In 1999 the AFI (American Film Insitute) listed their top 50 greatest screen legends in American film history, included 25 male and 25 female stars. The AFI defined an “American screen legend” as an actor or a team of actors during the classic film era with a significant screen presence in American feature-length films whose screen debut occurred in or before 1950, or whose screen debut occurred after 1950 but whose death has marked a completed body of work. It has been almost 20 years since that list…and we here at UMR.com thought it was time to revisit that list….only this time…looking at the stars that came after 1950. Due to space concerns…we have decided to have an actor page and an actress page. We call this one our UMR Screen Legends 1950-2010 Actresses page.
To be considered for our Top 50, an actor/actress needed to become a star between 1950 and 2010. This is different than the rules the AFI used for their list. Our rule would take 4 stars off AFI’s “Classic” list and put them in these more logical time frame list. Those four actresses are Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. That would leave 4 spots on the AFI list….and we think Myrna Loy, Irene Dunne, Olivia de Havilland and Deborah Kerr would make excellent and more logical replacements since all 4 of these classic actresses were stars well before 1950.
Factors we used in determining our Top 50 included: (1) Box office success – namely the number of $100 million adjusted domestic gross movies. (2) Critical & audience approval – namely the number of movies that were above a 60% approval rating. (3) The amount of times they appeared on the yearly Quigley’s Top Stars list. (4) Oscar® love. Including personal nominations and wins and times they starred in a Best Picture Oscar® nominated movie. (5) Cultural…very subjective…but needed in picking these stars.
The following actresses were given serious consideration…but in the end they fell just a little bit short: Ann-Margret, Drew Barrymore, Candice Bergman, Halle Berry, Karen Black, Ellen Burstyn, Jill Clayburgh, Glenn Close, Catherine Deneuve, Cameron Diaz, Sandra Dee, Whoopi Goldberg, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt, Glenda Jackson, Nicole Kidman, Ali MacGraw, Liza Minnelli, Demi Moore, Geraldine Page, Vanessa Redgrave, Debbie Reynolds, Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith, Sissy Spacek, Liv Ullman, Sigourney Weaver, Raquel Welch, Tuesday Weld, Debra Winger, Joanne Woodward. But enough exposition…let’s take a look at our Top 25 Actresses 1950-2010.
25th place Charlize Theron (1975-) Box Office highlights: Theron has starred in 6 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 2 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 14 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Theron has received 2 acting Oscar® nominations…winning a Best Actress Oscar® for Monster. She has starred in 2 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination. Overall she starred in 8 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 2 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Monster, Mad Max: Fury Road, Hancock, The Cider House Rules , North Country, The Devil’s Advocate Our thoughts: Her incredible performance in Monster is probably enough to get her on this list…..but she has 20 years of being a star to go along with that movie.
24th place Goldie Hawn (1937-) Box Office highlights: Hawn has starred in 11 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 2 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has 11 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Hawn has received 2 acting Oscar® nominations…winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for Cactus Flower. She has had 8 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 4 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Cactus Flower, Sugarland Express, Shamphoo, Foul Play, Private Benjamin, Overboard, Death Becomes Her Our thoughts: Goldie was America’s sweetheart for over 20 years.
23rd place Anne Bancroft (1931-2005) Box Office highlights: Bancroft starred in 5 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Her Graduate is still the 22nd biggest hit of all-time. Critic and audience highlights: She had 19 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Bancroft was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar® 5 times…she won for The Miracle Worker. She starred in 3 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination. Overall she had 8 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 2 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Graduate, The Miracle Worker, The Elephant Man, The Turning Point, Agnes of God Our thoughts: Mrs. Robinson had to be on the list. One of our favorite actresses in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
22nd place Susan Sarandon (1946-) Box Office highlights: Sarandon has starred in 12 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She has 36 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Sarandon has been nominated for 5 Best Actress Oscar® winning for Dead Man Walking. She has starred in 16 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 2 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Atlantic City, Thelma and Louise, Dead Man Walking, Bull Durham, The Witches of Eastwick Our thoughts: Since 1970 Sarandon has been starring in quality movie after quality. Not many actresses have been a star for almost 50 years!
