The greatest female icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age
The Golden Age of Hollywood produced some of the most iconic actresses in film history, whose performances and personas continue to captivate audiences today.
Leading the way was Katharine Hepburn (pictured), with a record four Academy Awards, she redefined the role of women in cinema.
Bette Davis, with her commanding presence and bold choices, set the standard for powerful female leads in films like All About Eve.
Audrey Hepburn brought a unique blend of elegance and charm, becoming a fashion and cultural icon through classics like Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Ingrid Bergman, famous for her natural beauty and emotional depth, delivered some unforgettable performances.
Meanwhile, Marilyn Monroe embodied Hollywood glamour, combining comedic brilliance with a vulnerable allure in Some Like It Hot.
Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck excelled in both melodrama and film noir, portraying ambitious, complex women who challenged traditional roles.
These screen legends not only defined an era but also paved the way for future generations of actresses, ensuring their legacy in cinematic history. Here we select the top 25 finest females during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Katharine Hepburn
Known for her fiercely independent spirit, Hepburn defined strong-willed heroines in classics like The Philadelphia Story and The African Queen. Watch Hepburn’s cameo in Stage Door Canteen.
Bette Davis
A powerhouse of Old Hollywood, Davis was renowned for her intense performances in The Little Foxes and Jezebel, embodying complex and often unlikable women. Watch Davis in Of Human Bondage.
Audrey Hepburn
A timeless icon of grace and elegance, Hepburn enchanted audiences with her charm in My Fair Lady and Roman Holiday, for which she won an Oscar. Watch Hepburn in Charade.
Ingrid Bergman
Known for her luminous beauty and emotional depth, Bergman starred in classics like Casablanca and Notorious, earning three Academy Awards.
Greta Garbo
A symbol of mystique and sophistication, the Swedish-born Garbo captivated audiences with her performances in Camille and Ninotchka before retiring at her peak.
Marilyn Monroe
The ultimate bombshell, Monroe blended sex appeal with vulnerability in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, securing her status as a pop culture legend. Watch Monroe in Home Town Story.
Elizabeth Taylor
A child star turned screen siren, Taylor won two Oscars and was known for her passionate performances in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Cleopatra. Watch Taylor in Father’s Little Dividend, The Last Time I Saw Paris and Life with Father.
Judy Garland
With an extraordinary voice and emotional intensity, Garland became a beloved star through The Wizard of Oz and A Star Is Born. Watch Garland in Till The Clouds Roll By.
Marlene Dietrich
A German-born Hollywood trailblazer, Dietrich exuded sophistication and sensuality in films like The Blue Angel and Destry Rides Again.
Joan Crawford
One of Hollywood’s most enduring actresses, Crawford transitioned from silent films to talkies, delivering unforgettable performances in Mildred Pierce and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?. Watch Crawford in Rain and The Unknown.
Barbara Stanwyck
A master of both film noir and melodrama, Stanwyck shined in Double Indemnity and Stella Dallas with her sharp wit and emotional range. Watch Stanwyck in Lady of Burlesque, Meet John Doe and The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.
Claudette Colbert
Winning an Oscar for It Happened One Night, Colbert was known for her sophisticated yet playful screen presence in both comedies and dramas. Watch Colbert in Three Came Home.
Grace Kelly
A Hitchcock muse turned real-life princess, Kelly starred in Rear Window and To Catch a Thief before leaving Hollywood to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco.
Ginger Rogers
Best known for her dazzling dance partnership with Fred Astaire, Rogers also proved her dramatic chops with an Oscar-winning turn in Kitty Foyle. Watch Rogers in The Thirteenth Guest.
Mae West
A queen of double entendre, West redefined on-screen sexuality with her witty one-liners in She Done Him Wrong and I’m No Angel.
Vivien Leigh
With two legendary performances in Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire, Leigh won two Oscars for portraying fiercely passionate women.
Lillian Gish
A pioneer of silent cinema, Gish’s ethereal beauty and expressive acting in The Birth of a Nation and Broken Blossoms helped define early film artistry. Watch Gish in The Musketeers of Pig Alley, Intolerance and The Wind.
Shirley Temple
The biggest child star of the 1930s, Temple’s infectious charm and tap-dancing skills made her an American sweetheart in films like Bright Eyes and The Little Colonel. Watch Temple in The Little Princess.
Rita Hayworth
Dubbed “The Love Goddess,” Hayworth dazzled audiences with her sensuality and talent in Gilda and Cover Girl.
Lauren Bacall
With her sultry voice and smouldering presence, Bacall became a film noir icon alongside Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep.
Sophia Loren
An Italian screen goddess, Loren won an Oscar for Two Women and became known for her fiery charisma in both Hollywood and European films.
Jean Harlow
Hollywood’s original platinum blonde, Harlow’s comedic timing and magnetic presence shined in Dinner at Eight and Red Dust. Watch Harlow in The Saturday Night Kid.
Carole Lombard
A queen of screwball comedy, Lombard charmed audiences with her wit and glamour in My Man Godfrey before her tragic death in a plane crash. Watch Lombard in Made for Each Other, The Racketeer, Big News, High Voltage, Nothing Sacred and Swing High, Swing Low.
Mary Pickford
One of Hollywood’s earliest megastars, Pickford helped shape the film industry while starring in silent classics like Pollyanna and Little Lord Fauntleroy. Watch Pickford in Coquette and The Taming of the Shrew.
Ava Gardner
A symbol of Old Hollywood allure, Gardner starred in The Killers and Mogambo, exuding both beauty and raw emotional depth. Watch Gardner in The Snows of Kilimanjaro.