Welcome to 50’s study hall. In this section, I will be publishing a series of lists that will allow readers to use them as a reference for the given topic. Please feel free to message me if any of the info needs correcting, or if you have anything to add. I hope this section will help readers to find lots of Fifties Facts in one single place!
For this session of Fifties Study Hall, we’ll study up on the glamorous stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The 50’s were a magical time in Cinema History. Some of the most iconic and beautiful people who ever lived graced the Silver Screen in the 1950’s. So if you want to become a Mid-century Movie Maven, sit down and take out your notebooks. It’s study hall time.
Important Note: Although most of these Stars made movies before and/or after the 50’s, this section focuses on films from the 1950’s decade.
(Stars are listed alphabetically, by first name)
50’s Study Hall: Movie Stars of the 1950’s
Audrey Hepburn
Birth name: Audrey Kathleen Ruston
DOB: May 4, 1929, Ixelles, Brussels
Died: Jan. 20, 1993, Tolochenaz, Switzerland
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’7”
50’s Films: One Wild Oat (1951), Laughter in Paradise (1951), Monte Carlo Baby (1951), Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Young Wives’ Tale (1951), Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954), War And Peace (1956), Funny Face (1957), Love in the Afternoon (1957), and Green Mansions (1959)
Although born in Brussels, Audrey Hepburn was British. She is most noted for her 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She’s sometimes considered the tamer, softer counterpart to Marilyn Monroe. She was married 2 times and had 2 kids. Unlike the stars of today, she grew old gracefully, embracing her winkles and fading looks. She died of cancer in 1993.
Connie Stevens
Birth name: Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingoglia
DOB: Aug. 8, 1938, New York, NY
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’2″
50’s Films: Eighteen and Anxious (1957), Young and Dangerous (1957), Rock A Bye Baby (1958), The Party Crashers (1958), Dragship Riot (1958)
In addition to movies, Connie Stevens was a TV Star. She played “Cricket” on the TV show “Hawaiian Eye” and also guest starred on many shows. She was also a singer with hit songs like “Sixteen Reasons” (1960). She was one of the many wives of Eddie Fisher, with whom she had Joely Fisher and Tricia Leigh Fisher. She has many more movies post the 50’s, into the 21st Century.
Debbie Reynolds
Birth name: Mary Frances Reynolds
DOB: April 1, 1932, El Paso, TX
Died: Dec. 28, 2016, Los Angeles, CA
Hair: honey blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’2″
50’s Films: Three Little Words (1950), The Daughter of Rosie O’Grady (1950), Two Weeks With Love (1950), Mr. Imperium (1951), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Skirts Ahoy (1952), I Love Melvin (1953), Athena (1954), Susan Slept Here (1954), The Tender Trap (1955), Hit The Deck (1955), The Catered Affair (1956), Bundle Of Joy (1956), Meet Me In Las Vegas (1956), Tammy And The Bachelor (1957), This Happy Feeling (1958), The Mating Game (1959), The Gazebo (1959), Say One For Me (1959)
With her pretty girl-next-door looks, Debbie Reynolds was a huge on-screen hit in the 50’s. She married Eddie Fisher with whom she had Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia in the Star Wars films). In 1959, Eddie Fisher left Debbie for Elizabeth Taylor in what was the first big Hollywood Gossip scandal. Ms. Reynolds married twice afterwards. Her career spanned several decades. She died in 2016 at the age of 84, just hours after the death of her daughter, Carrie Fisher (1956-2016).
Doris Day
Birth name: Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff
DOB: April 3, 1922, Cincinnati, OH
Died: May 13, 2019
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’7”
50’s Films: Tea For Two (1950), Young Man With A Horn (1950), The West Point Story (1950), Storm Warning (1951), I’ll See You in My Dreams (1951), On Moonlight Bay (1951), Starlift (1951), April In Paris (1952), The Winning Team (1952), By the Light of the Silver Moon (1953), Calamity Jane (1953), Lucky Me (1954), Young At Heart (1955), Julie (1956), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), A Tunnel of Love (1958), Teachers Pet (1958), It Happened To Jane (1959)
Most of Doris Day’s films were musical-based. In addition to film, Doris Day had 5 studio albums in the 1950’s alone. She married 4 times and had a son, record producer Terry Melcher (1942-2004).