21st place Julie Christie (1941-) Box Office highlights: Christie starred in 5 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She has had 19 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Christie was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar® 4 times….she won for Darling. She starred in 4 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination. Overall she has had 10 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Doctor Zhivago, Darling, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Heaven Can Wait, Away From Her, Don’t Look Now Our thoughts: From the mid 1960s to the late 1970s she was one of the most popular actresses working. Returned to form in Away From Her…which got her another Oscar® nomination.
20th place Angelina Jolie (1968-) Box Office highlights: Jolie has starred in 13 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 3 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has had 15 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Jolie has been nominated for a 2 acting Oscars® …she won Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted. She has starred in 10 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 1 movie winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Girl, Interrupted, Tomb Raider, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Maleficent, Salt, Changeling Our thoughts: So far her movie career has been hit and miss….but her cultural impact is incredible. A movie star without a doubt.
19th place Natalie Wood (1938-1983) Box Office highlights: Wood starred in 17 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She had 26 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Wood received 3 acting Oscar® nominations. She starred in 2 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination….West Side Story won. Overall she had 18 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 4 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Searchers, West Side Story, Love with the Proper Stranger, Miracle on 34th Street, Gypsy, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Inside Daisy Clover Our thoughts: As a child actress, Wood appeared in many movies in the 1940s. It was not until she got older that she become a star….which was in the mid 1950s and early 1960s.
18th place Faye Dunaway (1941-) Box Office highlights: Dunaway has starred in 11 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She has had 20 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Dunaway has received 3 acting Oscar® nominations…she won Best Actress for Network. She has starred in 4 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination. Overall he has had 11 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Bonnie and Clyde, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Towering Inferno, Chinatown, Network, Mommie Dearest, Three Days of the Condor Our thoughts: From 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde to 1976’s Network…she was the Queen of Hollywood.
17th place Kate Winslet (1975-) Box Office highlights: Winslet has starred in 3 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office….with her Titanic being one of the biggest box office hits of all-time. Critic and audience highlights: She has 18 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Winslet has received 7 acting Oscar® nominations…she won for The Reader. She has starred in 4 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination..Titanic won. Overall she has had 12 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 6 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Heavenly Creatures, Titanic, The Reader, Sense and Sensibility, Finding Neverland, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Steve Jobs, Iris. Our thoughts: Winslet Is the 3rd youngest actress (at age 40) to have received 7 Academy Award® nominations, behind Bette Davis (age 36) and Meryl Streep (age 38)….that is good company to keep!
16th place Sophia Loren (1934-) Box Office highlights: Loren starred in 4 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 15 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Loren received 2 acting Oscar® nomination…she won a Best Actress Oscar® for Two Women. She also received an Honorary Oscar® in 1991. She starred in 9 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 3 movie winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: El Cid, Two Women, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Houseboat, Arabesque, & Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Our thoughts: One of the few movie stars that had a better career overseas than in Hollywood. Loren is listed as an AFI classic screen legend….but her inclusion in this list seems more logical.
15th place Jodie Foster (1962-) Box Office highlights: Foster has starred in 10 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 2 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 23 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Fosters has received 4 acting Oscar® nominations…winning twice….The Accused and Silence of the Lambs. She has starred in 2 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination…Silence of the Lambs won. Overall she has starred in 11 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 3 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Taxi Driver, The Accused, Silence of the Lambs, Nell, Contact, Inside Man, Freaky Friday, Maverick Our thoughts: Foster is one of the few successful child stars to achieve even greater fame as an adult actress. 40 years today she was making Taxi Driver…..40 years ago!
14th place Cate Blanchett (1936-) Box Office highlights: Blanchett has starred in 7 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 25 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Blanchett has received 6 acting Oscar® nominations…she won twice: The Aviator & Blue Jasmine. Overall she has starred in 13 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 6 winning movies at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Aviator, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Aviator, Blue Jasmine, Carol, The Talented Mr. Ripley , Babel, Elizabeth Our thoughts: Blanchett is quickly becoming the Katharine Hepburn of this era….which is fitting….because she won her first Oscar® playing Hepburn in The Aviator.
