The “Golden Age of Hollywood” was a period of opulence and glamour when the first real movie stars emerged. The narrative and visual styles of filmmaking rose to prominence during this period, which spanned the 1920s to the 1960s, and the studio system dominated Los Angeles’ movie lots. Actors and actresses would work for particular studios and produce genre films that became box office successes, making them into overnight celebrities. Old Hollywood actresses made a name for themselves as great actors during this time and became the talk of Hollywood
Some of the well-known figures from that time period included Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Maureen O’Hara. Millions of people all over the world were enthralled by these stunning and talented actresses, who helped shape classic Hollywood cinema. Here are 16 stunning old Hollywood actresses who made their mark in the film industry in honor of these wonderful women
16 Beautiful Old Hollywood Actresses 1
Audrey Hepburn. Tiffany’s Street and YouTube In her four decades on the screen, Audrey Hepburn, who was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston, ruled
The stunning and gifted actress is still one of just 17 people to have received an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony Award
The Belgian-born actress and trendsetter studied ballet as a teen before switching to film. Prior to her breakthrough performance in the 1953 romantic comedy Roman Holiday, she appeared in a few films in small roles
She would later go on to star in some of the biggest films of the 1950s and 1960s, such as Sabrina, The Nun’s Story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, and My Fair Lady. At the end of the 1960s, Hepburn chose to spend time raising her children and engaging in humanitarian work instead of fully retiring from acting. Sadly, she was given a rare form of cancer diagnosis in 1992 and passed away at the age of 63
2 less than a year later. Madame Monroe Public domain image of Marilyn Monroe obtained from Wikimedia Commons
During her time in the spotlight, the blonde bombshell—who is still talked about today—was among the sexiest women alive. Thanks to her attractive appearance and comedic timing in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, The Seven Year Itch, and Some Like It Hot, Marilyn Monroe gained notoriety in the 1950s and 1960s
In contrast to many of her peers, Monroe endured a barrage of criticism over the course of her brief career
In addition to struggling with substance abuse, she posed for Playboy, had nude photos leaked, had high-profile marriages that ended in divorce with playwright Arthur Miller and baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. This ultimately led to her demise, as the 36-year-old Monroe passed away in 1962 from a drug overdose
There are many conspiracy theories surrounding her death, some of which claim she was murdered because of her relationship with the then-President of the United States, John F. , even though authorities thought she committed suicide
Kennedy. 3. YouTube/Copacabana/Greta Garbo Another former Hollywood star who got her start in silent movies is Greta Garbo
At the age of 20, the Swedish actress immigrated to America and quickly made a name for herself in the Hollywood system. Prior to talkies’ success in the 1930s with Anne Christie and Romance, she enjoyed great success in silent films
Her best performance was in the 1936 smash Camille, but after a string of box office duds, Garbo’s career began to wane as the critics turned against her
Garbo only made 28 movies before she retired at the age of 35. She became an art collector and withdrew from public life, spending her days exploring New York City and taking vacations abroad. Despite having a brief career in the spotlight, Garbo continues to be adored by her fans and held in high regard by critics. 4
Mama West CaliforniaDreamin1/YouTube. Before Marilyn Monroe ignited the screen with her sexuality, Mae West was leading the way. Before relocating to Los Angeles at the age of 39 to pursue a career in film, the New York-born West performed in vaudeville
West’s charisma and beauty propelled her to stardom despite the fact that trying to become an actress at that age was incredibly uncommon for women of that age. The blonde-haired beauty rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s thanks to the sexuality-based films I’m No Angel, Sexette, She Done Him Wrong, and Belle of the Nineties
Despite having a brief film career, West went on to have a successful career in the entertainment industry, appearing on Broadway and publishing a number of albums and books, including her best-selling autobiography Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It in 1959
5. Princess Taylor YouTube/Leonardo Baricala. Elizabeth Taylor had a remarkable life
She began acting as a child and grew into one of the great old Hollywood actresses. She was a prominent figure in the 1950s, appearing in films like A Place in the Sun, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suddenly, Last Summer, and Battlefield 8, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress
Taylor and Burton didn’t let the controversy surrounding their relationship during the 1961 Cleopatra filming, when their relationship with Richard Burton became tabloid fodder, affect them. They got married and appeared in 11 films together, including Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Taming of the Shrew
As Taylor’s private life became more interesting in the late 1960s and news of her eight marriages to different men began to circulate, her career began to suffer
Taylor, who had a number of health issues prior to passing away in 2011 at 79. 6, devoted the last years of her life to her philanthropic work
Rita Hayworth. YouTube/Dragon Boss
In her incredible 37-year career, Rita Hayworth produced 61 motion pictures, making her a 1940s screen idol. Blockbusters she starred in, such as Only Angels Have Wings, Blood and Sand, Pat Joey, and You’ll Never Get Rich, all contributed to her success
Like so many other women at the time, Hayworth was both an actress and a dancer. Despite a period of decline that saw her popularity dwindle, Hayworth continued to act
Hayworth’s struggle with alcoholism was made worse by her use of alcohol, and The Wrath of God from 1972 marked her final leading role
She persisted in fighting her addictions and succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 58 in 1987. 7
Judy Garland AllAboutJudy/YouTube. Judy Garland may have passed away more than five years ago, but many people still have a lot of respect for her. Garland, an actress, singer, and dancer, is best known for playing Dorothy Gale in the 1939 blockbuster The Wizard of Oz
During her career, she frequently collaborated with Mickey Rooney and Gene Kelly and appeared in the original Star is Born. In addition to her successful acting career, Garland also enjoyed success as a singer
She released seven studio albums and made history by becoming the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1961 for her live recording of Judy at Carnegie Hall