Eddie Fisher
Birth name: Edwin John Fisher
DOB: Aug. 10, 1928, Philadelphia, PA
Died: Sept. 22, 2010, Berkeley, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’5”
50’s Films: Lights Diamond Jubilee (1954), Bundle of Joy (1956)
Notes: Singer Eddie Fisher was a bit too old to be a “heart throb” for teens in the 50’s, but he had a television variety show and made the transition to film. He is famous for marrying Debbie Reynolds, fathering actress Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) and leaving Ms. Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor in 1959. He was married a total of 5 times (including once to actress Connie Stevens) and had a total of 4 children.
Elvis Presley
Birth name: Elvis Aron Presley
DOB: Jan 8. 1935, Tupelo, MS
Died: Aug. 16, 1977, Memphis, TN
Hair: dyed black
Eyes: blue
Height: 6’0”
50s Films: Love Me Tender (1956), Jailhouse Rock (1957), Loving You (also 1957) and King Creole (1958) (please note these are only his 50’s films, he had many more in the 60’s)
Notes: Elvis is known as The King of Rock n Roll and had many hit songs that went with his movies. His movie career lasted into the 70’s, with several popular films being released in the 1960’s. Elvis died at age 42 of an apparent heart attack after suffering from poor health.
Elizabeth Taylor
Birth name: Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor
DOB: Feb. 27, 1932, London, UK
Died: March 23, 2011, Los Angeles, CA
Hair: black
Eyes: violet
Height: 5’4”
50’s Films: A Place In The Sun (1951), Father’s Little Dividend (1951), Love Is Better Than Ever (1952), The Girl Who Had Everything (1953), The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954), Beau Brummell (1954), Elephant Walk (1954), Giant (1956), Raintree Country (1957), Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1958)
Notes: Elizabeth Taylor became a success in the United States as a child actress in the early 40’s. In the 50’s and 60’s she was one of the biggest stars to light up the Silver Screen. Known for her beautiful violet colored eyes, she was a jewel-clad beauty on screen and off. She married 8 times and had 4 children. Some of her husbands included Richard Burton (who she married twice) and Eddie Fisher, who she famously stole from Debbie Reynolds. Her acting career spanned many decades and she has become synonymous with Hollywood itself.
Fess Parker
Birth name: Fess Elisha Parker, Jr.
DOB: Aug. 16, 1924, Fort Worth, TX
Died: March 18, 2010, Santa Ynez, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 6’5″
50’s Films: The Kid From Left Field (1953), Thunder Over The Plains (1953), Them! (1954), Dragonfly Squadron (1954), Battle Cry (1955), Westward Ho The Wagons (1956), The Great Locomotive Chase (1956), Old Yeller (1957), The Light In The Forest (1958), The Hangman (1959)
Notes: In the 50’s, when Hollywood needed a tall, rugged cowboy type, they called on Fess Parker. He is also known for his television roles as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. In 1960, he married Marcella Belle Rinehart whom he stayed with until his death in 2010. They had two children.
Gina Lollobrigida
Birth name: Luigina Lollobrigida
DOB: July 4, 1927, Subiaco, Italy
Hair: dark brown
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’5″
50’s Films: The White Line (1950), A Dog’s Life (1950), My Beautiful Daughter (1950), Attention Bandits! (1951), A Tale Of Five Cities (1951), The Young Caruso (1951), Fanfan La Tulipe (1952), Wife For A Night (1952), Times Gone By (1952), Beauties of The Night (1953), Woman of Rome (1954), Beat The Devil (1953), The Unfaithfuls (1953), Crossed Swords (1954), Flesh And The Woman (1954), She Couldn’t Say No (1955), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956), Anna of Brooklyn (1958), Trapeze (1956), Solomon and Sheba (1959), Never So Few (1959), The Law (1959)
Notes: Italian beauty Gina Lollobrigida starred in an impressive 22 movies in the 1950’s decade alone. When it comes to lovers, she has been quoted saying: “I am very spoiled. All my life I’ve had too many admirers”.
