The Secret of My Success (1987)

The Secret of My Success
Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $66,995,000Details
Further financial details...

Synopsis

Recent college graduate Brantley Foster travels from his home in Kansas to New York City to pursue a new finance job. However, when Brantley arrives, he learns that his position has been eliminated, and he’s forced to take a job working for his inept Uncle Howard, who became a company president through marriage. Brantley starts as a mere mail room worker, but quickly climbs the corporate ladder when he begins posing as an executive.

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$7,766,452 (11.6% of total gross)
Legs:8.63 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Theater counts:1,336 opening theaters/1,346 max. theaters, 10.5 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $184,707,441

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,341 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 2,501-2,600) 2,538 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 201-300) 235 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 401-500) 402 $66,995,000

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Watch Now On

iTunes:iTunes
Netflix:Netflix

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: April 10th, 1987 (Wide) by Universal
Video Release: October 15th, 1996 by Universal Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 110 minutes
Comparisons: vs. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Dysfunctional Family, Relationships Gone Wrong, Infidelity, Fired, Recent College Graduate, Romance, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Comedy
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Contemporary Fiction
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Memorial Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 196 $10,381,813 May 22, 1987 45
Easter (All Movies, 3-Day) 130 $7,412,160 Apr 17, 1987 10
Easter (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 72 $20,833,666 Apr 17, 1987 10

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,341 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 701-800) 770 $184,707,441
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 901-1,000) 986 $66,995,000
Top 1987 Movies at the Domestic Box Office 7 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 501-600) 593 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,040 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 501-600) 580 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 201-300) 235 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 501-600) 578 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Universal Movies (Rank 101-200) 183 $66,995,000

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Apr 10, 1987 1 $7,766,452   1,336 $5,813   $7,766,452 1
Apr 17, 1987 1 $7,412,160 -5% 1,344 $5,515   $18,927,672 2
Apr 24, 1987 1 $5,585,900 -25% 1,346 $4,150   $27,205,902 3
May 1, 1987 1 $4,609,670 -17% 1,333 $3,458   $33,354,952 4
May 8, 1987 1 $3,836,710 -17% 1,337 $2,870   $38,372,062 5
May 15, 1987 3 $3,910,286 +2% 1,331 $2,938   $43,593,368 6
May 22, 1987 3 $3,693,620 -6% 1,329 $2,779   $48,541,036 7
May 29, 1987 3 $2,467,770 -33% 1,295 $1,906   $51,628,706 8
Jun 5, 1987 5 $2,036,125 -17% 1,253 $1,625   $54,589,501 9
Jun 12, 1987 8 $1,431,055 -30% 1,109 $1,290   $56,943,066 10
Jun 19, 1987 9 $1,359,460 -5% 1,109 $1,226   $59,185,176 11

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Apr 10, 1987 1 $11,515,512   1,336 $8,619   $11,515,512 1
Apr 17, 1987 1 $10,104,490 -12% 1,344 $7,518   $21,620,002 2
Apr 24, 1987 1 $7,125,280 -29% 1,346 $5,294   $28,745,282 3
May 1, 1987 1 $5,790,070 -19% 1,333 $4,344   $34,535,352 4
May 8, 1987 1 $5,147,730 -11% 1,337 $3,850   $39,683,082 5
May 15, 1987 3 $5,164,334 n/c 1,331 $3,880   $44,847,416 6
May 22, 1987 3 $4,313,520 -16% 1,329 $3,246   $49,160,936 7
May 29, 1987 3 $3,392,440 -21% 1,295 $2,620   $52,553,376 8
Jun 5, 1987 5 $2,958,635 -13% 1,253 $2,361   $55,512,011 9
Jun 12, 1987 8 $2,313,705 -22% 1,109 $2,086   $57,825,716 10

Leading Cast

Michael J. Fox    Brantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield

Uncategorized

Gerry Bamman    Art Thomas
Bruce McGill    Unnamed employer
Richard Jordan    Howard Prescott
Helen Slater    Christy Wills
Fred Gwynne    Donald Davenport

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

Herbert Ross    Director
Susan Bode    Set Decorator

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.


