9. Vivien Leigh
…If you’ve read the stunning book “Gone With The Wind”, written by Margaret Mitchell, you already know who Scarlet O’Hara is!
Vivien Leigh was a beautiful actress who is most famous for her role as Scarlet O’Hara. Even though she is mainly known for her cinematographic presence, she was also a skilled performer in theater and cinema, especially on Broadway.
She was a petite woman who had an amazing hourglass silhouette. Some sources even say that her body measurements of 35-25-35 were considered perfect, which is exactly why an era where models were required to have these exact measurements has started.
116 Responses
Where is Kim Novak ???
Before my day…
Left off Natalie Wood who I consider #1
I did not see mention of two whom I thought should have been mentioned. They are Loretta Young and Raquel Welch. Why not?
Yes! Raquel Welch!
She was always one of my favorite stars She was great in every role she played .
Meryl Streep was probably a nod to the liberal crowd. Definitely outclassed by the others!
One beautiful Lady.
Surprised not to see Katharine Hepburn!
WHAT FOND MEMORIES…this article just DID!!!! Thanks
There’s Bette Davis than there’s every other female actress.
ANGIE DICKINSON WAS MY FAVORITE FOR MANY YEARS. WITH DENISE RICHARDS COMING IN A CLOSE 2ND.
Angie was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. She was a beauty when she was young. My favorite also.
Angie Dickinson was my #1, with Denise Richards as my #2.
How About Doris Day ????
She was always so beautiful and such a wonderful actress!!!!
Brigitte Bardot????
Absolutely!! I agree!!!
The young Bette Davis; those eyes!
Meryl Streep???? Really???
at least the title was
” 10 Rare Photos of the Most Beautiful Actresses When They Were Young”
and not
‘ The 10 Most Beautiful Actresses Ever’ …….
and so glad that Rene Zellweger and Sara Jessica Parker were left off the list, inclusion of those two would have made this list laughable
Norma Jeane (you left off the “e”) was, indeed, very intelligent. She studied Method Acting, and surprised a lot of people with her intelligence. They all thought the character she was cast the most as (the dumb blonde) was how she really was! She was also reported to have a good memory, important when you have to memorize a 100 page script. I was like Elton John – the kid in the 42nd row.
Norma Jean will always be my favorite!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Give me Susan Hayward ANY day. Thats beauty.
I totally agree with you on Susan Hayward. She had that rare, true beauty and could play any part they threw at her. Actresses like her are not to be these days. That mold was long ago broken. Sad…The new wave females that call themselves actresses just have no clue….Ms Hayward had it all!
Now off to rewatch “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” for the umpteenth time! Thanks for the post….now I know what old movies I’ll be watching in the next few days!
Dianna Rigg was my favorite! Emma Peel from the Avengers TV show in the sixties!
She has always been beautiful and classy even into her 70’s. On top of that she has a sense of humor and not afraid to let her guard down.
Where are Brigitte Bardot and Claudia Cardinalle? There are three iconic European actresses: Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Claudia Cardinalle.
Bardot and Cardinalle didn’t play in american movies, so they don’t count as world actresses? For Americans the world starts and ends on America, nothing else counts. We have no idea how much we are losing because of this small town attitude.
I agree!! Bardot is a legend and an icon!!Unique and a prototype for the Blondes that came after her in the 60’s and 70’s and beyond!!
poorly done you can’t even start without Moureen O’Hara
Diahann Carroll, Dorothy Dandridge, Hailey Berry, Angela Bassett, Raquel Welch, etc. I am sure that Ms. Dandridge would fit in the age range as most of the women listed. Of course, most of the other ladies would fit in with Ms. Streep.
Dorothy Dandridge, definitely! She was my first “favorite actress”, with my scrapbook of her to prove it. It was a terrible loss for Hollywood, the American people, and my impressionable childhood self to lose her at such a young age.
Interesting list. Should be enlarged. So many more. Beautiful ladies.