13th place Sally Field (1946-) Box Office highlights: Field has starred in 14 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 2 times. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 17 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Fields has received 3 acting Oscar® nominations…winning two Best Actress Oscars®. She won for Norma Rae & Places in the Hearts. Overall she starred in 11 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Norma Rae, Smokey and the Bandit, Places in the Heart, Lincoln, Mrs. Doubtfire, Forrest Gump, Absence of Malice, Murphy’s Romance, Punchline Our thoughts: Yes we really like Sally Field….yes we do!
12th place Sandra Bullock (1964-) Box Office highlights: Bullock has starred in 13 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 7 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 11 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Bullock has received 2 acting Oscar® nominations…winning Best Actress for The Blind Side. She has starred in 4 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination…Crash won. Overall she has starred in 5 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 4 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Speed , The Blind Side, Gravity, Crash, A Time to Kill, While You Were Sleeping, Miss Congeniality Our thoughts: When Bullock was younger her movies were box office successes but critical failures. As her career has aged her movies have received more critical praise….all the while…maintaining their box office glory.
11th place Diane Keaton (1946-) Box Office highlights: Keaton has starred in 13 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 2 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 25 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Keaton has received 4 acting Oscar® nominations….winning a Best Actress Oscar for Annie Hall. She has starred in 5 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination…The Godfather, The Godfather Part II & Annie Hall won. Overall she has starred in 15 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Godfather, Annie Hall, Play It Again Sam, Something’s Gotta Give, Reds, Sleeper, Father of the Bride Our thoughts: Diane Keaton has been a movie star for almost 50 years now. That sentence alone gets her a spot on our Top 10.
10th place Barbra Streisand (1942-) Box Office highlights: Streisand has starred in 13 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 10 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 9 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Streisand received 2 acting Oscar® nominations…winning a Best Actress Oscar® for Funny Girl. She has starred in 3 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination. Overall she has starred in 8 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Funny Girl, What’s Up Doc, The Way We Were, A Star Was Born, Yentl, The Mirror Has Two Faces Our thoughts: When looking at average adjusted domestic box office….not a single actress has a better average than Barbra Streisand’s $206.2 million per movie. That is actually only a little behind Harrison Ford’s average.
9th place Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) Box Office highlights: Monroe starred in 8 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 19 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Monroe is the only actress that did not receive an acting Oscar® nomination. She did star in 7 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 2 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Seven Year Itch, Monkey Business, Some Like It Hot,There’s No Business Like Show Business, How To Marry A Millionaire, Bus Stop, The Misfits Our thoughts: The power of Marilyn Monroe….over 50 years after her death….she is still one of the best known actresses. Yet another AFI selection….that makes more sense on this page.
8th place Jane Fonda (1937-) Box Office highlights: Fonda has starred in 16 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 5 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 28 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Fonda has 7 acting nominations…winning two Best Actress Oscar®: Klute & Coming Home. Overall she has starred in 16 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 7 movies winning at least one Oscar®. 3 of her movies received a Best Picture Oscar® nomination. UMR Must See Movies: 9 to 5, Klute, On Golden Pond, The China Syndrome, Cat Ballou, Coming Home, Barbarella Our thoughts: Henry’s baby girl made dad proud. Got a Golden Globe® nomination last year for Youth. Another Oscar® nomination coming?
7th place Grace Kelly (1929-1982) Box Office highlights: Kelly starred in 8 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 10 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Kelly received 2 acting Oscar® nomination…she won a Best Actress Oscar® for The Country Girl. She starred in 8 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 4 movie winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: High Noon, Dial M For Murder, The Country Girl, To Catch A Thief, Rear Window, High Society, Mogambo Our thoughts: Her movie career only lasted a little over 5 years….but….she left an awesome collection of movies. A movie princess that became a real princess. Another classic AFI pick that actually fits in better with this group of actresses.
6th place Shirley MacLaine (1934-) Box Office highlights: MacLaine has starred in 12 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 1 time. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 29 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: MacLaine has received 6 acting Oscar® nominations….winning a Best Actress Oscar® for Terms of Endearment. She has starred in 4 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination….3 won: Around The World In Eighty Days, The Apartment & Terms of Endearment. Overall she starred in 18 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Around The World In Eighty Days, The Apartment, Terms of Endearment, The Trouble With Harry, Irma La Douce, Some Came Running, Guarding Tess,Steel Magnolias Our thoughts: Not thinking many people can say they were discovered by Alfred Hitchcock and used to hang out with the Rat Pack…but Shirley MacLaine can. Her first movie was in 1955….61 years later and she is still going strong….she has 5…yes 5 projects in different stages of production listed on IMDb.
