40 Famous Movie Stars of the 1950s

Ranker Film
Updated April 27, 2021 589.8K views

The 1950s featured the rise of blonde bombshells, their beautiful brunette counterparts, method actors, and zany comedians. Musicals and romantic comedies were still wildly popular throughout the decade, but suspense thrillers and dark dramas were also bringing in money at the box office.

Who is the most popular movie star from the 1950s? James Stewart tops our list. In the 1950s, he starred in the Hitchcock classics Rear Window and Vertigo. Known for acting with intensity and candor, Marlon Brando first gained a reputation for being one of the great male actors from the 50s. On the Waterfront and The Wild One still go down as two of his best films. James Dean, Jerry Lewis, and William Holden were also popular 1950s male actors. 

Several famous actresses also thrived in the 1950s. 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. 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.

Scroll through below to learn a little bit about some of the legendary actors and actresses from the 50s.