She auditioned for many roles as an extra, but her breakthrough role was in the 1930 Howard Hughes hit, Hells Angels. She was finally able to show off her dancing skills alongside Fred Astaire later that year in Youll Never Get Rich. The inseparable duo starred opposite one another for years. You can now save articles. Here, she starred in the 1934 film, Imitation of Life and is seen with co-star, Louise Beavers (left), who plays her mother in the movie. James Dean, Jerry Lewis, and William Holden were also popular 1950s male actors. At 11, she was modeling clothes, giving her age as 16. You may not have heard of Ms. Monica Vitti because being Italian born she mainly starred in Italian films. - Douglas Percy Bliss on his friend Eric Ravilious from their time at the Royal College of Art Eric Ravilious loved. Marilyn Monroe tops our list. She first performed at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London. Riggs career is still going strong and is almost as recognized today as she was in the early parts of her career. His most memorable movies were The Philadelphia Story (1940), An Affair to Remember (1957), and North by Northwest (1959). Rice, the Crosbys expanded the house as well, adding a wing to accommodate their growing family. Julie Christie is an English Actress that started her film career in 1963 when she landed a starring role in Billy Liar. Her father Riccardo was married to another woman and refused to marry her mother Romilda Villani, despite the fact that she was the mother of his two children (Sophia and her younger sister Gina Lollobrigida was born on July 4, 1927 in Subiaco, Italy. She is holding Rags, a Pembroke Welsh corgi; the dog had been a gift from her former husband Frank Sinatra. Carole Lombard got her first one-film contract at age 12. She was so eager to get inside for Thanksgiving, she loaded some of her luggage into the limousine herself. As one of the most popular child stars of all time, Shirley Temples trademark golden curls, dimpled smile, charming personality and incredible dancing made her the top box office draw from 1935 to 1938. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2000 due to complications with brain cancer. With his methodical delivery, natural acting abilities, and striking good looks, Gary Cooper enjoyed a long and respected career in Hollywood, including leading roles more than 80 films. . Ann-Magret is one of those actresses that just doesnt seem to age, or better yet seems to get better with age. Ava Gardner casts a spell on Hollywood in this gorgeous Halloween look from 1946. Louis Armstrong gets spooked while playing "Skeleton in the Closet," a song from the 1936 movie Pennies From Heaven. Merry Christmas from Old Hollywood Stars Glamour Daze presents a special Merry Christmas from Old Hollywood Stars video, featuring some of Hollywood's most enduring and loved actresses and actors from the 1940s and 1950s. Riverdale is returning soon for its seventh and final season. Yet, for a while in the 1930s she ranked as one of America's most popular actresses, tagged the 'Queen of Warner Brothers'. Her life and Ava Lavina Gardner was born on December 24, 1922 in Grabtown, North Carolina, to Mary Elizabeth (ne Baker) and Jonas Bailey Gardner. She also landed numerous television roles including a recent part on the Soap Opera, The Young and the Restless. After studying acting in New York, Lauren Bacall worked as a model. Within a few years, she was playing theater roles before signing with the studio in 1925. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hollywood Beauty SILVANA MANGANO ITALIAN ACTRESS HAVANA 1950s PORTRAIT Photo 711 at the best online prices at eBay! Here Burke is photographed in the beamed study, which she furnished with countrified furniture, masses of memorabilia, and charming art, including a portrait, at left, of her daughter, Patricia Ziegfeld. Marilyn Monroe Jayne Mansfield Betty Hutton Mae West Though she died in a car crash at age 34, the actress in this image had plenty of time to become a star thanks to a series of '50s films. She also had many other roles on TV and Broadway shows. She continues to work and seem to look as good as she ever did. All rights reserved. Since then, she has been in countless movies and received just as many awards. For the Harry Potter fans of the world, you will immediately recognize this as Professor McGonagall, who was played by Smith from 2001-2011. She won Oscars for Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1938). Pacific Palisades was the California town where actor Gregory Peck chose to settle down in the late 1940s. Actor Yul Brynner and Frank Sinatra chat poolside at the singers luxurious compound at the Tamarisk Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Arthur Street, actress Anne Baxter, dancer Tamara Geva, and Count Woronzov toast at the Sherry Netherland, in celebration of the Russian New Year. Scroll through below to learn a little bit about some of the legendary actors