  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Box Office
  4. International
  5. Video Sales
  6. Cast & Crew
  7. Trailer

Synopsis

Recent college graduate Brantley Foster travels from his home in Kansas to New York City to pursue a new finance job. However, when Brantley arrives, he learns that his position has been eliminated, and he’s forced to take a job working for his inept Uncle Howard, who became a company president through marriage. Brantley starts as a mere mail room worker, but quickly climbs the corporate ladder when he begins posing as an executive.

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$7,766,452 (11.6% of total gross)
Legs:8.63 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Theater counts:1,336 opening theaters/1,346 max. theaters, 10.5 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $184,707,441

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,341 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 2,501-2,600) 2,538 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 201-300) 235 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 401-500) 402 $66,995,000

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Watch Now On

iTunes:iTunes
Netflix:Netflix

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: April 10th, 1987 (Wide) by Universal
Video Release: October 15th, 1996 by Universal Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 110 minutes
Comparisons: vs. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Dysfunctional Family, Relationships Gone Wrong, Infidelity, Fired, Recent College Graduate, Romance, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Comedy
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Contemporary Fiction
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Memorial Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 196 $10,381,813 May 22, 1987 45
Easter (All Movies, 3-Day) 130 $7,412,160 Apr 17, 1987 10
Easter (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 72 $20,833,666 Apr 17, 1987 10

Leading Cast

Michael J. Fox    Brantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield

Uncategorized

Gerry Bamman    Art Thomas
Bruce McGill    Unnamed employer
Richard Jordan    Howard Prescott
Helen Slater    Christy Wills
Fred Gwynne    Donald Davenport

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

Herbert Ross    Director
Susan Bode    Set Decorator

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,341 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 701-800) 770 $184,707,441
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 901-1,000) 986 $66,995,000
Top 1987 Movies at the Domestic Box Office 7 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 501-600) 593 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,040 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 501-600) 580 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 201-300) 235 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 501-600) 578 $66,995,000
All Time Domestic Box Office for Universal Movies (Rank 101-200) 183 $66,995,000

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Apr 10, 1987 1 $7,766,452   1,336 $5,813   $7,766,452 1
Apr 17, 1987 1 $7,412,160 -5% 1,344 $5,515   $18,927,672 2
Apr 24, 1987 1 $5,585,900 -25% 1,346 $4,150   $27,205,902 3
May 1, 1987 1 $4,609,670 -17% 1,333 $3,458   $33,354,952 4
May 8, 1987 1 $3,836,710 -17% 1,337 $2,870   $38,372,062 5
May 15, 1987 3 $3,910,286 +2% 1,331 $2,938   $43,593,368 6
May 22, 1987 3 $3,693,620 -6% 1,329 $2,779   $48,541,036 7
May 29, 1987 3 $2,467,770 -33% 1,295 $1,906   $51,628,706 8
Jun 5, 1987 5 $2,036,125 -17% 1,253 $1,625   $54,589,501 9
Jun 12, 1987 8 $1,431,055 -30% 1,109 $1,290   $56,943,066 10
Jun 19, 1987 9 $1,359,460 -5% 1,109 $1,226   $59,185,176 11

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Apr 10, 1987 1 $11,515,512   1,336 $8,619   $11,515,512 1
Apr 17, 1987 1 $10,104,490 -12% 1,344 $7,518   $21,620,002 2
Apr 24, 1987 1 $7,125,280 -29% 1,346 $5,294   $28,745,282 3
May 1, 1987 1 $5,790,070 -19% 1,333 $4,344   $34,535,352 4
May 8, 1987 1 $5,147,730 -11% 1,337 $3,850   $39,683,082 5
May 15, 1987 3 $5,164,334 n/c 1,331 $3,880   $44,847,416 6
May 22, 1987 3 $4,313,520 -16% 1,329 $3,246   $49,160,936 7
May 29, 1987 3 $3,392,440 -21% 1,295 $2,620   $52,553,376 8
Jun 5, 1987 5 $2,958,635 -13% 1,253 $2,361   $55,512,011 9
Jun 12, 1987 8 $2,313,705 -22% 1,109 $2,086   $57,825,716 10

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 2,501-2,600) 2,538 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 1,901-2,000) 1,969 $66,995,000
Top 1987 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 12 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 1,201-1,300) 1,216 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 2,001-2,100) 2,097 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 1,201-1,300) 1,203 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Comedy Movies (Rank 401-500) 402 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 901-1,000) 942 $66,995,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Universal Movies (Rank 301-400) 312 $66,995,000