Possible Clues:

• Filmdom flop
• Fail as a stand-up comic
• Turkey of a movie
• Showbiz flop
• Theater flop
• Hope perhaps to secure money, lot of money
• Lot of money made from failure
• Used to be let off regularly with warning that one is a flop
• Flop — load of money
• First Broadway offering might bring a great deal of money