and actresses from the 50s. He often played gangster roles in the '30s and '40s but is best loved for portraying the composer George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), which allowed him to showcase his amazing energy and singing and dancing abilities. During WWII, she became one of Americas most popular pin-up girls. Her girlhood was uneventful for the most part, but one of the things she desired was to become an actress which she had decided on at an early age. Oscar-winner William Holden relaxes in his home in Toluca Lake, a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley; the modest Georgian-style house was designed by African-American architect Paul R. Williams and was later owned by Denzel Washington. Joan Crawford and her 7-year-old daughter, Christina, model their matching Easter bonnets while vacationing in La Quinta, California. Hes with Ingrid Bergman here on the set of Spellbound (1945). In the mid 1950s, actress Ava Gardner decorated her newly built brick house at La Moraleja, a suburb of Madrid, with antiques she purchased at local shops. Shop Lululemon We Made Too Much For Up to 50% Off. Id furnished the house when I was a blonde, Bennett explained, and when I became a brunette [she began dyeing her fair hair around 1940], naturally the colors were no good with my dark hair. Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor DBE was a British and American actress. Other 1950s female movie stars include Shirley MacLaine, Jayne Mansfield and Dorothy Dandridge. She later married and retired from show biz. Deeds Goes to Town, The More the Merrier) takes tea on the Colonial-style canopy bed of the Hollywood home she shared with her second husband, Frank Ross, a screenwriter and producer. The bedroom features frescoes of the four seasons, which were moved there from another room in the house; the Louis XVI painted bed was made in Tuscany. St. Petersburg. In 1942, got a contract with Universal Studios and starred alongside Gene Kelly in Living in a Big Way in 1947. Born in Italy, she was able to make a name for herself there, as well as around the world. This time, the snaps were taken to promote her upcoming movie, We're Not Married, which debuted on July 11, 1952. She became one of the world's most enduring iconic figures and is remembered both for her winsome embodiment of the Hollywood sex symbol and her tragic personal and professional struggles within the film industry. She often appeared with other big stars of the time, such as in Hold Your Man with Clark Gable (1933). This list features 20 of the most well-known actresses of the '50s. Here, hes being coached alongside his co-star Joan Fontaine (Leigh wanted the role but didnt get it) by director Alfred Hitchcock on the set of Rebecca (1940). Because of the outbreak of World War I, she is six years old the first time Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York, into a family of dancers. Since then she has become heavily involved in Broadway Theater. Lucille Ball Actress | I Love Lucy Starting out as a child star in vaudeville and moving into theater, Mae West didnt have her first movie role until age 40 in Night after Night (1932). Actress June Allyson smiles at the camera during a heart-themed photoshoot. Although she found a break in the justice system, no breaks would be forthcoming in her career and personal life as an eating disorder and brain damage(!) The Chinese-American singer, dancer, and actress Jadin Wong was actually born Anna May Wong, named after the iconic actress. Some actors who are well known for both film and TV work are also included in the list of American television actresses. A group of rising stars in the '20sRichard Taber, Agnes Esterhazy, Liane Haide, Grit Haid, Walter Rilla, and painter Rauschercelebrate New Year's Eve together. Scroll on below to learn a little more about famous women from the 1950s, and their illustrious film careers. She could really heat it up. By 1935, she earned a yearly salary of $115,000 (compared to Bette Davis with $18,000. Known for his commanding voice, dimpled chin, and bad boy appeal, Robert Mitchum discovered acting in an amateur theater company, obtaining bit parts in many 1940s films. With his staccato delivery and distinctive tough guy demeanor, James Cagney was small in stature but big on personality. Ive played a lot of evil, ball-breaking women. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In 1986 she was arrested for assault for attacking a clerk while waiting in line to receive a passport because she did not receive preferential treatment. The raven-haired beauty was the 1949 Washington, D.C. entry into the Miss America pageant. Marlene Dietrich and Cary Grant pose in the garden of the S.S. Normandie, the French ocean liner that took them from Europe back to America just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Her natural and unpretentious beauty and her immense acting talent made her one of the most celebrated figures in the history of American cinema. So I gave the house a brunette personality., Admired for her daffy but distinguished performances in The Wizard of Oz and Dinner at Eight, actress Billie Burke lived in an English-style house in Beverly Hills in the 1930s, with her husband, showman Florenz Ziegfeld. She went to California and Tell us what you think about this feature. The Art of Surfing: 10 Of The Greatest Big Wave Surfers In History, The First Female Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, Edith Wharton, DeAutremont Brothers Train Robbery Gone Wrong, Frances Beneficial Assistance to America in the Revolutionary War, Famed Author of Uncle Toms Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her father was a transportation worker, and Susan lived a fairly comfortable life as a child, but the precocious little redhead had no idea of the life that awaited her. 3. You've hit your max! She continues to work as a French actress and was recently seen in the comedy film Mince alors! Once again, Marilyn Monroe didn't leave much to the imagination in this 1951 holiday snap, wearing a two-piece bathing suit and standing inside an oversized nylon Christmas stocking. Her father, Eduardo Cansino Reina, was a dancer as was his father before him. Additionally, throughout the 1960s, she interspersed her variety show appearances with strong dramatic turns in theatrical films and on numerous episodes of series such as Route 66. She hit her stride in the late 50s and was one of the leading ladies through the 1960s. Her unpretentious beauty and skilled acting made her an immediate success, and she went on to become one of the biggest stars of the '40s in classics such as Casablanca. Ms. Jeanne Moreau is a French actress that made her debut in 1947 working on stage and then in small film roles by 1949. She was only 33. She was educated at Northumberland House, Clifton, Bristol. Then the following year she had another smash hit with The Sound of Music. She had numerous successful roles in the 1940s, though her personal life was a hot mess: She married eight times, and her daughter fatally stabbed Turners abusive boyfriend. He worked briefly on Broadway before heading to Hollywood in 1943, starring in a string of hits through the '40s and '50s including The Yearling (1946), The Gunfighter (1950), Roman Holiday (1953), Moby Dick (1956), and To Kill a Mockingbird. On the top floor of a five-story, 19th-century redbrick townhouse, Deans New York City home was furnished with bohemian casualness. Maggie Smith has starred in over 50 films in her long career dating back to the early 50s and is considered to be one of Great Britains most recognizable actresses. As one of the neat-freak actresss decorators, Carleton Varney, once observed, There was more clear plastic on that furniture than was on the meat in an A&P supermarket. William Haines, Crawfords longtime friend, who had been a leading man during the silent era, originally decorated the apartment. Working in a series of films during the '20s, her silky voice enabled her to transition seamlessly to talkies when sound became part of movies in the late '20s. Before becoming Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly was Hollywood royalty. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1950s Coleen Gray Actress Lobby Card 5 x 7 Photo Vintage Photo at the best online prices at eBay! The 1950s featured the rise of blonde bombshells and their beautiful brunette counterparts. A huge hit, and it was off to the races for Carole who starred in a string of respectable productions. Shes resting during a break on the set of The Bride Came COD (1941). It was the last New Year's Eve for quite some time where the champagne floweda few weeks later, the Prohibition Era began and didn't end until 1933. Purchased by the screen siren in 1957, Jayne Mansfields Pink Palace earned its name for obvious reasons: Inside and out, the Mediterranean Revival mansion in Los Angeles where she lived with her second husband, Mr. Universe 1955 Mickey Hargitay, was a paradise of rose-color excess, thanks to set designer Glenn Holse. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('Unit4'); }); Ms. Heatherton is pictured above on the Perry Como and Red Skelton variety shows. Take a trip back in time with these iconic photos of Old Hollywood on the set: Jean Harlow epitomized old-school Tinseltown glamour with her cupids bow mouth, dramatic eyeliner, and platinum blonde curls. She started her career in off-Broadway plays, signing with the studio in 1930. She appeared in several silent movies before her first talkie in 1930 and starred in many 1930s movies including Mata Hari (1930) and Grand Hotel (1932). set in. 11 Best Parenting Books for New Moms and Dads, 12 Best LED Face Masks to Zap Acne and Wrinkles. Audrans career was mainly based out of France but was occasionally seen in films from other markets such as the Dutch film Babettes Feast and WWII film The Big Red One that also co-starred Mark Hamil, otherwise known as Luke Skywalker. Her autobiography I Am Not Ashamed (1963) tells of gang bangs, knifings, arrests for public drunkenness, heroin addiction, and the murder of an FBI informant. 