MOVIE STARS

The 10 female stars who made movie history: the ranking

The American Film Institute has compiled a ranking of the top 100 movie stars, both male and female.

To make the ranking, AFI adopted a chronological criterion: the debut on the movie screen had to be no later than 1950 or, if it was, the actor's career had to be ended permanently, due to his or her death.

The ranking therefore includes the best stars of the last century, who made the history of 20th century cinema.

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The 10 female stars who made film history: the ranking
The American Film Institute has compiled a ranking of the top 100 movie stars, both male and female. To make the ranking, the AFI adopted a chronological criterion: the actresses' debut on the movie screen had to be no later than 1950 or, if it was, their career had to be ended permanently, due to her death. Thus, the ranking includes the best stars of the last century, who made the history of 20th century cinema: here are the top 10 positions.
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10. Joan Crawford (1905-1977)
Joan Crawford began her career with silent films in the 1920s, but achieved great success in the 1930s and 1940s with films such as "Grand Hotel" and "Dancing Lady". In 1946, Joan Crawford won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film "Mildred Pierce".
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9. Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)
A talented actress, but also a singer with a soft and bewitching voice: Marlene Dietrich was one of the earliest film divas, and played in her career mainly the role of the femme fatale.
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8. Judy Garland (1922-1969)
Judy Garland 's film activity began very early with "The Wizard of Oz", in which she introduced the world to the very famous song "Over the Rainbow". During her career she starred in many other films and musicals such as "A Star is Born" in 1954.
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7. Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011)
Elizabeth Taylor is considered the last great diva of the golden era of Hollywood, both for her extraordinary acting skills and for her beauty. During her career, Liz Taylor won two best actress Oscars: in 1961 for BUtterfield 8 and in 1967 for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?". In 1993, the actress also won the Humanitarian Oscar Award Jean Hersholt for her charitable activities, particularly in the fight against AIDS.
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6. Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962)
The quintessential icon of the 20th century: uncommon talent and beauty made Marilyn Monroe the symbol of the last century. In spite of this, Marilyn 's life was by no means easy, ever since her childhood, and, unfortunately, her existence faded away too soon partly because of her frailties.
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5. Greta Garbo (1905-1990)
Born in Stockholm, Greta Garbo was one of the most beloved actresses in the 1920s and 1940s, both in the silent era and with the advent of sound. Her talent was often put in contrast against that of Marlene Dietrich, star of a competing film company. Best known for her performance in "Anna Karenina", Greta Garbo retired from the stage at only 36, at the peak of her success.
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4. Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982)
Ingrid Bergman won two Oscars for best actress for "The Bells of St. Mary's" in 1945 and for "Anastasia" in 1957, also earning an Oscar for best supporting actress in 1975 for the film "Murder on the Orient Express". In the 1950s, the actress had an affair with the Italian director Roberto Rossellini: at the time the news caused a scandal, as both were already married.
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3. Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)
Audrey Hepburn achieved worldwide fame in the 1950s, creating iconic characters through her performances in films such as "Roman Holiday", for which she won the Oscar, and especially "Breakfast at Tiffany's". In the 1970s and 1980s Audrey appeared increasingly rarely on the big screen, devoting herself to humanitarian projects. Indeed, in 1988 the actress was appointed UNICEF ambassador, and from that time until her death she devoted herself assiduously to the rights of the weakest, making trips to the poorest parts of the world.
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2. Bette Davis (1908-1989)
Her unmistakable eyes are iconic, so much so that the song "Bette Davis Eyes", composed and performed by Jackie DeShannon, but brought to success by Kim Carnes in 1981, was also dedicated them. Bette Davis was the first woman to be elected president of the Academy and the first actress in history to achieve a record 10 Oscar nominations, award, which she won twice for best actress: in 1936 for her performance in "Dangerous" and in 1939 for the film "Jezebel".
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1. Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003)
In her long and extraordinary career, spanning more than 60 years, Katharine Hepburn has acted in many different film genres, showcasing all of her talent in every possible way. Over the years, the actress has received no fewer than 12 Oscar nominations in the best actress category, winning it four times, the only performer capable of achieving this prestigious result: for this reason, too, Katharine Hepburn is at the top of the list of the 10 best movie stars according to AFI.
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