Grace Kelly
Birth name: Grace Patricia Kelly
DOB: Nov. 12, 1929
Died: Sept. 14, 1982
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’7”
50’s Films: Fourteen Hours (1951), High Noon (1952), Mogambo (1953), Green Fire (1954), The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), The Country Girl (1954), Rear Window (1954), Dial M For Murder (1954), To Catch A Thief (1955), The Swan (1956), High Society (1956)
Notes: Grace Kelly was not just an actress; she was a Princess! In 1956 she married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and became Princess consort of Monaco. She starred in 11 films in the 1950’s era, and was without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women who ever lived. She and Prince Rainier had 3 children: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II and Princess Stéphanie. Princess Grace died in 1982 after suffering a stroke which caused her to crash the vehicle she was driving.
Gregory Peck
Birth name: Eldred Gregory Peck
DOB: April 5, 1916, San Diego, CA
Died: June 12, 2003, Los Angeles, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Height: 6’3”
50’s Films: The Gun Fighter (1950), Only The Valiant (1951), Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), The World in His Arms (1952), David and Bathsheba (1951), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), Roman Holiday (1953), Man With A Million (1954), Night People (1954), The Purple Plain (1954), The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956), Moby Dick (1956), Designing Woman (1957), The Big Country (1958), The Bravados (1958), On The Beach (1959), Pork Chop Hill (1959), Beloved Infidel (1959)
Notes: Gregory Peck is probably most remembered for his role as Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird (1962). However in the 1950’s, he starred in a total of 18 films and was undeniably one of the most popular leading men of the day. Leading men in those days were old, over 40 in many instances, and often paired with much younger leading women. Peck was married twice and had 5 kids.
James Dean
Birth name: James Byron Dean
DOB: Feb. 8, 1931, Marion, IN
Died: Sept. 30, 1955, Cholame, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’8”
Films: Hill Number One (1951), The Dark, Dark Hours (1954), Rebel Without A Cause (1955), East of Eden (1955), Giant (1956)
Notes: James Dean is the quintessential American Rebel and Bad Boy. True to his rebel persona, he lived fast and raced cars as a hobby. In 1955, he was killed in a car crash at the age of 24. James Dean is often depicted in American Pop-Art portraits such as the ones of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
Jane Powell
Birth name: Suzanne Lorraine Burce
DOB: April 1, 1929, Portland, OR
Died: Sept. 16, 2021
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’1″
50’s Films: Nancy Goes to Rio (1950), Royal Wedding (1951), Rich Young and Pretty (1951), Three Sailors and a Girl (1953), Small Town Girl (1953), Athena (1954), Deep In My Heart (1954), Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954), Hit The Deck (1955), Enchanted Island (1958), The Female Animal (1958), The Girl Most Likely (1958)
Notes: As a singer, most of her films contain singing and dancing. She was married 5 times and had 3 kids. Her career spans seven decades, including the 12 movies she made in the 50’s.
Jayne Mansfield
Birth name: Vera Jayne Palmer
DOB: April 19, 1933, Bryn Mawr, PA
Died: June 29, 1967, New Orleans, LA
Hair: platinum blonde
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’5”
50’s Films: Pete Kelly’s Blues (1955), Female Jungle (1955), Illegal (1955), The Girl Can’t Help It (1956), Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), The Wayward Bus (1957), Kiss Them For Me (1957), The Burglar (1957), The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958)
Notes: Jayne Mansfield was overtly sexual for the 1950’s era, even by Hollywood standards. In addition to acting, she was a nightclub performer and one of the first Playboy Playmates. Ms. Mansfield was married 3 times and had 5 children. She died in 1967 in a car crash at the age of 34. Three of her children were in the car at the time and all 3 survived with minor injuries.
