40 Famous Movie Stars of the 1950s
- Photo: Studio publicity still / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainKnown 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. In the 1950s, he starred in the Hitchcock classics' Rear Window and Vertigo.More James Stewart
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- Photo: Frank Driggs Collection / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainKnown for his calm confidence in the face of great obstacles, John Wayne is one of the best Western actors to ever hit the silver screen. In the 1950s, he appeared in such films as The Searchers and Rio Bravo.More John Wayne
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- Photo: Herbert Dorfman / Getty ImagesKnown for acting with intensity and candor, Marlon Brando first gained a reputation for being a great actor in the 1950s. On the Waterfront and The Wild One still go down as two of his best films.More Marlon Brando
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With her iconic looks and wispy voice, Marilyn Monroe defined the classic Hollywood actress. She appeared in such 1950s films as Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
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Clark Gable was still a bona fide move star in the 1950s, appearing in such films as The Tall Men and Band of Angels. Sadly, he died in 1960.
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Gary Cooper was a man of few words, and that's what movie-goers loved about him. He took home an Academy Award for his performance in the 1952 film High Noon.
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- Photo: The Minneapolis Tribune / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainHumphrey Bogart is the type of actor who women want and men want to be. In the 1950s, he appeared in such films as The African Queen and The Harder They Fall.More Humphrey Bogart
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The 1950s belonged to William Holden, as he appeared in great romantic comedies, film noirs, and war films. Sabrina, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Sunset Blvd. were all released during that fantastic decade of film.
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Shirley MacLaine is still regarded as an amazing actress, but she got her start in the 1955 movie The Trouble with Harry. She was nominated for an Oscar six times, and finally took home a trophy for Terms of Endearment in 1984.
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Petite and spunky, Audrey Hepburn has remained a fashion icon years after her death in 1993. In the 1950s, she appeared in great films like Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and Funny Face.
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In the 1950s, Jack Lemmon made the jump from TV to film, appearing in such classics as Some Like It Hot and Fire Down Below. He won an Oscar for the 1955 film Mister Roberts.
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Elizabeth Taylor started as a child actress in the 1940s, and by the 1950s she was a bona fide movie star. A Place in the Sun and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are just a few of her films from the decade.
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Before becoming Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly was Hollywood royalty. In the 1950s, she starred in Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, and To Catch a Thief.
- Photo: Paul A. Hesse Studios / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainAn exotic beauty, Sophia Loren could hold anyone's attention with her alluring eyes. Throughout the 1950s, she appeared in films like Houseboat and Aida.More Sophia Loren
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- Kim Novak frequently appeared alongside James Stewart in some of the best films of the 1950s. In 1958, they co-starred in Vertigo and Bell Book and Candle.More Kim Novak
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- Photo: Paramount Pictures / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainHollywood found a new comedy star in the 1950s with the slapstick stylings of Jerry Lewis. You're Never Too Young and Rock-a-Bye Baby are just two of the hilarious films in which he starred during the decade.More Jerry Lewis
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James Dean was a fast and furious actor who rose to the top of Hollywood in the 1950s thanks to his performances in films like Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden. He holds the unique honor of being the only actor in history to receive more than one Oscar nomination posthumously.
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- Photo: Warner Bros. / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainIn the 1950s, Natalie Wood became America's sweetheart with roles in such films as Rebel Without a Cause and The Searchers. She would later go on to star in West Side Story in 1961.More Natalie Wood
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Perennial good girl Doris Day stole the hearts of American moviegoers in the 1950s with roles in Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk. She would later become a TV star with The Doris Day Show.
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- Photo: WikiImages / Pixabay / CC0 1.0Old blue eyes, Frank Sinatra, appeared in several great films in the 1950s. He co-starred with Marlon Brando in the 1955 musical Guys and Dolls.More Frank Sinatra
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- Photo: I Love Lucy / ParamountLucille Ball may be best known for playing the zany Lucy Ricardo on I Love Lucy, but she previously appeared in dozens of films. In 1950, she appeared in Fancy Pants and The Fuller Brush Girl.More Lucille Ball
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- Model turned actress Susan Hayward won an Academy Award for her performance in the 1958 film I Want to Live!. She was previously nominated on four other occasions.More Susan Hayward
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- Brigitte Bardot was the 1950s sex symbol with roles in such films as ...And God Created Woman and The Female. She retired from film in the 1970s so that she could spend more time promoting animal rights.More Brigitte Bardot
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- Just like his comedy partner Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin thrived in the 1950s. Rio Bravo and You're Never Too Young are just two of his 1950s credits.More Dean Martin
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- Character actress Thelma Ritter appeared in All About Eve in 1950 and Rear Window in 1954. She was nominated for an Oscar for four consecutive years in the 1950s.More Thelma Ritter
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- Photo: Dovima-2010 / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0In 1952, Debbie Reynolds appeared in one of the most iconic musicals of all-time, Singing in the Rain. She was only 19 at the time the film was made.More Debbie Reynolds
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- One of Hollywood's original blonde bombshells, Jayne Mansfield rose to stardom in the 1950s. Some of her best films include The Girl Can't Help It (1956) and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957).More Jayne Mansfield
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- Eva Marie Saint's career is still going strong as she appeared in the 2014 film Winter's Tale, but some of her most iconic performances came in the 1950s. On the Waterfront and North by Northwest are among her impressive credits.More Eva Marie Saint
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- Photo: elena-lu / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0Jane Russell was one of the most iconic sex symbols of the 1950s. So was Marilyn Monroe. It's no wonder that their 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was a smash hit.More Jane Russell
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- Dorothy Dandridge was known for her beautiful voice and versatile acting technique. In 1955, she became the first African-American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Carmen Jones.More Dorothy Dandridge
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