There will never be another Marilyn Monroe, period.
That’s right! She was the best!
How racist!!! There are plenty of beautiful women of Color
It’s not “racist” for people to have their favorites!
What about Lauren BaCall, Lena Horne, and Dorothy Dandridge?
Halle Berry, not on the list.
More beautiful now, than ever…
Vanessa Williams … duh
Diahann Carroll, come on folks….
Selma Hayek…
Streep may be a phenomenal actor, but I simply can’t get over that NOSE!
These ladies are all beauties, but my favorite is Ingrid Bergman. Not a fabulous “looker” but a quiet beauty. Wonderful actress! Anastasia my favorite movie. I always cry!
I can remember all these beautiful women, but I am not that old.
Ingrid Bergman…Grace Kelly and Isabella Rossellini!!!
What about the original blonde bombshell Mae West?
Where is Rita Hayworth or Ava Gardner
Elizabeth Taylor is the perfect beauty, bar none! Who is. Monica B.? Meryl Steep is a great actress, but certainly not beautiful….her nose doesn’t line up with her mouth and her hands and her hands look like she is a farm worker. Many actresses are more beautiful than Olivia Newton John….she is cute, not beautiful. Who decided these top ten most beautiful?
Olivia NewtonJohn? Meryl Streep?
Seriously??? Check out all the other beauties all of us came up with!
Why not include Grace Kelly or Lauren Bacall or my favorite, Ingrid Bergman?
Natalie Wood
I guess my version of beautiful is not in sync here. Some were pretty, some were cute but only maybe three of these I see as beautiful. Where is Grace Kelley for one?
Where is Grace Kelly? My view is not in sync here obviously. Some of these were “pretty” some “cute” but only three “beauties” in my book on this list.
Hedy Lammar, Loretta Young .. 👍
Heady Lamar was beautiful and highly intelligent. She was a inventor.
Where is Loretta Young???? She was very pretty and smart.
She is and was a very beautiful lady with an extremely great way of speaking her parts in various films etc.
per Jasper Farrington of Pittsfield, Maine, 04967
This is great!
She is beautiful. I always liked her and watched her movies.
I always loved Audrey Hepburn. She was stunning and a classic. I liked her role in the movie who father is a butler and she lives on top of the garage. Falls in love. I can’t think the name of that movie. I seem it many time.
Sabrina
How could you not like Elizabeth Taylor with those beautiful eyes. She was gorgeous with all her jewelry.
Always was fascinated about Marilyn Monroe. She was beautiful.
What ever happened to Maureen O’Hara?
Now she was a beauty and a great actress.
What about NATALIE WOOD??? She was a real beauty.
I think you had a great list. I would only add Delores Del Rio – another stunner from a bygone era.
I have a hunch there’s nary a dud in the Bond [good or bad] Girl bunch. That includes Sophie Marceau, doncha know, every Mon with ayes wide open, would List as a momma ‘scent’ from heaven.
Liz Taylor is my favorite. She had personality plus beauty.
I Always thought the eldest girl on “Last Man Standing” (the original girl) looked like a young Elizabeth Taylor.
My wife is top nothing better.
Hedy Lamar hands down!!
This is a completely ridiculous article if it doesn’t include Donna Reed
Gene Tierney and Gina Lollobrigida.
Beautiful Lady aaand talented actress indeed.
In today’s world, all these women would be AVERAGE!
No way!
Classic, there will never be stars like that again. Now days your a star for a minute then fizzle out fast.
All these women were indeed the most beautiful to someone. However, have you considered lasting beauty? Marilyn Monroe’s beauty was preserved by her passing. Of those living, I was amazed to see Jane Seymour still looking good and perhaps Ann Blythe in her later years.
Where’s Donna Reed and Raquel Welch?
Yes Vivien Leigh & Audrey Hepburn were our most lovable & admired Actresses for their talent & Beauty! Thanks so to post this nice article. But what is about Kim Novak, Natalie Wood, Brigitte Bardot, We did not think Strep is in the list of the most beauty Females in Hollywood or Film industry!