Joan Collins
Birth name: Joan Henrietta Collins
DOB: May 23, 1933, Paddington, London, England
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’6″
50’s Films: Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951), Judgement Deferred (1952), I Believe In You (1952), Our Girl Friday (1953), The Square Ring (1953), Cosh Boy (1953), Turn the Key Softly (1953), Decameron Nights (1953), The Good Die Young (1954), The Virgin Queen (1955), The Land of the Pharaohs (1955), The Girl In The Red Velvet Swing (1955), The Opposite Sex (1956), Island in the Sun (1957), Sea Wife (1957), Stopover Tokyo (1957), The Wayward Bus (1957), The Bravados (1958), Rally Round The Flag Boys (1958)
Notes: English born actress Joan Collins starred in a total of 19 movies in the 50s, making her a very popular screen beauty of the day. She went on to star in many more movies and on TV shows. She was married 5 times and has 3 children.
Joanne Woodward
Birth name: Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward
DOB: Feb. 27, 1930, Thomasville, GA
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’4”
50’s Films: Count Three and Pray (1955), A Kiss Before Dying (1956), No Down Payment (1957), The Three Faces of Eve (1957), The Long Hot Summer (1958), Rally Round The Flag Boys (1958), The Sound and The Fury (1959)
Notes: She married Paul Newman in 1958 and they had 3 children. She went on to star in many films and is also a producer and a philanthropist.
Kim Novak
Birth name: Marilyn Pauline Novak
DOB: Feb. 13, 1933, Chicago, IL
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’6″
50’s Films: Phffft (1954), 5 Against The House (1955), Son of Sinbad (1955), Pushover (1954) Picnic (1955), The Man With The Golden Arm (1955), The Eddy Duchin Story (1956), Pal Joey (1957), Jeanne Eagles (1957), Vertigo (1958), Bell Brook and Candle (1958), Middle of the Night (1959)
Notes: Actress/model Kim Novak’s most famous movie was most likely Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). She went on to do more films in the 70’s and 80’s before retiring from acting in 1992. She was married twice and survived a horse-riding accident in 2006.
Lauren Bacall
Birth name: Betty Joan Perske
DOB: Sept. 16, 1924, The Bronx, New York, NY
Died: Aug. 12, 2014, Manhattan, New York, NY
Hair: honey blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’8.5”
50’s Films: Bright Leaf (1950), Young Man With a Horn (1950), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), The African Queen (1951), Woman’s World (1954), The Cobweb (1955), Blood Alley (1955), Blythe Spirit (1956), Written on the Wind (1956), Designing Woman (1957), The Gift of Love (1958), North West Frontier (1959)
Notes: Legendary Lauren Bacall starred in 12 movies in the 1950’s alone. A true icon of glamour she went on to make more movies on the 60’s and 70’s. She married twice, once to former co-star Humphrey Bogart. She had 3 children. Ms. Bacall died just one month shy of her 90th Birthday in 2014.
Marilyn Monroe
Birth name: Norma Jeane Mortenson
DOB: June 1, 1926, Los Angeles, CA
Died: Aug. 5, 1962, Brentwood, CA
Hair: platinum blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’5”
50’s Films: A Ticket to Tomahawk (1950), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), All About Eve (1950), The Fireball (1950), Right Cross (1951), Home Town Story (1951), As Young as You Feel (1951), Love Nest (1951), Let’s Make It Legal (1951), Clash by Night (1952), We’re Not Married! (1952), Don’t Bother to Knock (1952), Monkey Business (1952), O. Henry’s Full House (1952), Niagara (1953), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), River of No Return (1954), There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954), The Seven Year Itch (1955), Bus Stop (1956), The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)
Notes: Marilyn Monroe has been considered the greatest sex symbol of all time, although sadly, in the current-day world she is considered fat. Many of her films included musical numbers such as the famous “Diamonds Are A Girls’ Best Friend” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She was married 3 times and did not have children. She died in 1962 at age 36 from either an accidental overdose or a suicide, but some people believe she was murdered.