1. Then, in 2011, a disturbing discovery: Yvettes mummified remains were found in her apartment she had been dead for over a year! When her mother took her to see a play, Leigh decided the theater was her destiny. She brought the popularity of Westerns in the '40s to the next decade with her getup, complete with a fringed top, hat, and boots. They apparently gave her one year to make it before they would make her come back home. Along with Ronnie himself and his, "It is time for art to flow into the organisation of life." She has been seen recently on British Television shows such as Dancing on the Edge and on the big screen with Drew Barrymore in Miss You Already. She has continued working and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. In 1957 she got national attention by claiming to have been kidnapped by two men. Donna Douglas sadly passed away last January due to pancreatic cancer, but her blonde hair, pigtails, and gorgeous smile that won the hearts of every man in America will forever be remembered. Her debut film was Ridere Ridere Ridere in 1954 but it was when she linked up with Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian film director, that she became internationally known. Her golden voice, youthful innocence and spirited personality made her an international sensation almost immediately. Fredi Washington was a talented actress and stunning green-eyed beauty, who eventually worked as an activist for other African-American stars in the entertainment industry. Her hit film, The Inner Circle, was released just a few months after the holiday. When the show made it to Broadway in 1920, Grant found a new home in America. Hes taking a break to play some solitaire on set in 1934. Who was the most popular actress of the 1950s? Bette Davis and her artist husband, William Grant Sherry, along with their daughter, Barbara, stroll through Central Park on their first Easter in New York. Comedian Bob Hope made his first movie appearance in The Big Broadcast of 1938, singing his soon-to-be signature song, Thanks for the Memory. In partnership with the crooner/ actor Bing Crosby and the lovely actress Dorothy Lamour, he starred in many Road to comedies in the '40s and '50s. After her death, Gable was grief-stricken and joined the US Army during WWII, then returned to acting upon his return. "Cary Grant was born Archibald Alec Leach on January 18, 1904 in Horfield, Bristol, England, to Elsie Maria (Kingdon) and Elias James Leach, who worked in a factory. The one at left, formerly owned by Pittsburgh steel tycoon G. David Thompson, was described by Douglas as a seated child with a squashed-in face and two eyes on the same side of her head. One of her most recent films was The Butler which was critically acclaimed in almost every category. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In the 1950s, he starred in the Hitchcock classics', Known for his calm confidence in the face of great obstacles, John Wayne is one of the. As AD observed, the den was a place for casual entertaining and where family evenings, kids [the Pecks had three sons], and dogs [the couple had several Alsatians] were welcome., In 1938, actress Joan Bennett commissioned architect Wallace Neff to design her 14-room house in the west Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills in her favorite French Provincial style. Aimee went on to star in over 70 different films over the course of her career. Called an amusing little clown in one film review, actress Jean Arthur (Mr. Her natural beauty will go down in history as one of the greats. His parents divorced when he was five years old. Marilyn Monroe takes on a turkey in this festive 1950 photoshoot. The year before had been a big one for the child actress, who appeared in her first major feature film Stand Up and Cheer! Cooper was known for doing his own stunts and for having many different lovers, despite his wholesome portrayals. When Elvis Presley had his Memphis, Tennessee, mansion, Graceland, decorated in 1957, the living rooms 15-foot-long sofa was upholstered in electric-blue fabric and the walls were painted Dresden-blue. Vera Miles is the beautiful actress that starred in many Alfred Hitchcock films over the years. With her iconic looks and wispy voice, Marilyn Monroe defined the classic Hollywood actress. Diana Rigg made her debut in 1957 as a theater actress, but it was when she played the Bond girl in On Her Majestys Secret Service in 1969 that really put her name on the map. James Stewart (1932-1991) James Stewart, an actor from Indiana, Pennsylvania, US, was one of the most famous stars of the 1950s. Several famous actresses also thrived in the 1950s. But it was after a screen test at 20th Century Fox that landed her a seven- year movie deal. As her youth faded, so did her career. With her iconic looks and wispy voice, Marilyn Monroe defined the classic Hollywood actress. His gentlemanly behavior and understated sex appeal quickly caught the attention of moviegoers, and he reigned during the '40s and '50s. Shirley Jones started her career as a stage actress after her parents allowed her to move to New York City with $100 in her pocket. Although Heatherton could act, sing, and dance, her main asset was, without a doubt, her raw sexuality. It was typical of Picassos work during the thirties. One of Ms. Landburys most popular roles in the later part of her career was the detective series, Murder She Wrote. