The Secret of My Success_
"There's no such thing as an overnight success. Brantley Foster took two weeks."
Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When Brantley visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the company's mail room.
Starring
Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan
Box Office
$111.0M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Box office
The Secret of My Success earned $111.0M worldwide on a $12.0M budget — a 825% return on investment.
Cast
Michael J. Fox →
Michael J. Fox stars as Brantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield in The Secret of My Success.
Michael J. Fox →
Year context
The Secret of My Success was released 39 years ago in 1987.
The Secret of My Success is a Comedy film with a runtime of 1h 51m.
CAST (20)
Michael J. Fox
Brantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield
Helen Slater
Christy Wills
Richard Jordan
Howard Prescott
Margaret Whitton
Vera Prescott
John Pankow
Fred Melrose
Christopher Murney
Barney Rattigan
Gerry Bamman
Art Thomas
Fred Gwynne
Donald Davenport
Carol Ann Susi
Jean
Elizabeth Franz
Grace Foster
Drew Snyder
Burt Foster
Susan Kellermann
Maureen
Barton Heyman
Arnold Forbush
Mercedes Ruehl
Sheila
Ira Wheeler
Owens
AJ
Ashley J. Laurence
Vernon S. Fletcher
Rex Robbins
McMasters
Christopher Durang
Davis
MacIntyre Dixon
Ferguson
Bill Fagerbakke
Ron
BOX OFFICE
$12.0M
Budget
$111.0M
Revenue
+825%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
111 min (1h 51m)
Country
Rating
6.5/10 (678 votes)
Budget
$12,000,000
Box Office
$110,996,879
Profit
+$98,996,879
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Secret of My Success about?
Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When Brantley visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the company's mail room.
How long is The Secret of My Success?
The Secret of My Success has a runtime of 111 minutes (1h 51m).
Who stars in The Secret of My Success?
The cast of The Secret of My Success includes Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan, Margaret Whitton, John Pankow.
How much did The Secret of My Success make at the box office?
The Secret of My Success earned $110,996,879 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $12,000,000.
What is the rating of The Secret of My Success?
The Secret of My Success has a rating of 6.5 out of 10 based on 678 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Comedy