Jane Fonda, Julia Roberts, Mary Tyler Moore, Jennifer Anniston..
they all were beautiful women and deserve everything that was gave to them as we all enjoy the flash back….. thank you for sharing
Sophia Loren, absolutely!
How can you leave out Raquel? And Kim Novak, Julie Christie, Jean Harlow, Kim Basinger, Katherine Ross, Ann-Margaret, Grace Kelly, and Rita Hayworth?
You left out “Goldie Hawn”!
On the subject of these pictured ladies being beautiful..all these ladies were/are/ always will be beautiful
toss up between Sophia or Marilyn can’t decide.
Patricia Neal, Deborah Kerr, Sandra Bullock, Kate Beckinsale, Morgan Fairchild
Olivia Dehavilland, Maureen O’Hara, Ann Margret, Brigitte Bardot, Debbie Reynolds
Where’s Grace Kelly?
Surprised Katherine Hepburn isn’t on this list!
I have a few favorites actresses Raquel Welch,Doris Day,BrigitteBardot,MarylinMonro
Hedy Lammar. She was beautiful ❤️❤️
You forgot Diane Cannon, Ann Margaret, Angie
Dickson and Barbara Eden.
Where is Jean Tierney or Ingrid Bergman? Both were absolutely stunning and
terrific actresses. Vanessa Williams and Angela Bassett belong in the group as well!!
I knew Audrey would be here. How many male psyches she confounded in Breakfast at Tiffany’s !)
There should be an honorable mention for Ann Margaret.
Natalie Wood
Olivia and Norma Jean are not only beautiful on the outside. Both ladies have that special something that shines from their hearts. That is what attracted me to them.
Yes. I agreed She is beautiful as young woman too. but you miss Linda Darnell she was listed one
of 10 Beautiful woman’s in that time.
No-one mentioned Donna Douglas. Why? AKA Ellie Mae Clampett, I think.
Elizabeth Taylor!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐😀
You left out ava Gardner who was simply stunning.
Gina Lolabriggida, Ava Gardener,
Ann Margaret
Why don’t you just say “the 10 most beautiful WHITE WOMEN actresses when they were young”?? Oh….yes….of course non-white actresses don’t/didn’t meet your (racist?!?!) “standards” for the definition of “beautiful”. PULLEEASSEE!!!
How about Diahann Carrol, Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne?! Not one black actress, seriously!
Margaret O’Brien was a child star and beauty in the 40’s and was my crush.
I think you really missed the mark on this one! You said “beautiful”…
Where is Natalie Wood? Veronica Lake?
Several more I think would beat out two of your choices and more!
I hate these “polls” as they never quite work that well.
Where is Brigitte Bardot?She is far more beautiful h some of these ladies and they are all lovely!1tan
I also agree that Natalie Wood should be on this list. And if you actually took a Rank Choice poll of the Top 30 most beautiful actresses, somebody like Audrey Hepburn wouldn’t be in the top five, but she might be somewhere around 23rd or so.
Monica Bellucci is my pick for No. 1 from those presented. Raquel Welch, Natalie Wood, Loretta Young, Angie Dickinson and a host of others should be in an expanded “Most Beautiful Actresses When They Were Young”.
I enjoyed the pictures…
she was very nice
let’s not forget nicole kidman.
Meryl Streep? No way. Maureen O’Hara, Absolutely! Mia Farrow when she had her pixie haircut!
Kim Basinger and Angelina Jolie are so beautiful!
My favorite would have to be Audrey Hepburn. Her face was just perfect and I loved her accent. The choice was hard because I really like more of them. But this is my choice!
I am glad you included the most beautiful (and smart) woman of all, Hedy Lamar. However, you left out a favorite of mine, Gene Tierney. She was surely more beautiful than many actresses on your list.
Margaret Obrien was beautiful to me when I was 12.