Garland, however, was battling personal demons that had a detrimental effect on her mental and physical health, so it wasn’t all roses. To cope with these issues, she turned to drugs and alcohol, which ultimately resulted in her accidental overdose death at the age of 47. 8
Billie Davis. Google/George Pollen Actress Bette Davis was another legend of the “Golden Age of Hollywood,” with a career spanning more than 50 years and two Academy Award victories. “Davis gained her early experience on Broadway before moving to LA at the age of 22 and finding early success in the drama Of Human Bondage with Leslie Howard
After that, Davis dominated Hollywood thanks to her aggressive personality and intense acting technique, which helped her establish herself as a great performer who was highly regarded. She was constantly in the public eye and kept acting all the way up until her death from breast cancer in 1989
Learn more about 22 Of The World’s Most Beautiful Actresses
9. Jennifer Aniston YouTube user/film historian
Joan Crawford is a stunning old Hollywood star who achieved success in the business, competing with studio colleagues Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo for the title of best actress of the 1930s. One of the most well-liked and well-paid actresses in the post-depression years, Crawford was known for portraying hard-working women on screen
After a string of failures that earned her the moniker “box office poison” at the end of the 1930s, Crawford made a comeback in 1945 with the noir film Mildred Pierce, which would earn her the Best Actress Oscar
Before retiring in 1970. 10, she kept acting throughout the 1950s and 1960s on both the big and small screens
A nna May Wong YouTube / Weird Wonderful Women In addition to being the first Chinese American actress to achieve international success, Anna May Wong was a style icon who helped define fashion during the 1920s and 1930s
Growing up in the silent era of film, Wong had notable roles in films like Daughter of the Dragon, Java Head, and Shanghai Express. However, she soon discovered that she was only offered stereotypical Asian roles
She took a break from acting in Hollywood and spent some time in China getting back in touch with her culture. When she returned to the United States in her early 30s, she was rewarded with roles that portrayed Asian people in a positive light
The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, a TV program, starred Wong as the first Asian American in 1951. In 1961, at the age of 56, she passed away from a heart attack
Kathleen Hepburn
MsMojo/YouTube. Katharine Hepburn, not to be confused with Audrey Hepburn, was another immensely popular actress in the golden age of Hollywood
Hepburn was a leading lady for more than 60 years and enjoyed great success with the movies Little Women, Morning Glory, The African Queen, and Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? Spencer Tracy and she had a long-lasting on-screen relationship that lasted 26 years and produced 9 films. Their relationship didn’t end until Tracy’s death from a heart attack in 1967. Hepburn didn’t like being a celebrity and made an effort to live a quiet, private life because she didn’t like to follow social conventions
She continued to perform until she was 87 years old and struggled with a number of health issues before passing away in 2003. 12
Ava Gardner YouTube’s official Ava Gardner channel
Another prominent star of the “Golden Age of Hollywood” was the stunning and gifted Ava Gardner. She made her film debut in the 1950s, and roles in Mogambo, The Killers, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and On the Beach followed
Her career flourished throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and even into the 1980s thanks to a recurring role on the soap opera Knots Landing. While married to and divorced from Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and Frank Sinatra, Gardner also maintained close relationships with Howard Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, and bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguez. At the age of 67
13, she passed away in 1990 at her London home. Lady Loren YouTube/Town and Country Sophia Loren is the only actress on this list who is still alive and well
After slowing down in the 1980s, the Italian actress continued to act occasionally well into her 80s
The filmography of Loren, who is well-known for her work in the movies Two Women, A Special Day, Grumpy Old Men, The Pride and the Passion, Sunflower, and many others, is something that most people can only imagine. There isn’t much that Loren hasn’t accomplished in the film industry, having won seven David di Donatello Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Grammy Award, a Laurel Award, and an Academy Award. In addition to acting, Loren has also produced a number of albums and currently resides in Geneva, Switzerland, where she is savoring her later years
14. Dandridge, Dorothy dillardjones/YouTube
For her part in the film Carmen Jones, Dorothy Dandridge became the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Despite losing, Dandridge’s place in the annals of Hollywood actresses was cemented by the positive reviews
Dandridge also performed as a singer and dancer at the Cotton Club and Apollo Theater
Throughout her time in the spotlight, she released a number of albums and singles. One of the women credited with establishing African American actresses in Hollywood and paving the way for future stars to enter the field is Dandridge, who is frequently mentioned in this regard. 15
“Rita Moreno. ” MsMojo/YouTube
Rita Moreno is still active today, working alongside Sophia Loren. The Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer has performed in musicals and stage productions in addition to starring in popular films and TV shows
Moreno, who first caught the attention of American audiences in the 1960s, started her career as a child actress in the 1940s before moving up to lead roles in the 1960s and 1970s, when she was at the height of her fame
Despite being 90 years old, Moreno has received nearly every award available and is still active in the film industry. Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, a 2021 documentary about her life, was released to critical acclaim because of how well-respected she is
16. Shirley Temple on Android/YouTube. Shirley Temple must be included on any list of classic Hollywood actresses
The curly-haired beauty made her screen debut at age three in 1931, and went on to dominate the decade with roles in films like Curly Top, Heidi, Dimples, and Poor Little Rich Girl. Prior to her career fading in her teen years, Temple was able to capitalize on her success as a child actress by selling a variety of goods
She stopped acting when she was 22 years old in 1950, but she picked it back up again in 1958 and performed in a number of films and TV shows over the following ten years
She made a 180-degree turn in 1969 when she started a career in diplomacy and worked as the American ambassador to several nations until she retired in the early 1990s. See more information on 20 Of The All-Time Most Popular Female Singers.