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Beverly E. Fisher dies at 67; Errol Flynn's final girlfriend", "71-Year Old Black Actress Who Made Soap Opera History in the 1980's Refuses to Retire", Most popular American actresses on Wikipedia, with user comments on traffic jumps, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_American_film_actresses&oldid=1134124692, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 03:22. The dining room featured Louis XVI . Her natural beauty was something most girls dream of, and what most guys dream about. Before she became a princess, Grace Kelly was known for her beauty and talent in Hollywood. Here, they rehearse their lines. Actress Lona Andre sits by a row of cornstalks for a Halloween photoshoot. Up through the early Sixties, McDonald starred in a couple dozen films, some good some bad, including the 1963 film, Promises! In 1963, Barbara Payton, former movie starlet and tabloid sensation, sat down with an opportunistic ghostwriter named Leo Guild to tell the story of her tortured life. She starred in hit films such as The Servant and Blowup that were extremely popular in the late 60s. Charlize Theron, Salma Hayek, Scarlett Johansson, and Zoe Saldaa are considered to be beautiful female celebrities out there today. In 1995 she won an Emmy for her guest spot on NYPD Blue. She married Clark Gable in 1939, and she was flying back from a WW II war bonds rally in the Midwest when her plane crashed. The play that fueled her rise to fame, Gigi, would continue on for a few more months before its final curtain call on May 31, 1952. Her popularity declined during the '40s, but she eventually pursued a successful diplomatic career. Hes on the set here with director Alfred Hitchcock on Rear Window (1954). She starred in hit films from the 60s such as Bullit and The Sweet Ride, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Something snaps when an actress loses her looks and her career falters. Shes on set here with W.C. Fields in My Little Chickadee (1940). He had Irish (from his paternal grandmother), English, and some German, ancestry. With her iconic looks and wispy voice, Marilyn Monroe defined the classic Hollywood actress. Frankenstein star Boris Karloff and Academy Award winner Ginger Rogers hit it off at a Christmas party in Los Angeles. MacRae was also commonly seen on game shows, with appearances on shows including The Family Feud, Hollywood Squares, and Card Sharks, to name a few. James Dean, Jerry Lewis, and William Holden were also popular 1950s male actors. Richard Tauber and Lee Perry ring in 1920 with streamers and balloons. 1950s actors & actresses. But with her legendary beauty, she will fo down in history as one of the great beauties of the 1960s. Ol' Blue Eyes first worked as a singer with renowned Big Band orchestras of the '30s including Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, eventually going solo in 1942 and becoming every teen girl's dream. Reflecting her real-life personality, Davis insisted on playing strong (sometimes unlikable) women characters during her career. She attended public school in Brooklyn, where she Eldred Gregory Peck was born on April 5, 1916 in La Jolla, California, to Bernice Mae (Ayres) and Gregory Pearl Peck, a chemist and druggist in San Diego. He appeared in a bit part in 1934 but soon garnered larger roles collaborating with director Frank Capra in movies such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Its a Wonderful Life (1946). Now, I must admit I could be slightly biased on this one, because this might be my personal favorite on this list. Miles continues working as both a film actress as well as making theatrical appearances up until the early 90s when she started to take more time for her personal life. She claims to have starred in over 142 films. Most people nowadays will recognize Ms. Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell, The Queen of Thorns from the smash hit Game of Thrones. Knowing what was to follow, the venue was apposite. Marilyn Monroe is a Cupid cowgirl for Valentine's Day in 1951. One of Bob Hopes frequent co-stars, Bing Crosby started his musical career in the '30s. It's free! 35 Rules Old Hollywood Stars Had to Follow - Golden Age Actors 1 A Splash of Excess in a Tasteful Fashion Week 2 Hayley Williams Is Our March 2023 Music Director 3 Why We're All Obsessed With.