Quiz: How Fast Can You Name the Top Box Office Stars of the 1980s?

The 1980s served as a fabulous time for many to grow up when it came to pop culture. We got incredible albums from artists like Madonna and Prince, musicians took over multiple stadiums for the iconic Live Aid event, and blockbusters such as new Star Wars movies and Back to the Future premiered. How well do you remember the actors who ruled the box office? Take our quiz to test your knowledge:

Were you able to correctly complete all 100 slots in under eight minutes? If so, that’s seriously impressive. We love ‘80s movies here at Mental Floss, but we can admit this quiz was very tricky. Be sure to share the quiz with your friends to see how they do!

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It’s easy to understand why many feel nostalgic looking back at this decade. We met so many wonderful actors finding fame in the 1980s, not limited to the biggest box office stars.

Actors like Michael J. Fox, Tom Cruise, and Eddie Murphy went on to have huge careers after breaking out in the ‘80s, while established actors like Paul Newman and Burt Reynolds reached icon status not much longer. Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep rose to fame in the late ‘70s, but became a household name in the ‘80s.

Highest-Grossing Actors of the 1980s

Now that you know the biggest box office stars of each year of the 1980s, you probably want to know what the ranking looks like. According to a report from Orbit Video magazine (as cited by The Los Angeles Times), here are the five highest-grossing actors of the ‘80s, and the reported money their movies earned:

Harrison Ford: $1.064 billion
Dan Aykroyd: $871 million
Eddie Murphy: $828 million
Bill Murray: $696 million
Tom Cruise: $636 million

In addition to Star Wars, Ford starred in the Indiana Jones movies in the ‘80s, and he was nominated for an Oscar for his lead role in 1985’s Witness. The legendary actor, now 83, stars in Apple TV’s dramedy Shrinking. At this year’s Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards), he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. When looking at his career, his work in the ‘80s cannot be missed.

The remaining actors in the top 5 list continued to deliver box office successes throughout the ‘90s and 2000s, even reprising iconic roles. In 2022, Cruise starred in Top Gun: Maverick, a worthy sequel which received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

There’s just something about ‘80s movies that keep us coming back for more reminiscing and rewatches—and we have the awesome actors, in part, to thank for that.

Keep up with the Mental Floss quiz page, which is updated daily with new trivia challenges.

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