Ten Classic
Movie Actresses to Know and Love
By Nathania L Johnson
They were the earliest stars of the silver screen. Classic movie
actresses stole the hearts of movie-goers everywhere and the
admiration lives on through modern times. Here are ten actresses
that have made a mark on Hollywood and our hearts.
Katharine Hepburn often marched
to the beat of a different drummer, and that drummer was Hepburn
herself. She dared to wear pants when it wasn’t ladylike to do so,
and she took on her male counterparts with an unmatched tenacity. At
one time, she was labeled “box office poison,” but she bounced back
with the hit film The Philadelphia Story and her career
never looked back after that.
Lauren Bacall made it big
after co-starring in To Have and Have Not with Humphrey
Bogart. The on-screen romance eventually made its way off-screen to
develop one of the most famed couplings in Hollywood history. Bacall
made four movies with Bogart, and devoted much of her time to him as
a wife and mother to their children.
Audrey Hepburn was not
related to Katharine, but there are similarities. They both held
unique accents and were quite distinguishable from other actresses.
While Kate was a tomboy, Audrey was very feminine. Her impressive
filmography includes Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair
Lady, Sabrina, and Charade.
Barbara Stanwyck defined the
role of femme fatale when she played a woman who killed her husband
in the film Double Indemnity. But it didn’t typecast her.
She was a versatile actress with impeccable emotional depth.
Stanwyck was considered gracious and agreeable on set. Her success
as an actress can also be seen in Executive Suite,
Forbidden, and Christmas in Connecticut.
Bette Davis was a demanding
actress who knew what she wanted. The same qualities were also
reflected in many of her characters. She was a
force to be reckoned with, and her perseverance eventually achieved
roles that later garnered two Oscars. Her must-see films include
Jezebel, Dangerous, What Happened to Baby Jane?
and All About Eve.
Joan Crawford is generally
remembered for her dark roles, but she should be remembered for
a career that tackled many a varied character. She is
reported to have been very generous to her fans, though not as
successful with her family. Both may have resulted from her tough
work ethic. Her most famous films include Mildred Pierce,
Humoresque, What Happened to Baby Jane? and
Possessed.
Jean Arthur is another
classic movie actress with a distinct voice. Bernadette Peters’
voice is very reminiscent of it. Arthur was a cute blond who worked
often with famed director Frank Capra. She also played along some of
Old Hollywood’s most famous leading men. She was paired with Cary
Grant in Only Angels Have Wings, with James Stewart in the
political drama, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as well as
You Can’t Take It With You, and Gary Cooper in Mr. Deeds
Goes to Town.
Ginger Rogers was best known
as Fred Astaire’s dancing partner. But she held her own when not
paired with the top hat. She was a menacing roommate in an actress
boarding house in Stage Door. And she was the bride her new
husband, played by James Stewart, was embarrassed to introduce to
his parents in Vivacious Lady.
Ingrid Bergman starred in one
of the most celebrated films of all time, Casablanca.
While many of her movies were European films, she had a
nice set of films in American cinema. The other film she is known
for is Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious, a spy movie
co-starring Cary Grant.
Lucille Ball is the original
favorite redhead made a superstar by her starring role in the
television series, I Love Lucy. Unfortunately, her
film work is often underrated. She starred in four films with Bob
Hope and had an impressive supporting role in Stage Door.
In her pre-Lucy films, it is hard to recognize her. But that’s not a
bad thing. Her acting is simply un-Lucy like and showcases Ball’s
incredible ability to perform a variety of characters.
These actresses paved the way for modern women
in Hollywood. Their tenacity during a time when women were not
considered equal is to be remembered and respected.
