Classic Hollywood Stars Still With Us

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I'm happy to say 2014 has been a pretty good year for me. I have had a great deal of personal growth happen and happening still, my family is healthy, I rebooted my blog, and so much more. But a part of my year that really has affected me and I haven't spoken about it has been the loss of so many classic film stars.

I know you may think, "Daffny, you didn't know them" but oh, a person knows their favorite film stars like they know their favorite book. You may not know them personally but the characters they played and the way they lived their lives simply just resonates within you.

2014 started out with the passing of Joan Fontaine, then Shirley Temple's passing really shook me up, and most recently the passing of the one you think would live forever, Mickey Rooney. So many others have passed. A generation is leaving us. Thankfully many of that generation (born in the 20's and 30's) left behind great works of art that we can view over and over again. How lucky are we?

What does classic film mean to me? Well, film in general has always been one of my means of escape and entertainment. Reading and writing are my others. Although I have an older brother, I spend a great deal of my pre-teen and teenage years alone. Film and classic television brought me great laughs, great tears, and great joy.

Everyday I am grateful that my grandma had me sit down and watch Gone with the Wind. I mean I thought she was going to torture me with it but instead it changed my life. I had no idea up until that point (having enjoyed mostly 70's and 80's films) that a movie could deliver such a story on such a massive scale and take you on a journey.

Although we are losing many classic film stars and only a small handful of silent film stars are with us still (you can see who HERE), there are quite a few classic film stars still with us in 2014.



Some classic films stars that are with us as of July 2014 are: 

Luise Rainer                                                                                   Shirley MacLaine

Margaret O'Brien                                                                           Olivia de Havilland

Jane Fonda                                                                                     Zsa Zsa Gabor

Faye Dunaway                                                                                Kirk Douglas

Robert Redford                                                                               Maureen O'Hara

Joanne Woodward                                                                           Rhonda Fleming

Sophia Loren                                                                                   Sean Connery

Lauren Bacall                                                                                  Eva Marie Saint

Angela Lansbury                                                                              Jerry Lewis

Ann Blythe                                                                                      Jane Powell

Claire Bloom                                                                                   Dickie Moore

Rita Moreno                                                                                    Angie Dickinson

George Chakiris                                                                               Russ Tamblyn

Richard Beymer                                                                               Tab Hunter

Leslie Caron                                                                                     Mitzi Gaynor

Monica Lewis                                                                                   Debbie Reynolds

Kim Novak                                                                                       Joan Collins

Ann-Margret                                                                                    Shirley Jones

This is just a small amount of classic film actors and actress but if you would like to see more I found a fantastic site that shares up-to-date statuses on classic film stars. You can find it HERE.

I find that there is so much to learn about old Hollywood. It has become a staple in American history that has now spread all over the world. The times that these performers lived in, the way in which they performed, and their lifestyles are all somewhat foreign to stars of today but thankfully not only do we have many with us today and their films but we also have interviews (thanks to Youtube) and loads of autobiographies/biographies.

Who are your favorite classic film stars and why? Is there anyone on this post that you were surprised was still with us?

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4 comments :

  1. Tippi Hendren looks beyond amazing

    retro rover

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  2. That's a really nice reminder, thank you for posting this list. A lot of people don't think of these guys until they've passed, at which point they start talking about how great their movies were and how much they loved them.

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  3. This is great, I love to see all the film stars that are still with us. :)

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  4. You know my dear, I too had a movie that really made a huge impression on me when I was 10 years old, and it literally kick started my love of vintage film. I spent a very large portion of my life growing up with my Grandparents. I adored them and still miss them every day. Back when I was little, there was a tv in the living room. That was it. We didn't have tv's in every room or cable or satellite like there is now. Kid's also did not dictate what was watched. If you wanted to watch tv, you watched what was on or you went and did something else. One evening Grandma and Grandpa decided to watch "The African Queen" with Humphrey Bogart and Kathryn Hepburn. I wasn't thrilled, but didn't have anything else I wanted to do, so I sat and watched. I was HOOKED. To this day, Bogie is still one of my all time favorite movies. I've loved everything he's done. I love the era and everything about it.

    Although there are some good movies today, I still agree with the sentiment, "They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To..."

    Hugs

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