Top 25 Actors from the 1950s

Whether you agree with the list of top 25 actors from the 1950s is irrelevant. These were the best in the business at the time.

Brigitte Bardot

Let’s put it simply, in the 1950s she was a stone-cold fox. She was a noted sex symbol of the time, and she owned it.

Yul Brynner

If you’ve ever seen a theater production of The King and I then you’ll know that Brynner set a high standard. With a shaved head this guy was an impressive sight.

Montgomery Clift

As one of the first real method actors in Hollywood, it’s fair to think that his name has been lost to many people. But it could be that he rejected several major roles as well.

Susan Hayward

For someone who started out as a fashion model, it was likely expected that she would do great things. The upside is that she did become one of the best actresses of her time.

Debbie Reynolds

Singing in the Rain was one of her best appearances and it helped to cement her stardom. After that, she just never faded away, which fans appreciated.

Eva Marie Saint

She actually started in TV and radio back in the 40s. But she catapulted her career by moving to movies and acting alongside the likes of Marlon Brando.

Gary Cooper

Not too many people made the transition from silent movies to talkies. Despite having a few flops, his name is still synonymous with Hollywood royalty.

Jack Lemmon

Some actors only get better as they get older, and Lemmon was one of them. Alongside Walter Matthau, he created a couple of movies that were perfect for the time and are still iconic today.

Frank Sinatra

It’s fair to say that Ol’ Blue Eyes is going to be remembered more for his voice than his acting chops. But he wasn’t too bad when placed in front of the camera.

Dorothy Dandridge

Some might not remember her as easily, but she was on par with actresses such as Grace Kelly. She actually started in the movies back in the 30s.

Natalie Wood

She was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 16, but her greatest heights were reached in the 60s. Still, she was one of the more talked-about individuals in the 50s.

Jerry Lewis

It takes a lot to tarnish the reputation of some actors, but that happened to Lewis in 2022. In his heyday though, he was the type of guy that people lined up to see.

Dean Martin

He was the lady’s man and the guy that people considered the king of cool. While he saw a lot of success with Jerry Lewis, he kept going after they parted ways.

Cary Grant

It’s interesting to realize that he was in a slump in the 50s after so much success. But the 50s did see a big resurgence in his career.

Ingrid Bergman

The 50s was a great decade for Bergman, even if it started with a scandal. Later on in the decade she came back and rocked the house.

Elizabeth Taylor

Once she became an adult in the 50s, Taylor went on to even greater fame as there was more that she could do. She had to take on projects that she didn’t always believe in, but she was still amazing.

Rock Hudson

Rock hit a high note in the 50s that lasted until the following decade. Eventually, he went on to TV fame until he passed away in the 80s.

James Dean

The rebel and the guy everyone wanted to be like, Dean was the type of actor who was meant to be famous. He’s still been cemented as an immortal in Hollywood since other actors have taken after his example.

Clark Gable

Gone with Wind was good to Gable, and it helped him coast into the 50s. He didn’t stick around since he was gone by 1960, but his name still means a lot to Tinseltown.

Grace Kelly

She was a star, that’s all that needed to be said. But taking a strong look at her career, and her marriage to a prince makes it clear that she was a lot more than that.

Audrey Hepburn

The word ‘iconic’ gets thrown around a lot, but it’s worth it at times for some people. She went on to be even more famous in the 60s, but this decade was very good for her.

John Wayne

Just uttering his name around some people is enough to make them beam with pride. He was a man’s man on film, that much is obvious.

Charleton Heston

The first version of Dark City was Heston’s work, but most remember other movies that made him admirable. He had his hits and misses, but he was an icon, that much is certain.

Marlon Brando

Before The Godfather, when he was much younger, Brando was still a rising star and someone that a lot of people today might not have recognized. But even back then, he had an aura that was tough to deny.

James Stewart

Not a lot of stars can rise playing the simple and down-to-earth person. Stewart could, and he did, and he’s remembered fondly for it.