In a rare public show of support for a beleaguered star, some of Hollywood's top executives rallied to Tom Cruise's side on Wednesday as a new poll suggested his odd behaviour in recent months may have cost him millions of dollars at the box office.

Among the movie industry heavyweights offering personal testimonials to his talent and bankability were Universal Studios President Ron Meyer, veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey, whose company released Cruise's latest film, "Mission: Impossible III."

"Tom Cruise is one of the most important stars ever in the motion picture business," Ron Meyer, a close friend and former agent, told Reuters. "I don't know anybody who has had the consistent success rate that Tom has. And nobody should be counting him out."

Grey added: "He is clearly, on a profit basis as well as a creative basis, one of the biggest stars in the world."

Days after "Mission: Impossible III" opened to lower-than-expected domestic ticket sales, a USA Today/Gallup poll showed Cruise's star power in the eyes of the public has dimmed considerably.

In the poll of 1,013 adults conducted during the film's first weekend in cinemas, 35 per cent registered a favourable opinion of Cruise, to 51 per cent with an unfavourable opinion.

That's a major turnaround from last year, when Cruise's previous film, "War of the Worlds," opened and his poll ratings were 58 per cent favourable and 31 per cent unfavourable.

USA Today reported that Cruise's popularity decline with women was also sharp, slipping from a 56 per cent favourable rating in 2005 to 35 percent now.

The poll sparked an unusual public outpouring of solidarity from Cruise's friends in high places, who insisted his status and popularity were undiminished. And they disputed the notion that his latest film was commercially disappointing.

Success or disappointment?

"Mission: Impossible III" grossed US$47.7 million in its first three days at the North American box office, well short of the US$60 million to US$70 million expected by industry watchers despite generally warm reviews and an extra-wide opening in more than 4,000 cinemas.

Supporters pointed to the additional US$70 million in overseas receipts it generated in its first weekend.

"It's the biggest non-holiday opening for a Tom Cruise movie ever," said long-time producing partner Paula Wagner.

Some experts have said the movie suffered from overexposure of Cruise, 43, in the media during three weeks of publicity, premieres and stories about him, his fiance, actress Katie Holmes, and their newborn daughter, Suri.

"The media overexposes him, and then turns around and asks the question: 'Is he overexposed?', which is kind of ironic," Cruise spokesman Arnold Robinson said.

USA Today said that many of its survey's respondents cited Cruise's behavior during the past year, including his blunt criticism of psychiatry and actress Brooke Shield's treatment for postpartum depression, for their poor impression of him.

Cruise also became the butt of countless jokes for his manic, couch-hopping appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" last May to declare his love for Holmes.

Bruckheimer, a producer of Cruise movies "Top Gun" and "Days of Thunder," called the three-time Oscar nominee "a very passionate guy."

But one associate who spoke on condition of anonymity said Cruise may have been too freewheeling with his off-screen image while promoting "War of the Worlds" in the midst of his high-profile courtship of Holmes last year.

Source: China Daily