New York socialite Gloria Baker and producer Howard Hughes attend a party together at the Pation Club in Palm Beach, Florida. She often appeared with other big stars of the time, such as in Hold Your Man with Clark Gable (1933). Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Other Old Hollywood Stars' Homes It was later demolished to make way for a condominium project. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('Unit5'); }); Ms. McDonald entered the limelight with a successful string of beauty contest wins including Miss Yonkers, Queen of Coney Island and even Miss New York in 1939 but subsequently lost at the Miss America pageant. Sophia continued to work well into her later years starring in hit films such as Grumpier Old Men with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon. Scroll through below to learn a little bit about some of the legendary actors and actresses from the 50s. Hulton Archive/ Getty Images. James Dean, Jerry Lewis, and William Holden were also popular 1950s male actors. She brought the popularity of Westerns in the '40s to the next decade with her getup, complete with a fringed top, hat, and boots. She was promoting her new film All About Eve. She has been featured on hit TV shows like Seinfeld and even had a role in the recent film House of Versace. 1950s Classic Hollywood Blonde Bombshells - ReelRundown MacLaine would win numerous awards over the course of her career including a lifetime achievement award in 2012 for her outstanding work over the last five decades. 40 Old Hollywood Actresses Who Aged Beautifully - Hollywood Starlets Then and Now. Before & After Plastic Surgery Photos of 1950s Hollywood Stars She appeared in her first major film in 1936. She starred in hit films such as The Servant and Blowup that were extremely popular in the late 60s. Rita's American mother, Volga Margaret (Hayworth), who was of mostly Hedy Lamarr, the woman many critics and fans alike regard as the most beautiful ever to appear in films, was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna, Austria. If you enjoy what we do, please consider becoming a patron with a recurring monthly subscription of your choosing. What beautiful diamonds!, Mae responds, Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie. Her brash swagger and vava-voom figure earned her star status. Above him hang two Pablo Picasso paintings that he and his wife Anne purchased in 1960. Her popularity declined during the '40s, but she eventually pursued a successful diplomatic career. She was 17 years old and studying at the Centro Sperimentale in Rome when she entered a beauty contest, which resulted in her getting a succession of small film roles. 2023 Cond Nast. She started working as an actress at the young age of 10 when she appeared on the West End in 1948. The biggest career killer of them all was a sexual relationship with the famed producer Darryl F. Zanuck; after she ended the affair, he made sure she was blackballed. All three works were eventually sold by the Douglases to fund childrens playgrounds. and sorry to end on such a downer. Along with Ronnie himself and his, "It is time for art to flow into the organisation of life." Become a GH+ member to read and save unlimited articles. Most Glamorous Vintage Photos of the 1950s | Reader's Digest She landed the role as Jessica Fletcher in 1983 and continued through 1996. The young Gina did some Brigitte Bardot was born on September 28, 1934 in Paris, France. Actress Adele Mara brought plenty of luck with her into 1946. Ephemeral, disposable, they served only one purposeto let someone know "I'm here. As for the houses decor, she added, My father loved Asian art and furniture, which he would mix in with other styles. By the early 1960s, however, the room had been repainted and the sofa recovered in a woven white material brightened by orange velvet cushions. Most of you will recognize Shirley Jones from her role as the mom on the hit TV show, The Partridge Family. Pink shag carpeting covered the ceiling, walls, and floor of the actresss bath, and the heart-shaped tub glittered with gold mosaic tiles. The raven-haired beauty was the 1949 Washington, D.C. entry into the Miss America pageant. Louis Armstrong gets spooked while playing "Skeleton in the Closet," a song from the 1936 movie Pennies From Heaven. Her natural and unpretentious beauty and her immense acting talent made her one of the most celebrated figures in the history of American cinema. During WW2 he was sent to a German prison camp, but he managed to escape and hide in Venice. 