Marlon Brando
Birth name: Marlon Brando Jr.
DOB: April 3, 1924, Omaha, NE
Died: July 1, 2004, Los Angeles, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’9″
50’s Films: The Men (1950), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Viva Zapata (1952), Julius Caesar (1953), The Wild One (1953), On The Waterfront (1954), Desiree (1954), Guys And Dolls (1955), Rebel Without A Cause (1955), The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956), Sayonara (1957), The Young Lions (1958)
Notes: Legendary actor Marlon Brando starred in many films in the 50’s as a hunk, a rebel and a hero. He went on to play Vito Corleone in the famous film The Godfather (1972). His career spanned 60 years. Many consider him to be the greatest actor of all time.
Mamie Van Doren
Birth name: Joan Lucille Olander
DOB: Feb. 6, 1931, Rowena, SD
Hair: platinum blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’6″
50’s Films: His Kind of Woman (1951), Two Tickets to Broadway (1951), Frances Joins WACS (1954), Yankee Pasha (1954), Ain’t Misbehavin‘ (1955), The Second Greatest Sex (1955) Star in the Dust (1956), Untamed Youth (1957), High School Confidential (1958), Teacher’s Pet (1958), Born Reckless (1958), Girls Town (1959), The Big Operator (1959)
Notes: Mamie Van Doren is considered one of the first Stars to try to emulate Marilyn Monroe. She was always unabashedly sexual and her in autobiography, she mentions the many famous men that she had affairs with. She also mentions that she no longer wore panties after a while because she didn’t have a need for them. She married 4 times and has a son who was born in 1956.
Natalie Wood
Birth name: Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko
DOB: July 20, 1938, San Francisco, CA
Died: Nov. 29, 1981, Santa Catalina, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’9”
50’s Films: The Jackpot (1950), No Sad Songs for Me (1950), Never a Dull Moment (1950), Dear Brat (1951), The Blue Veil (1951), Just For You (1952), The Star (1952), The Rose Bowl Story (1952), The Silver Chalice (1954), Rebel Without A Cause (1955), One Desire (1955), A Cry In The Night (1956), The Girl He Left Behind (1956), The Searchers (1956), The Burning Hills (1956), Bombers B-52 (1957), Marjorie Morningstar (1958), Kings Go Forth (1958)
Notes: Natalie Wood began her career as the little girl in Miracle on 34th Street (1946). She went on to make many more films as a child, teen and adult; 19 films in the 50’s alone. She was married 3 times, twice to Robert Wagner, and had 1 daughter with him. Mystery still surrounds her death in 1981 which was caused by drowning.
Pat Boone
Birth name: Charles Eugene Boone
DOB: Jun. 1, 1934, Jacksonville, FL
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’9”
50’s Films: April Love (1957), Bernadine (1957), Mardi Gras (1958), Journey To The Center Of The Earth (1959)
Notes: Pat Boone was also a singer with many hit cover songs. In addition, he had a popular TV show. He made many more movies in the 60’s, 70’s and into the 21st century when he guest-starred in the 2005 documentary film, Fuck. (yes, really, look it up!) He married his wife Shirley in 1953 and remained with her until her death in 2019. They had four daughters who are also active in the industry.
Paul Newman
Birth name: Paul Leonard Newman
DOB: Jan. 26, 1925, Shaker Heights, OH
Died: Sept. 26, 2008, Westport, CT
Hair: brown
Eyes: bright blue
Height: 5’10”
50’s Films: The Silver Chalice (1954), The Rack (1956), Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), Until They Sail (1957), The Helen Morgan Story (1957), Rally Round The Flag Boys (1958), The Long Hot Summer (1958), Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1958), The Left Handed Gun (1958), The Young Philadelphians (1959)
Notes: Handsome Paul Newman was a sexy hunk of the day and starred in 10 movies in the 50’s alone. He went on to do many more films in the 60’s and beyond. He married Joanne Woodward and they had 3 daughters. Paul Newman is also known for his salad dressing and sauces available at grocery stores everywhere.