5th place Doris Day (1924-) Box Office highlights: Day starred in 20 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 10 times. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 28 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Day received 1 Best Actress Oscar® nomination…Pillow Talk. Overall she starred in 13 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 4 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Love Me Or Leave Me, Pillow Talk, Move Over Darling, Send Me No Flowers, Calamity Jane, Romance on the High Seas , The Man Who Knew Too Much, Lover Come Back Our thoughts: Doris Day was the Top star of Hollywood 4 out of 5 years: 1960, 1962, 1963 & 1964….no other actress can make that claim. Heck only Bing Crosby and Burt Reynolds can top that stat when looking at actors.
4th place Julie Andrews (1935-) Box Office highlights: Andrews starred in 13 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 4 times. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 19 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Andrews received 3 acting Oscar® nominations…she won a Best Actress Oscar for Mary Poppins. She has starred in 2 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination…The Sound of Music won. Overall she starred in 12 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 4 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria, 10, S.O.B, Throughly Modern Millie, The Princess Diaries, Star!, Our thoughts: Andrew’s back to back roles in Mary Poppins & The Sound of Music made her a screen legend for life.
3rd place Julia Roberts (1967-) Box Office highlights: Roberts has starred in 17 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She was named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 11 times. Critic and audience highlights: She has starred in 16 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Roberts has 3 acting Oscar® nomination…winning a Best Actress Oscar for Erin Brockovich. Overall she has starred in 10 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 1 movie winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Pretty Woman, Steel Magnolias, Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven, Notting Hill, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Pelican Brief Our thoughts: She has it all…..beauty and talent…..box office success…..Oscar® love…a true movie star!
2nd place Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) Box Office highlights: Hepburn starred in 7 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 18 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Hepburn received 5 acting Oscar® nomination…she won a Best Actress Oscar® for Roman Holiday. She also received an Honorary Oscar® in 1993. She starred in 12 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 5 movie winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: Roman Holiday, Charade, My Fair Lady, Wait Until Dark, How To Steal A Million, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany’s Our thoughts: One of the greatest screen personas in the history of movies.
1st place Meryl Streep (1949-) Box Office highlights: Streep has starred in 14 movies that grossed over $100 million in adjusted box office. She has been named as one of Quigley’s Top Box Office Stars 4 times. Critic and audience highlights: She starred in 38 movies with a 60% or higher rating. Oscar® love: Streep has received a record 19 acting Oscar® nominations…she has won 3 times: Kramer vs Kramer, Sophie’s Choice & The Iron Lady. She has starred in 5 movies that earned a Best Picture nomination…3 won: The Deer Hunter, Kramer vs Kramer & Out of Africa. Overall she starred in 27 movies that got at least one Oscar® nomination….with 10 movies winning at least one Oscar®. UMR Must See Movies: The Deer Hunter, Kramer vs Kramer, Out Of Africa, The Devil Wears Prada , Sophie’s Choice, Death Becomes Her, Silkwood, Julie & Julia Our thoughts: Her 19 Oscar® nominations are incredible. Probably the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)…but we are sure some Katharine Hepburn fans could make strong argument too. Easily our pick to be ranked in the Top Spot.
So what do you think of our rankings? Look good? Think we are crazy? Left somebody out? Look forward to some feedback.
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This list is ridiculous.
Ridiculous maybe….but it was fun to do. Just curious which selections or omissions makes you think it was ridiculous?
Excuse me, but two Oscars would qualify any of the aforementioned to be considered all time greats. Lange and Smith are still acting and winning awards, more than can be said for several of those on your list.
When we were not including some of the AFI greats that do not make much sense being in the pre1950 group …Monroe, Kelly, Loren, & Kelly…Maggie Smith had the 25th spot. As for Lange she got strong consideration…but also fell a little short. Of the 25 actresses…22 are Oscar winners…only Natalie Wood, Marilyn Monroe and Doris Day are not.
I do agree that after the Top 15….I think you could argue for omission or addition on 30 actresses for those final 10 spots. Thanks for the feedback…..it is greatly appreciated.
