Category: Classic Beauty

She was so beautiful, she could easily have had a modeling career.

But she didn’t do that, did she?  Instead, she gave us this:

And oh yeah, her color shots were also quite interesting:

She turned 80 this year…

Exquisite, at any age.

To many people born since, say, 1970, Shirley Ross would generate a “Who?” reaction.  But to fans of 1930s-era Hollywood musicals, Shirley Ross would not be unknown at all.  Here she is:

Now let’s see her in action, together with her more well-known co-star (perhaps one of the most poignant “break-up” songs ever performed on screen).  And in earlier, happier times (first video only).

Now can you see why she was so popular?

Like our Beauty from two weeks back, Ruby Keeler was born in Canuckistan and whose family moved to the U.S. when she was still at an early age.  Speaking of early ages, she got her first stage role at age 13 (lying that she was 16), and never looked back.  She married Al Jolson at age 19, divorced him at age 31, married another guy at age 32 and retired from Hollywood later that year to raise her family.

Dancer’s legs, pretty face, extraordinary talent and a devoted mom.  Nothing wrong there.

Loyal Readers may remember Maria Grazia Cucinotta as my companion to take on a leisurely drive along the Mille Miglia course.  So it should come as little surprise that this post should feature her as a modern classic beauty:

You may remember her as Tony’s Dream Girl in The Sopranos:

Of course, the fact that at age 55+ she’s still gorgeous doesn’t affect a thing:

Magnifica.

What kind of woman would sing songs with titles like these?

“It’s All Been Done Before, but Not the Way I Do It”
“I Want Someone to Go Wild with Me”
“Go as Far as You Like” and
“That’s Why They Call Me Tabasco”

Okay, now let me change the question slightly.

What kind of woman would sing songs with titles like these, in the early 20th century?

There’s only one, and not for nothing was Eva Tanguay known as “The Queen Of Burlesque” — or, as she modestly titled herself, “The Girl Who Made Burlesque Famous”.  (Follow the link first, for some shocked laughter.)

(that’s the infamous “penny” dress)

Well, I would have bought a ticket to see her on stage.  I think she’s magnificent.

Rosalind Russell was one of those impossibly-beautiful and classy women of Hollywood’s Golden Era.  When I first started putting this piece together, though, I couldn’t remember if I’d ever seen her in a movie.  But as I looked at her pics, it all came back to me:  His Girl Friday with Cary Grant, Mourning Becomes Electra with Michael Redgrave, and of course The Women — where she more than held her own against such divas as Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Ruth Hussey and Joan Fontaine.  (All three movies come highly recommended, if you haven’t seen any of them before.)

And then there was that beauty and class:

I think I’m going to look for some of her other movies to watch, and marvel.