Several costly flops, including Cleopatra and Hello, Dolly!

Still, in several recent national races, and contests in other states, wealthy businessmen have spent millions underwriting their own candidacies only to produce costly flops.

They had recently had a few costly flops, but that is practically a producer's birthright.

Despite its sterling pedigree, that show, plagued by road troubles and coinciding with a newspaper strike, was a costly flop.

The closing of the show, with its large 26-member cast and elaborate sets, makes it one of the costliest flops Broadway has ever been home to.

"The Sunday Telegraph reported this week that the Dutch high speech line is a costly flop, to be avoided "

One major reason is spelled "Last Action Hero," Columbia Studios' costly 1993 flop.

But "Last Action Hero," 1992, was a costly flop that began a career slide for Mr. Schwarzenegger.

At $12 million, "Dance" ranks among the most expensive musicals in Broadway history and would be one of its costliest flops.

Disney and Paramount have been at the forefront of an industrywide effort to hold down production costs and avoid costly flops.