I just thought that I would make a post of how the idea of beauty in Hollywood had changed over time and by extension how societies idea of beauty had changed. Perhaps I am only doing this because I want to look at pictures of pretty girls (who doesn’t) or because I don’t understand how people can think that Angelina Jolie is the most beautiful woman in the world when she clearly isn’t. I guess that I wanted to see how she stacks up against the beauties of the past.
1920s
Louise Brooks
Louise Brooks was not very big in Hollywood and ended up in a few German films such as Pandora’s Box where she played Lulu. She is considered a style icon now, thanks to her hairstyle, but back then she wasn’t well-known and only became discovered after her career had finished.
Louise Brooks
Clara Bow
Clara Bow was the “It” girl and was the representative of the flapper age. Her career ended when the talkies arrived. Rumour has it she was quite friendly with the 1927 University of Southern California football team.
Clara Bow
Anna Mae Wong
Was the first Asian star of the cinema but was often consigned to playing the stereotypical ‘dragon lady’. Started in Hollywood when she was very young and earned the nickname ‘CCC’ or curious Chinese child. Featured in th first colour film in 1922 but was considered too Asian to even play an Asian, as producers preferred to cast white actresses in ‘yellow-face’ over Anna Mae. Has been rediscovered in recent years and is considered a gay-icon.
Anna Mae Wong
1930s
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo’s career began in the silent age but her popularity grew in the 30s. She was one of the first Swedish actresses to hit Hollywood and was at times considered to be sexually ambiguous. Was the most famous star of the late 1920s and the 1930s.
Greta Garbo
Mae West
Mae West doesn’t really look all that sexy. She was almost 40 when she arrived in Hollywood. She was also short with big boobs, but she had a sexy attitude. She was the most controversial star of her day due to her outward sexuality. Famous for her double entendres.
Mae West
Marlene Dietrich
German actress who the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth greatest female star of all time. She was parodied so well by Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles.
Marlene Dietrich
Jean Harlow
The platinum blonde. Died at the age of 26 of kidney failure.
Jean Harlow
Josephine Baker
Was more famous in France than America but did make one ‘color’ film in the states. When Baker returned to America in the 60s she was a war hero and an icon. Famous for the banana dance and dancing nude, she was portrayed by Lynn Whitfield in the 1991 movie The Josephine Baker story.
Josephine Baker
Fay Wray
The scream queen from King Kong and lots of other 1930s thrillers.
Fay Wray
1940s
Ingrid Bergman
Another Swedish actress whois ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute. Appears in classics such as Casablanca, Notorious and Gaslight but ended up causing a scandal when she by having an affair with Roberto Rosselini, which stalled her career for many years.
Ingrid Bergman
Jane Russell
Her first movie was The Outlaw which was made by Howard Hughes. The release of that film was delayed while censors decided how best to minimize Ms. Russell’s ample cleavage.
Jane Russell
Ava Gardner
Another Hollywood starlet who had affairs with many of her leading men. Was married to Mickey Rooney and had a tumultuous affair with Frank Sinatra.
Ava Gardner
Lana Turner
Lana Turner
1950s
Brigitte Bardot
The Parisian bombshell and still regarded as a sex symbol today.
Brigitte Bardot
Sophia Loren
An Italian sex symbol who is still sexy now in her 70s.
Sophia Loren
Audrey Hepburn
An icon of class and sophistication.
Audrey Hepburn
Grace Kelly
One of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. Attracted the eye of Prince Rainier of Monaco whom she married. Died in an auto accident in 1982.
Grace Kelly
Marilyn Monroe
Another icon whose life was tragically short. Still the best known sex symbol.
Marilyn Monroe
Gina Lollobrigida
Another Italian actress with big boobs.
Gina Lollobrigida
Jayne Mansfield
One of many Marilyn clones. Life cut short in a car accident but her daughter is Mariska Hargitay of Law And Order: SVU.
Jayne Mansfield
1960s
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda
Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
1970s
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett
Pam Grier
Pam Grier
1980s
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis
1990s
Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman
2000s
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek
Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet
Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu
I also know that this post can be seen as somewhat sexist so I will be looking at the idea of masculinity in Hollywood throughout the years too, in a future post.
