20th-century screen sirens
Today  is the birthday of the legendary Marilyn Monroe, the day when she would  have turned 85. In honor of this iconic sex symbol we take a look at  the most glamorous and seductively beautiful silver screen sirens of the  20th century, along with their dazzling films and fiery love affairs.  
Marilyn MonroeHer fame surpassed that of any other entertainer of her generation, and  she transcended the bounds of stardom to become a cultural icon. She  offered the whole package -- glamour, beauty, sex appeal, a sizzling  screen presence and a talent for singing.
Her films:"Gentleman Prefer Blondes" 
"How to Marry a Millionaire" 
"The Seven Year Itch" 
Her loves:A policeman 
A baseball legend 
A famous playwright 
Greta GarboOne of silent film's biggest stars  this Swedish actress captivated  audiences with her divine looks and natural talent for conveying  emotions on-camera. After the Hollywood "talkies" were introduced, her  seductive voice and mysterious persona helped her become a legend,  eventually earning her an honorary Oscar for her screen career.
Her films:"Ninotchka" 
"Grand Hotel" 
"Camille" 
Her loves:A silent film star 
A businessman 
A writer and socialite 
Brigitte BardotShe was the first international star  to be as popular as any homegrown  pinup in the U.S. This sultry sex symbol  is known for popularizing the  bikini and also for her illustrious career as a model, singer  and  flirtatious actress.
Her films:"Contempt" 
"...And God Created Woman" )
"Viva Maria!" 
Her loves:A director 
A French actor 
A German multimillionaire 
Angelina JolieRegularly on the "world's most beautiful" lists, this silver screen  goddess is known for her otherworldly beauty  acting talent,  eccentricities and humanitarian work. She is at home portraying tough  young women on the big screen and received an Academy Award for her role  as a sociopath.
Her films:"Lara Croft Tomb Raider" 
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith"  
"Salt" 
Her loves:An actor and adoptive father to her children 
An actor, screenwriter and director 
A British actor 
Sophia LorenThis Oscar-winning  actress is widely considered to be the most popular  Italian actress of her time. She is famous for starring in more than 100  movies  and for her hourglass figure.
Her films:"Two Women"  
"Man of La Mancha" 
"El Cid" 
Her loves:An Italian film producer 
A debonair actor 
Elizabeth TaylorShe was admired for her acting ability  glamorous lifestyle, beauty and  distinctive violet eyes. Part of her enduring fame includes two Academy  Awards  her pioneering AIDS activism and her many marriages.
Her films:"A Place in the Sun" 
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
"Giant" 
Her loves:A Welsh actor 
A popular singer and entertainer 
A hotel heir and businessman 
Raquel WelchA new international sex symbol took to the cinematic throne in the '60s  when she hit the screen in a skimpy fur bikini. Her natural beauty   wiped away the notion that enduring sex goddesses could only be blond,  and she gained recognition as a serious actress, author and businesswoman.
Her films:"One Million Years B.C." 
"Fathom" 
"The Three Musketeers" 
Her loves:A French producer and photographer 
A Hollywood press agent 
Betty GrableThe No. 1 pinup girl and morale booster during World War II  this  American actress, dancer and singer  was one of the most famous of  Hollywood's blonde superwomen. Known for her luxurious legs -- famously  insured by her studio  -- she offered wholesome appeal and an alluring  stage presence.
Her films:"How to Marry a Millionaire" 
"Pin-Up Girl" 
"I Wake Up Screaming" 
Her loves:A child film star 
A trumpeter and bandleader 
Rita HayworthWith her signature wavy, auburn hair and charismatic smile  this sexy  actress became a popular pinup girl during World War II  and one of the  era's top stars. She left her mark on the silver screen with her sultry  roles  and her considerable talent as a dancer  and singer.
Her films:"Gilda" 
"The Lady From Shanghai" 
"Cover Girl" 
Her loves:A famous radio actor and film director 
A prince 
A big band crooner and actor
Sharon StoneThis diva has a flair for combining brainy sex appeal and old-fashioned  Hollywood glamour. Her brazen role as a femme fatale elevated her to  international star status, and she has since shown her considerable  range as an actress.
Her films:"Basic Instinct" 
"Casino" 
"Total Recall" 
Her loves:A writer, producer and director
A newspaper editor 
A country singer 
Gene TierneyOne of Hollywood's most luminous actresses, this striking beauty  was  known for her etched cheekbones, crystal-like green eyes and elegance. A  successful Broadway and film career  helped propel her to stardom.
Her films:"Laura" 
"Heaven Can Wait"
"Sundown" 
Her loves:
A fashion designer 
A president of the United States
A Houston oil man  
 Hedy LamarrThis Austrian-born actress became a worldwide sensation in a '30s Czech  film  which featured her completely nude. For a decade she was cast  opposite top male stars, usually as a woman of mystery  and was known  for her extraordinary beauty.