This list is shocking because of the omissions. Very strange when multiple Oscar winners don’t make the list.
AFI listed the classic actresses….this was actresses that became stars after 1950. Glenda Jackson, Hilary Swank, Maggie Smith (she almost made it), Jessica Lange were considered but hard to say any of those actresses were superstar actresses.
Hi
I knew that your list of women would be more, let’s say, controversial. As always, somebody slips through the net. Notably, Doris Day, box office queen and most certainly cultural icon. I think part of the problem is your timeline. I would have went from the 1960’s onwards, rather than the 1950s. At least half of the 50s could be considered part of the Golden Years of Hollywood. By the end of the decade, the studio system had changed and many of the big names were on their way out.
Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, without a doubt icons, and deserve to be on any list, but they really belong in the AFI list.
I suppose Sophie Loren is different as her success was international, not just Hollywood.
But getting down to your list, some wonderful names, Natalie Wood was absolutely enchanting. I think by the 60s, she really came into her own, I really liked her in Gypsy.
I adore Diane Keaton, her finest hour was Annie Hall. I think every guy around wanted her as a girlfriend.
Anne Bancroft was incredible in The Graduate, and she was fantastic in Garbo Talks and To Be or Not to Be and The Pumpkin Eater.
And of course Miss Streep, number one. I sometimes think Meryl Streep has an angel on her shoulder, either that or sold her soul to the devil, because her success has been unprecedented in the history of movies. She’s been on the screen for nearly 40 years, since 1977 and has 19 Oscar nominations. Admittedly some didn’t do well at the box office but she always gave a superb performance. And in the last 10 years, she has had a free run, all her major competitors like Sally Fields, Diane Keaton, Jessica Lang have either slowed down, retired or gone to T.V.
If you’re talking about achievements in acting, I suppose the only person coming close would be Glenn Close, 6 nominations, 3 Tony Awards and 2 Emmy’s. And she’s not even on the list. She’s currently appearing in London in Sunset Boulevard, getting rave reviews. Rumour has it that they’re going to make a film and she’s currently favourite to get the part of Norma Desmond. But Streep of course, can sing and she’s a bigger box office name so no doubt, her name is in the ring.
Anyway, great page, fascinating reading. .
Hey Chris. Damn I really really screwed up. I did this list about 10 times…and every time Doris Day was in the Top 5. On the 10th list….I included 4 actress that were on the AFI classic list….when I redid the list….I must have left off Doris Day. Man this page drove me crazy….over the years I have made plenty of mistakes on these pages….but this might be the biggest one yet. Bad news for somebody….because they are about to get bumped. When I was reading your comment…I was like….”What is he talking about Day is in the Top 5?” But nope…..she is not even on the list.
Hey Chris
1. By the time you when and if read this comment you will see that not only is Doris Day on the page….but that is pretty highly ranked on the page. For further detail see other comment.
2. When you look at Loren’s movies….all of her great movies where made away from Hollywood. Not thinking any other legend can make that claim.
3. Keaton is awesome….and she will soon have her very own UMR Page….probably the next one I do…as now I have 4 of these actresses that need a UMR Page…Keaton, Bancroft, Field and Dunaway.
4. Bancroft was very underrated….The Miracle Worker is easily my favorite Bancroft movie…..though The Graduate is pretty impressive too.
5. Streep actually became a box office star too…granted it was a short period of time but for awhile in the 2000-2010s she started appearing in big hits too….seems those days are already behind her.
6. I looked at Close…..I should probably add her into the honorable mention category.
7. Interesting about Close and Sunset Boulevard…..with Close or Streep they would both be movies to check out.
Thanks for your comment…..even if means I have to go back and redo the whole page…..lol. I am doing a page…that uses a table….and it will list the 50 AFI and 50 UMR stars….currently I think it looks interesting and surprising. Stay tuned.
Hey Chris….you will be happy to know Doris Day is on the page…and has a place in the Top 5. Although was bad news for an actress that is no longer on the list. an I also included Glenn Close in the honorable mention section. I did do some research on Close….30 movies….7 $100 million dollar movies….3 Best Picture Oscar nominated movies….6 Oscar acting nominations…15 movies with at least a 60% rating. She has had an awesome career.
This was my first list…please note where Day was listed.
