Elsa Lanchester In ‘The Bride Of Frankenstein’ (1935)
It’s unclear where the actress’s ability and the very inventive costumes of the period begin and end in making Elsa Lanchester’s part as The Bride of Frankenstein legendary. Elsa was already a well-known stage actress by 1935, but in this film, Elsa was converted into a monster who would become a standard figure in horror literature in just four minutes. The hairpiece alone is the first of its kind and has been imitated by The Simpsons.
Pier Angeli with James Dean (1954)
Pier Angeli was a stunning young Italian actress who immediately drew the attention of bad boy James Dean. He was captivated with her and dated Pier for a long time until Pier’s parents made it obvious that the marriage could never work since James was not a born and raised Catholic. As a result, the pier was compelled to end his relationship with Dean and later marry another man. Dean was heartbroken for the rest of his life, till his death not long after.
Mamie Van Doren (1959)
In a little-known incident, Mamie Van Doren, a lovely actress, was paired up with notoriously homosexual (but in the closet at the time) Rock Hudson to attend a large award event. She and the insiders for Rock and Mamie understood it was all a ruse, but Mamie was taken aback when, later that evening, after the awards event, Rock returned to Mamie’s residence and tried to put the moves on her. The only thing that stopped him, according to Mamie, was her massively layered skirt.
19-year-old Brigitte Bardot during the Cannes Film Festival (1953)
Brigitte Bardot is an icon in her own right, as the face of a specific aesthetic characterized by cat-eyes, heavy fringe, and French-inspired clothes. Bardot, known as the “sex kitten” of French cinema, carried her wits and adventurous spirit into her actual life, embarking on a complete amorous existence that began with marrying someone twice her age but never truly sowed her oats. Bardot would always be married, but she would also have affairs at the same time.