Her films:"Algiers" 
"My Favorite Spy" 
"A Lady Without Passport"
Her loves:A British actor 
A highly decorated naval officer 
An arms manufacturer with Nazi connections
Lana TurnerA statuesque, shapely blonde this movie goddess was discovered and  signed to a film contract at age 16. Despite a highly publicized  scandal, she had a prolific film career and was another of the Hollywood  glamour gals to become a popular World War II pinup.
Her films:"Peyton Place" 
"The Bad and the Beautiful" 
"The Postman Always Rings Twice" 
Her loves:An actor 
A jazz clarinetist and composer 
A gangster bodyguard 
Farrah FawcettSporting feathered blond hair  this iconic entertainment figure of the  '70s burst onto the scene after a poster of her in a red bathing suit   sold millions of copies. Along with her wholesome look and sex appeal,  she gained acclaim for her starring role in a hit TV series.
Her films:"Extremities" 
"Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story" 
Her loves:The "Six Million Dollar Man" 
A screen actor from the '70s 
A Canadian filmmaker 
Julia RobertsNot only has she frequented People magazine's "World's Most Beautiful"  list  but she quickly became one of Hollywood's highest-paid stars after  headlining a '90s romantic comedy as a hooker. She won an Oscar for  this movie.
Her films:"Pretty Woman" 
"Erin Brockovich" 
"Duplicity" 
Her loves:A country-western singer 
An actor, director and producer 
A "Law & Order" actor 
Kim NovakOne of postwar Hollywood's most mysterious and alluring actresses  she  is best known for her unforgettable performance in an Alfred Hitchcock  movie. She exuded a daunting intellectual iciness in her roles.  
Her films:"Picnic" 
"Vertigo" 
"Bell, Book and Candle" 
Her loves:An eminent English actor 
The son of a Dominican dictator
A veterinarian 
Jean HarlowKnown as the original "blond bombshell," she made her mark on Hollywood  with her trendsetting platinum blond hair, luminous skin, arched  eyebrows and red lips. This golden girl showed talent in both her  sensual and comedic performances.
Her films:"China Seas" 
"The Public Enemy" 
"Hell’s Angels" 
Her loves:A TV star 
A director and producer 
A cinematographer 
Vivien LeighThis delicate beauty is best known for her role as a Southern belle  garnering a Best Actress Academy Award.   
Her films:"Gone With the Wind" 
"Waterloo Bridge" 
"Caesar and Cleopatra"
Her loves:A renowned British actor 
An English barrister
A British theater actor 
Salma HayekOne of the most prominent Mexican stars in Hollywood, this siren earned  initial renown with her exotic looks  hourglass figure and smoldering  onscreen charisma. Her most acclaimed performance was her Academy  Award-nominated role as a Mexican painter.
Her films:"Frida" 
"From Dusk Till Dawn" 
"Once Upon a Time in Mexico" 
Her loves:A French businessman 
An actor and producer 
An actor 
Kim BasingerA cover girl initially, this tall, blond actress  performed a breakout  role as a Bond girl. She knows how to steam up the screen and is best  known for her award-winning performance in a crime drama.
Her films:"L.A. Confidential" 
"9 1/2 Weeks" 
"Batman" 
Her loves:
A prolific TV and film actor 
An actor and sex symbol 
A makeup artist and author 
Ava GardnerAmidst a sea of blond-haired bombshells, this striking, green-eyed  brunette  stood out and maintained a solid acting career . She was also  known for her high-profile love affairs with some of Hollywood's leading  men.
Her films:"Pandora and the Flying Dutchman" 
"Mogambo" 
"The Barefoot Contessa" 
Her loves:An actor and comedian 
A jazz clarinetist and composer 
A famous bullfighter from Spain 
Lauren BacallKnown as a great female entertainer, not to mention "one tough broad,"  she first emerged as a leading lady in the film noir genre. She was  famous for her characterizations of women whose strong will complemented  their sexual attraction  and for her distinctive husky voice, sultry  eyes and "the look".
Her films:"The Big Sleep" 
"To Have and Have Not" 
"How to Marry a Millionaire" 
Her loves:An actor and cultural icon 
A legendary singer 
A stage and film actor 
Jane RussellA famous director, who cast her in an odd, psychological Western, helped  bring her to fame, along with her smoldering voluptuousness. Her  talents as a multifaceted actress were given more attention later in her  career, when she was hailed for her comic delivery and singing talents.
Her films:"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" 
"The Outlaw" 
"Gentlemen Marry Brunettes"
Her loves:A pro football quarterback 
A stage actor 
A real estate broker 
Dorothy Dandridge 
Her  lovely dark eyes, beauty marks and cool singing style made Dandridge a  standout. She reached the pinnacle of stardom as the sultry seductress  in a Hollywood musical and went on to become the first black performer  ever nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
Her films:"Carmen Jones" 
"Island in the Sun" 
"Change of Heart"
Her loves:A German director and producer 
A famous tap dancer 
A restaurant owner
Source
msn.com
 
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