#1 M. Streep
#2 D. Day
#3 B. Streisand
#4 J. Andrews
#5 J. Roberts
#6 J. Fonda
#7 S. MacLaine
#8 S. Bullock
#9 D. Keaton
#10 C. Blanchett
#11 S. Field
#12 K. Winslet
#13 D. Reynolds
#14 J. Foster
#15 G. Hawn
#16 A. Jolie
#17 S Sarandon
#18 J. Christie
#19 C. Theron
#20 H. Berry
#21 N. Kidman
#22 A. Bancroft
#23 J. Lawrence
#24 A. Hathaway
#25 M. Smith
Well, Doris Day favourites:
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Her films with Rock Hudson
And, well, you know I love Doris.
Hey Flora…thanks for your Doris Day favorites…hard to believe I left her off the list. Boy did I make so many mistakes on this page. And the weird thing is I spent so much time working on it.
Yes Doris Day should be number 1 or 2. She was the best and could do anything. You left her movies feel great!!
Hi
Thanks for the amendments, nobody’s perfect haha. But sorry for Debbie, but as Doris says, Move over Darling.
Not to be nitpicking but what about Hilary Swank? 2 time Oscar winner.
Natalie Wood was Hollywood’s most BEAUTIFUL brunette, no doubt about it, from her debut in “Miracle on 34th Street” , she was absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been collecting pics of her forever.
I agree with you 100%. I imagine you have an awesome collection of Natalie Wood photos.
I’m really sorry to say that most of them got lost , moving..from Charleston, I have a few left. I used to write to the studios as a teen & they wld send me pics, I had 2 that were signed w a ballpoint pen. Authentic. Makes me sick that most of them got lost, had a boxful. Natalie was a great actress & she was, (just like me) terrified of deep water, STILL don’t think she willingly jumped in, do you?
Hey Linda Caylor. That is sad about your box of photos that got lost. I have the same memory about a John Wayne autographed photo that went missing from my youth as well. As for your question….no way she willingly jumped in….but I can see under the influence of alcohol her accidentally falling in. A mystery that will never get solved.
Another good read Bruce me lad. Sadly I seemed to have missed the ‘bloopers’ on the page going by the comments, you’ve corrected them already. Now I’ve got nothing to shake my head and complain about. 😉
Kidding. There’s always something to shake my head and complain about. Let’s start with… no I’m joshing that’s a pretty good list, Streep at no.1 no surprises there but I prefer Cate Blanchett, younger and prettier than Streep and a fabulous actress too.
I must have posted more photos of Angelina Jolie on my movie forum than any other actress so I’m glad you haven’t forgotten to include her here. Marilyn Monroe is another favorite and arguably the most famous and iconic actress on this list.
Actresses I wouldn’t have included on this list are Julie Andrews, Natalie Wood, Debbie Reynolds and Goldie Hawn, attractive, bubbly actresses famous for being in 2 maybe 3 popular movies. But then you have to make it 25 actresses and you’ve ruled out one of the greatest, Elizabeth Taylor. Deborah Kerr? Jean Simmons? Michelle Pfeiffer? Sigourney Weaver?
Another winner Bruce. Voted Up.
Hey Steve.
1. Thanks for the nice words about the page.
2. Yes you missed some good bloopers….and some really confusing ones. But damn it I got the pronouns right!….lol.
3. Not think Blanchett will catch Streep in nominations…but in the end she might catch and pass her in Oscar wins….she trails 19 to 6 in nominations…but only 3 to 2 in Oscars.
4. Jolie got on the list for her cultural impact….her movie career is actually not too impressive…it has gotten better on the last 5 or 6 years….but for awhile her career was really underwhelming.
5. Andrews and Wood not on the list really? Andrews was one of the first ones that came into my mind….Mary Poppins and Sound of Music are still popular today. Reynolds and Hawn….I can see arguments against.
6. Taylor is on the AFI list…..I did not really consider Simmons….Pfeiffer and Weaver were considered but quickly dismissed. That leaves Deborah Kerr….I actually just finished her UMR page….and she has some great numbers….seems she should be on the AFI list….thinking when I combine these two Top 50 stars list…Kerr is going to join Loy, Dunn and either Grable or O’Hara on the AFI list.
As always thanks for sharing your movie thoughts.