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. On the top floor of a five-story, 19th-century redbrick townhouse, Deans New York City home was furnished with bohemian casualness. It was downhill from here. She was also quite the singer; some even considered her to be the female version of Elvis Presley. Frank Sinatra was almost as famous for his movie roles as his decades of music. James Stewart (1932-1991) James Stewart, an actor from Indiana, Pennsylvania, US, was one of the most famous stars of the 1950s. Jane Russell Pacific Palisades was the California town where actor Gregory Peck chose to settle down in the late 1940s. "I always have a little . (The photograph here was published in Life magazine, six months before Dean was killed.) The beginning of the end really came with Bluebeard (pictured below) where Joey bared it all, inciting a decent amount of controversy and buzz. She later married and retired from show biz. In fact, she spent more time visiting troops than any other actress (over 100,000 miles traveled). The bachelor pads living room featured comfortable modern upholstered furniture clad in lively patterned fabrics, and walls hung with contemporary art; the glass ashtray in the foreground is by Steuben. "There was more than a love affair," Mickey once said of their relationship, "It was so special. By the mid-1930s, he was a huge star due to films such as It Happened One Night (1934), which won him an Oscar for Best Actor. Old Hollywood Glamour - Fashion Trends of the Stars - Glamour Daze Ms. Vickers had appeared in Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman before making a splash as the centerfold in a 1959 issue of Playboy. 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. Her striking beauty earned her a spot on the top 100 sexiest stars of film history according to Empire Magazine. In 1942, got a contract with Universal Studios and starred alongside Gene Kelly in Living in a Big Way in 1947. Tall, dark and handsome described Gregory Peck, who started going to school for medicine but changed gears once he fell in love with theater. Its free! Ann-Magret is one of those actresses that just doesnt seem to age, or better yet seems to get better with age. Carole also makes a decent living as a WWII pin-up and some USO performances in the South Pacific. With her iconic looks and wispy voice, Marilyn Monroe defined the classic Hollywood actress. Shes between takes on the set, circa 1936. Humphrey Bogart and his third wife, actress Mayo Methot, called their 1920s Los Angeles house Sluggy Hollowthe name alluded to their famously contentious relationship. Before becoming Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly was Hollywood royalty. Charlize Theron, Salma Hayek, Scarlett Johansson, and Zoe Saldaa are considered to be beautiful female celebrities out there today. Known for playing everyday men with real-life problems, James Stewart appeared in some of the most popular films of all-time in his over 50-year career. She decided to attend film school, where a Swedish film director pulled her for a part in his movie, which then led to Hollywood roles. Starting at the young age of 14, Anouk Aimee is a French actress that made her debut in 1946 in La Maison sous la mer where she played the role of Anouk and she liked the name so much she actually kept it for the rest of her career. As his wife Nancy recalled, The house consumed so much energy, and involved so much intricate wiring, that a special switch box had to be installed on the outside. The couple sold the house in 1981, after Reagan was elected president. By the end of the 1950s, Ekberg's career was on the decline. A respected British actor with dreamy good looks and perfect diction, Laurence Olivier began his career on the Shakespearian stage before venturing to Hollywood. Kelsea Ballerini Wore a See-Through Plunging Gown, Lainey Wilson Rocks the Stage in a Lacy Crop Top, A.J. She hit her stride in the late 50s and was one of the leading ladies through the 1960s. James Dean, Jerry Lewis, and William Holden were also popular 1950s male actors. 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). Indeed, this swingin chick would pop in on seemingly every variety special on TV and even had several of her own. Her natural beauty is something that made her nearly irresistible both an actress and a sex symbol. Shortly after their 1956 wedding, Marilyn Monroe and her second husband, playwright Arthur Miller, stand in the unkempt garage of their Roxbury, Connecticut, estate. But with her legendary beauty, she will fo down in history as one of the great beauties of the 1960s. Blazing Blonde Bombshell: Barbara Payton's Boulevard of Broken Dreams She has continued working and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Hes with director Alfred Hitchcock on set. Her earthy Linda Darnell, one of five children of a postal clerk, grew up fast. 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. The picture shows the Pecks behind the green leatherclad bar of the den, which was accented by illuminated glass pilasters. Reflecting her real-life personality, Davis insisted on playing strong (sometimes unlikable) women characters during her career. 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. Shes resting during a break on the set of The Bride Came COD (1941). She first performed at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London. When discussing Audrey Hepburn, the iconic 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" must inevitably come up. Here, hes reading passages from Hemingways book on which the movie was based during shooting of A Farewell to Arms (1932). His rugged good looks and devil-may-care demeanor soon rocketed him to super-star status by the 1950s. Once their male audiences lose interest, things go downhill fast. Elizabeth Taylor started as a child actress in the 1940s, and by the 1950s, she was a bona fide movie star.