K worldwide
    Oct 7, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.3K
  9. 9 The Chaplin Revue (1959) movie poster
    The Chaplin Revue (1959) Sep 1, 1959 · Comedy $9.2K worldwide
    Sep 1, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $9.2K
  10. 10 Warlock (1959) movie poster
    Warlock (1959) May 15, 1959 · Western $8.9K worldwide
    May 15, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.9K
  11. 11 Look Back in Anger (1959) movie poster
    Look Back in Anger (1959) Sep 15, 1959 · Drama $7.6K worldwide
    Sep 15, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.6K
  12. 12 A Hole in the Head (1959) movie poster
    A Hole in the Head (1959) Sep 15, 1959 · Comedy, Drama $2.9K worldwide
    Sep 15, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.9K
  13. 13 Shadows (1959) movie poster
    Shadows (1959) Nov 11, 1959 · Drama, Romance $2.7K worldwide
    Nov 11, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.7K
  14. 14 Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) movie poster
    Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) Oct 1, 1959 · Adventure $1.1K worldwide
    Oct 1, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1K
  15. 15 Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) movie poster
    Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) Jul 22, 1959 · Sci-Fi, Horror $812 worldwide
    Jul 22, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $812
  16. 16 Imitation of Life (1959) movie poster
    Imitation of Life (1959) Mar 18, 1959 · Drama $365 worldwide
    Mar 18, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $365
  17. 17 Gidget (1959) movie poster
    Gidget (1959) Apr 9, 1959 · Comedy, Romance $248 worldwide
    Apr 9, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $248
  18. 18 Anatomy of a Murder (1959) movie poster
    Anatomy of a Murder (1959) Jul 1, 1959 · Drama, Mystery $194 worldwide
    Jul 1, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $194
  19. 19 Our Man in Havana (1959) movie poster
    Our Man in Havana (1959) Dec 30, 1959 · Comedy, Thriller $114 worldwide
    Dec 30, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $114
US & Canada vs the world

Where Did the Money Come From in 1959?

Of the top 10, Sleeping Beauty (1959) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while North by Northwest (1959) made 66% of its gross abroad. Across all 19 films, $126.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 7 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.

  1. 1 Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M
    $74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
  2. 2 Sleeping Beauty (1959) $51.6M
    $51.6M US & Canada · 100% $485 elsewhere · <1%
  3. 3 North by Northwest (1959) $197.9K
    $66.7K US & Canada · 34% $131.2K elsewhere · 66%
  4. 4 Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959) $75.4K
    No US & Canada figure reported
  5. 5 A Summer Place (1959) $42.3K
    No US & Canada figure reported
  6. 6 Rio Bravo (1959) $27.8K
    No US & Canada figure reported
  7. 7 The Savage Eye (1959) $16.4K
    No US & Canada figure reported
  8. 8 Pillow Talk (1959) $10.3K
    No US & Canada figure reported
  9. 9 The Chaplin Revue (1959) $9.2K
    No US & Canada figure reported
  10. 10 Warlock (1959) $8.9K
    No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands

How Many 1959 Releases Crossed $100 Million?

None of the 19 films reached $100M. 17 films, 89% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $126.4M total.

  • $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
  • $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
  • $100M to $500M 0 films, 0% of the list No films
  • $10M to $100M 2 films, 11% of the list $126M · 100% of the gross
  • Under $10M 17 films, 89% of the list $404.2K · <1% of the gross
By release month

Which Month of 1959 Earned the Most?

November releases took the most, $74.5M from 3 films, led by Ben-Hur (1959). December was the quietest month ($114). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.

  1. January Jan Sleeping Beauty (1959) $51.6M Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  2. February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  3. March Mar Imitation of Life (1959) $365 Imitation of Life (1959)
  4. April Apr Rio Bravo (1959) $28K Rio Bravo (1959)
  5. May May Warlock (1959) $8.9K Warlock (1959)
  6. June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  7. July Jul Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) $1K Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
  8. August Aug North by Northwest (1959) $289.7K North by Northwest (1959)
  9. September Sep The Chaplin Revue (1959) $19.8K The Chaplin Revue (1959)
  10. October Oct Pillow Talk (1959) $11.3K Pillow Talk (1959)
  11. November Nov Ben-Hur (1959) $74.5M Ben-Hur (1959)
  12. December Dec Our Man in Havana (1959) $114 Our Man in Havana (1959)
Last 10 years

How Does 1959 Compare With Previous Years?

Of these 10 years, 1953 earned the most: $150.9M from 25 films, led by Peter Pan (1953). 1959 took $126.4M.

Year Films Worldwide Change Biggest film
1950 16 films 16 $97.5M – Cinderella (1950) $96.4M
1951 15 films · −95% 15 $4.4M −95% Ace in the Hole (1951) $2.3M
1952 21 films · +770% 21 $38.6M +770% The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) $36M
1953 25 films · +291% 25 $150.9M +291% Peter Pan (1953) $87.4M
1954 30 films · −53% 30 $70.6M −53% Rear Window (1954) $37.9M
1955 19 films · +36% 19 $95.8M +36% Lady and the Tramp (1955) $93.9M
1956 25 films · +56% 25 $149.5M +56% The Ten Commandments (1956) $65.5M
1957 30 films · −79% 30 $31.3M −79% The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) $27.2M
1958 22 films · −84% 22 $5.1M −84% Touch of Evil (1958) $2.3M
1959 19 films · +2365% 19 $126.4M +2365% Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M
By genre

Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1959?

Adventure took $74.6M across 3 films, 59% of the total, ahead of Drama ($74.5M) and History ($74.4M). A film counts once for each of its genres.

1959 English Box Office by Genre

  1. Adventure $74.6M
    3 films · #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
  2. Drama $74.5M
    9 films · #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
  3. History $74.4M
    1 film · #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
  4. War $74.4M
    1 film · #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
  5. Romance $51.7M
    5 films · #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  6. Animation $51.6M
    1 film · #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  7. Family $51.6M
    1 film · #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  8. Fantasy $51.6M
    1 film · #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  9. Musical $51.6M
    1 film · #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  10. Action $225.7K
    2 films · #1 North by Northwest (1959)
Archive

English Box Office Year by Year

Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $28.7B, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019).

2020s 7 years · $105.1B
2010s 10 years · $261B
2000s 10 years · $170.2B
1990s 10 years · $84.5B
1980s 10 years · $33.4B
1970s 10 years · $9.6B
1960s 10 years · $1.4B
1950s 10 years · $770.2M
1940s 10 years · $662.1M
1930s 10 years · $217.4M
1920s 4 years · $718.5K
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ

English Box Office 1959: Questions & Answers

The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 19 films as the chart.

What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1959?

Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M worldwide, $74.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Sleeping Beauty (1959) at $51.6M and North by Northwest (1959) at $197.9K.

How much did English-language movies released in 1959 earn?

19 English-language films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $126.4M in all, or $6.7M per film on average. 1958 releases took $5.1M.

How many English-language movies released in 1959 made $1 billion?

None. The biggest, Ben-Hur (1959), earned $74.4M.

How much of the 1959 English box office came from the US and Canada?

$126.1M of the $126.4M total, or 100%, was earned in the US & Canada (the domestic market); the rest came from other countries. 16 films of the 19 report no domestic figure.

How is the 1959 English box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?

Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1959. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.

How often is the 1959 English box office chart updated?

Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.