Richard Burton
DOB: Nov. 10, 1925, Pontrhydyfen, United Kingdom
Died: Aug. 5, 1984, Céligny, Switzerland
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’10”
50’s Films: The Woman With No Name (1950), Waterfront (1950), Green Grow the Rushes (1951), My Cousin Rachel (1952), The Robe (1953), The Desert Rats (1953), The Rains of Ranchipur (1955), The Prince of Players (1955), Alexander the Great (1956), Bitter Victory (1957), Sea Wife (1957), Look Back in Anger (1959), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1959)
Notes: Richard Burton was quintessential leading man of Hollywood’s Golden Age. He married 5 times (twice to Elizabeth Taylor), and had 3 children. He died at age 58 after a battle with poor health due to excessive drinking.
Robert Wagner
DOB: Feb. 10, 1930, Detroit, MI
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’11”
50’s Films: The Happy Years (1950), The Frogmen (1951), Let’s Make it Legal (1951), Stars and Stripes Forever (1952), With A Song In My Heart (1952), What Price Glory (1952), The Silver Whip (1953), Beneath The 12-Mile Reef (1953), Titanic (1953), Prince Valiant (1954), Broken Lace (1954), A Kiss Before Dying (1956), The Mountain (1956), Between Heaven and Hell (1956), Stopover Tokyo (1957), In Love And War (1958), Say One For Me (1959)
Notes: Robert Wagner starred in an impressive total of 17 films in the 50’s alone. With his striking good looks, it’s easy to see why he was a major Star. He went on to do much more in film and TV including the 1980’s TV series “Hart to Hart” . He was married 5 times, most famously to Natalie Wood whom he married twice. The two had 1 daughter together, Courtney Wagner. His other daughter is actress Katie Wagner.
Rock Hudson
Birth name: Roy Harold Sherer, Jr.
DOB: November 17, 1925, Winnetka, IL
Died: October 2, 1985, Beverly Hills, CA
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Height: 6’4”
50’s Films: The Desert Hawk (1950), Winchester 73 (1950), Bright Victory (1951), The Fat Man (1951), Here Come The Nelsons (1952), Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952), Back to God’s Country (1952), Scarlet Angel (1952), Bend of the River (1952), Horizons West (1952), Seminole (1953), Gun Fury (1953), Sea Devils (1953), The Golden Blade (1953), The Lawless Breed (1953), Taza Son of Cochise (1954), Bengal Brigade (1954), Magnificent Obsession (1954), Captain Lightfoot (1955), One Desire (1955), All That Heaven Allows (1955), Giant (1956), Written on the Wind (1956), Never Say Goodbye (1956), A Farewell To Arms (1957), Battle Hymn (1957), Something of Value (1957), The Tarnished Angels (1957), Twilight for the Gods (1958), The Earth Is Mine (1959), Pillow Talk (1959)
Notes: Rock Hudson was the prominent 1950’s leading man starring in an amazing 31 movies in that decade. During that time, his homosexuality was kept a secret, although many of his costars knew that he was gay. He passed away from HIV AIDS in 1985. His death helped make the public aware of AIDS and raise money for the cause.
Sandra Dee
Birth name: Alexandra Zuck
DOB: April 23, 1942, Bayonne, NJ
Died: Feb 20, 2005, Thousand Oaks, CA
Hair: blonde
Eyes: brown
Height: 5’4”
50’s Films: The Snow Queen (1957), Until They Sail (1957) The Reluctant Debutante (1958), Gidget (1959), A Summer Place (1959), Imitation of Life (1959), The Wild and The Innocent (1959), Stranger In My Arms (1959)
Notes: Young, pretty and seemingly innocent, Sandra Dee made her screen debut as a teen Starlet in the 50’s. She was extremely popular into the 60’s. She married singer Bobby Darin at the age of 18 in 1960. The two divorced seven years later. They had one son, Dodd Mitchell Darin. She died of complications from kidney disease at the age of 62.
