Mary Astor

Born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, Astor broke into pictures at age 14 as a beauty contest finalist, having attracted the attention of such Hollywood power players as Paramount chief Jessy Lasky, producer Walter Wanger, and gossip columnist Louella Parsons (who, together, came up with her more marquee-friendly stage name). She made her first silent in 1920, and by 1924, the 18-year-old was romancing John Barrymore on-screen (and off) in such films as 'Beau Brummell' and 'Don Juan.' By 1930, she'd made some 50 silents, but a studio sound test found her voice too deep for talkies. Nonetheless, after some vocal training, her career resumed with such hits as 1932's 'Red Dust,' opposite Clark Gable. A sex scandal in the late 1930s, in which her many affairs with other celebrities became public during her divorce case, failed to derail her career. In 1941, she landed an Oscar-winning role in 'The Great Lie' and played the part for which she is best known today, the femme fatale opposite Humphrey Bogart in 'The Maltese Falcon.' Her movie career continued to flourish throughout the 1940s, with such landmarks as 'The Palm Beach Story,' 'Meet Me in St. Louis,' and 'Little Women.' She retired after 1964's 'Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte,' her 109th movie in a 45-year career.