The 40 Most Stunningly Beautiful Actresses Before 1960

1. Vivien Leigh

Styled Lady Olivier after 1947, Vivien Leigh was a British actress ranked as the 16th-greatest female movie star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute. Known for her roles in both comedy and classics like Shakespeare, she also gained fame for her portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.

Leigh had a reputation for being difficult to work with, partially due to her struggles with bipolar disorder and chronic tuberculosis, which was first diagnosed in the mid-1940s. Despite this, she was one of the most beautiful actresses of her era, with directors often emphasizing her features on screen.

Leigh once remarked about her beauty, "People think that if you look fairly reasonable, you can’t possibly act, and as I only care about acting, I think beauty can be a great handicap, if you really want to look like the part you’re playing, which isn’t necessarily like you."