TOP 5
Early Days Productions: Greatest Actresses 1930 - 1960 Last updated 07/14/2010
Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) Considered by many to be the first lady of cinema. There was a brief period starting in the mid 30's and enduring til 1940, when she was considered box office poison because of a series of film flops including the now classic "Bringing Up Baby" (1937) co-starring Cary Grant. In 1940 She starred in "The Philadelphia Story" opposite Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. After winning her third Oscar nomination, she was bankable again and began a long and interrupted career as a top star. Her many memorable films include: "Little Women" (1933), "Stage Door" (1937), "Woman of the Year" (1942) with long time love Spencer Tracy, "Adams Rib" (1949), "African Queen" (1951) with Humphrey Bogart, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967), "Lion of Winter" (1968), and "On Golden Pond" (1981) with Henry Fonda. Edited from Wikipedia.
Carole Lombard (1908- 1942) was a gifted actress who rose to prominence thru a series of screwball comedies starting with "Twentieth Century" (1934) co starring John Barrymore. Carole was nominated for an Academy Award in 1936 for her role in "My Man Godfrey" opposite her real life ex husband William Powell. In 1939 Lombard married Clark Gable and moved into a ranch home sold to them by director Raoul Walsh. Tragically, she was killed in a plane crash while coming back from a highly successful war bond tour. She was only 33. Her films include: "We're Not Dressing" (1934) opposite Bing Crosby, "The Princess Comes Across" (1936) with Fred MacMurry, "Nothing Sacred" (1937) co starring Fredric March, "Made for Each Other" (1939) with Jimmy Stewart, "In Name Only" (1939) opposite Cary Grant, "Mr. and Mrs Smith" (1941) (Alfred Hitchkock's only comedy!), and "To Be or Not to Be" (1942) with Jack Benny. Edited from Wikipedia.
Myrna Loy (1905 –1993) After making her stage debut at the age of 12, she broke into movies in 1925. It wasn't until 1934 that she rose to stardom in "The Thin Man" with William Powell. She and Powell proved to be such a popular screen couple that they appeared in 14 films together. Her many wonderful films include: "Manhattan Melodrama" (1934) with Clark Gable, "Wife vs. Secretary" (1936) also with Clark Gable, "The Great Zigfield" with William Powell, "Libeled Lady" (1936) with William Powell, "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) with Fredric March, "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer" (1947) with Cary Grant, "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" (1948) also with Cary Grant, "The Red Pony" (1949) with Robert Mitchum, and "Cheaper by the Dozen" (1950) with Clifton Webb. Edited from Wikipedia.
Irene Dunne (1898-1990) Dunne has been described as the best actress to never win an Academy Award. She received five Best Actress nominations during her career: for Cimarron (1931), Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), Love Affair (1939) and I Remember Mama (1948). She made her Broadway debut in 1922 breaking into films in 1930 with "Leathernecking". During the 30s and 40s, Dunne blossomed into a popular screen heroine in movies. Her films include: "Bachelor Apartment" (1931) with Lowell Sherman, "The Awful Truth" (1937) with Cary Grant, "Love Affair" (1939) with Charles Boyer, "My Favorite Wife" (1940), "Penny Serenade" (1941) both with Cary Grant, "A Guy Named Joe" (1943) with Spencer Tracy, "Anna and the King of Siam" (1946) with Rex Harrison, "Life with Father" (1947) with William Powell, and "I Remember Mama" (1948). Edited from Wikipedia.
Jean Harlow (1911-1937) She was known as the "Platinum Blonde" and "The Blonde Bombshell" for her famous platinum blonde hair. By the mid-1930s, Harlow was one of the biggest stars in America and the foremost female star at MGM. On May 29, 1937, Harlow collapsed on the set of "Saratoga" (1937) and was rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with uremic poisoning. On June 6, 1937, she was rushed to the hospital. Jean Harlow died the following morning at 11:35 a.m. She was 26 years of age. Among her films are: "Hell's Angels" (1930) with Ben Lyon, "The Public Enemy" (1931) with James Cagney, "Platinum Blonde" (1931) with Loretta Young, "Red-Headed Woman" (1932) with Chester Morris, "Red Dust" (1932) with Clark Gable, "Dinner at Eight" (1933) with John Barrymore, "China Seas" (1935) with Clark Gable, "Wife vs. Secretary" (1936) also with Clark Gable, and "Libeled Lady" (1936) with William Powell. Edited from Wikipedia.