Steve McQueen
Birth name: Terrence Stephen McQueen
DOB: March 24, 1930, Beech Grove, IN
Died: Nov. 7, 1980, Chihuahua, Mexico
Hair: blond
Eyes: blue
Height: 5’10”
50’s Films: Girl on the Run (1953), Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), The Blob (1958), Never Love A Stranger (1958), The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery (1959), Never So Few (1959)
Notes: Sometimes known as “The King of Cool”, Steve McQueen was a 1960’s movie star known mostly for the films Magnificent Seven (1960) and The Great Escape (1963) and many more to follow, but he got his start with 6 movies in the 50’s decade. He is also known for his stunts and had a large collection of motorcycles. He also starred on TV shows. He was married three times, once to the love of his life Ali MacGraw, and had 2 children.
Sophia Loren
Birth name: Sofia Villani Scicolone
DOB: Sept. 20, 1934, Rome, Italy
Hair: dark reddish brown
Eyes: bright green
Height: 5’9”
50’s Films: The River Girl (1954), Too Bad She’s Bad (1954), A Slice Of Life (1954), Two Nights With Cleopatra (1954), Woman Of The River (1954), Lucky To Be A Woman (1956), Legend Of The Lost (1957), Boy On A Dolphin (1957), The Pride And The Passion (1957), Houseboat (1958), Desire Under The Elms (1958), The Key (1958), The Black Orchid (1958)
Notes: Italian goddess Sophia Loren is a legend in her own time. With her sultry green eyes, and notable sex appeal, she starred in 14 movies in the 50’s alone, (not including the Italian ones!) In 1966, she married Carlo Ponti and remained with him until his death in 2007. They have 2 sons. She is famous for the quote: “Sex appeal is fifty-percent of what you’ve got, fifty-percent of what people think you’ve got.”
Tab Hunter
Birth name: Arthur Andrew Kelm
DOB: July 11, 1931
Death: July 8, 2018
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Height: 6’0″
50’s Films: The Lawless (1950), Saturday Island (1952), Gun Belt (1953), The Steel Lady (1953), Track of the Cat (1954), Return To Treasure Island (1954), Battle Cry (1955), The Sea Chase (1955), The Burning Hills (1956), The Girl He Left Behind (1956), Gunman’s Walk (1958), Lafayette Escadrille (1958), Damn Yankees (1958), They Came to Cordura (1959), That Kind of Woman (1959)
Notes: Tab Hunter was a popular leading man of 15 movies in the 1950’s. With his boyish looks and baby blues, he was a heart-throb throughout the 50’s and 60’s. However, his private life was unknown to most in those days, but much later it became known to the public that he was gay. He had a relationship with actor Anthony Perkins. In 1983, Hunter began a relationship with his partner Allan Glaser whom he married in 2013.
Troy Donahue
Birth name: Merle Johnson, Jr.
DOB: Jan. 27, 1936, New York, NY.
Died: Sept 2,. 2001, Santa Monica, CA.
Hair: blond
Eyes: blue
Height: 6’3″
50’s Films: The Tarnished Angels (1957), The Monolith Monsters (1957), Man Afraid (1957), Flood Tide (1958), Summer Love (1958), Wild Heritage (1958), Voice in the Mirror (1958), Live Fast Die Young (1958), This Happy Feeling (1958), The Perfect Furlough (1958), Monster On The Campus (1958), Imitation Of Life (1959), A Summer Place (1959)
Notes: Heartthrob Troy Donahue made his debut in small supporting roles in films in 1957-58. He played opposite Sandra Dee in A Summer Place (1959) which was his first major role. In the 60’s he stared in 9 films. He was married four times and had one child.
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