1956 in film

The year 1956 in film involved some significant events.

Events

October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers (when adjusted for inflation) February 5 - First showing of documentary films by the Free Cinema movement, at the National Film Theatre, London. February - Warner Bros. sells much of its pre-1950 library to Associated Artists Productions (a.a.p.), only for the films to return to WB ownership 40 years later. August 4 - The last film serial, Blazing the Overland Trail from Columbia Pictures, is released. November 15 - Elvis Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, opens.

Top-grossing films (U.S.)

Rank	Title	Leading Stars	Studio	Gross
1.	The Ten Commandments	Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek	Paramount	$43,000,000
2.	Around the World in 80 Days	David Niven, Cantinflas, Shirley MacLaine	United Artists	$23,120,000
3.	Giant	Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean	Warner Bros.	$14,000,000
4.	War and Peace	Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda	Paramount	$12,500,000
5.	The King and I	Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner	20th Century Fox	$9,000,000
6.	The Searchers	John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter	Warner Bros.	$8,500,000
7.	Bus Stop	Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray	20th Century Fox	$7,269,000
8.	The Girl Can't Help It	Jayne Mansfield, Tom Ewell	20th Century Fox	$6,250,000
9.	High Society	Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm	MGM	$5,878,000
10.	Written on the Wind	Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone	Universal	$5,712,000
11.	Julie	Doris Day	MGM	$4,500,000
12.	The Eddy Duchin Story	Tyrone Power, Kim Novak	Columbia	$4,396,000
13.	The Lieutenant Wore Skirts	Tom Ewell, Sheree North	20th Century Fox	$4,390,000
14.	Baby Doll	Carroll Baker, Karl Malden	Warner Bros.	$4,285,000
15.	Zarak	Victor Mature, Michael Wilding, Anita Ekberg	Columbia	$4,252,000
16.	Love Me Tender	Elvis Presley, Debra Paget	20th Century Fox	$4,225,000
17.	Between Heaven and Hell	Robert Wagner, Buddy Ebsen, Broderick Crawford, Terry Moore	20th Century Fox	$4,200,000
18.	The Man Who Knew Too Much	James Stewart, Doris Day	Paramount	$4,153,000
19.	The Best Things in Life Are Free	Gordon MacRae, Dan Dailey, Ernest Borgnine, Sheree North	20th Century Fox	$4,129,000
20.	Star in the Dust	John Agar, Richard Boone, Mamie Van Doren	Universal	$4,122,000

(*) After theatrical re-issue(s)

Awards

Academy Awards: Best Picture: Around the World in 80 Days - Todd, United ArtistsBest Director: George Stevens - GiantBest Actor: Yul Brynner - The King and IBest Actress: Ingrid Bergman - AnastasiaBest Supporting Actor: Anthony Quinn - Lust for LifeBest Supporting Actress: Dorothy Malone - Written on the WindBest Foreign Language Film: La strada, directed by Federico Fellini, Italy Golden Globe Awards: Drama:Best Picture: Around the World in 80 DaysBest Actor: Kirk Douglas - Lust for LifeBest Actress: Ingrid Bergman - AnastasiaMusical or comedy:Best Picture: The King and IBest Actor: Cantinflas - Around the World in 80 DaysBest Actress: Deborah Kerr - The King and IOtherBest Director: Elia Kazan - Baby DollGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture: Earl Holliman - The RainmakerGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture: Eileen Heckart - The Bad SeedBest Foreign Film: Before Sundown, West GermanyBest Foreign Film: A Girl in Black, GreeceBest Foreign Film: Richard III, United KingdomBest Foreign Film: Roses on the Arm, JapanBest Foreign Film: War and Peace, ItalyBest Foreign Film: The White Reindeer, Finland Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): The Silent World (Le monde du silence), directed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle, France Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): Not awarded

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): Invitation to the Dance, directed by Gene Kelly, United States

Top ten money making stars

Rank

Actor/Actress

1. William Holden 2. John Wayne 3. James Stewart 4. Burt Lancaster 5. Glenn Ford 6. (tie) Dean Martin Jerry Lewis 7. Marilyn Monroe 8. Gary Cooper 9. Kim Novak 10. Frank Sinatra

Notable films released in 1956

Serials

Blazing the Overland Trail, starring Lee Roberts and Dennis Moore Perils of the Wilderness

Short film series

Looney Tunes (1930–1969) Terrytoons (1930–1964) Merrie Melodies (1931–1969) Popeye (1933–1957) The Three Stooges (1934–1959) Bugs Bunny (1940–1962) Tom and Jerry (1940–1958) Droopy (1943–1958) Yosemite Sam (1945–1963) Speedy Gonzales (1953–1968)

Ending this year Donald Duck (1934-1956) Chip 'n' Dale (1943-1956) Ranger Don (1953-1956)

Births

Deaths

Film Debuts

Jean-Paul Belmondo - Molière Michael Caine - Panic in the Parlor James Garner - Toward the Unknown Robert Loggia - Somebody Up There Likes Me Robert Morse - The Proud and Profane Leslie Nielsen - Forbidden Planet Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender John Schlesinger - Sunday in the Park Maggie Smith - Child in the House Rip Torn - Baby Doll Christopher Walken - The Boy Who Saw Through