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AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars facts for kids

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AFI 100 Years... series
1998 100 Movies
1999 100 Stars
2000 100 Laughs
2001 100 Thrills
2002 100 Passions
2003 100 Heroes & Villains
2004 100 Songs
2005 100 Movie Quotes
2005 25 Scores
2006 100 Cheers
2006 25 Musicals
2007 100 Movies (Updated)
2008 AFI's 10 Top 10

AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars is a special list created by the American Film Institute. It ranks the top 25 male and 25 female movie stars from American film history. This list is the second one in the AFI 100 Years... series.

The list was first shown on a TV show on June 15, 1999. Shirley Temple, a famous actress who is also on the list, hosted the show. Fifty actors from that time helped present the awards.

A "screen legend" is defined by AFI as an actor who had a big impact in American movies that were 40 minutes or longer. Their first movie had to be made by 1950, or if they started after 1950, their career had to be finished (meaning they had passed away). This means the list mostly celebrates actors from the classic Hollywood era. Experts chose the final 50 stars from a much larger list of 250 male and 250 female nominees.

Most of the male stars (21 of them) were born in the United States. The others were Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier, and Cary Grant, who were born in the United Kingdom. Edward G. Robinson was born in Romania.

For the female stars, 16 were born in the United States. The other nine came from different countries: Vivien Leigh from India, Elizabeth Taylor from the United Kingdom, Audrey Hepburn from Belgium, Mary Pickford from Canada, Marlene Dietrich from Germany, Sophia Loren from Italy, Claudette Colbert from France, and Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo from Sweden.

When the list was first made, several stars were still alive. These included Gregory Peck, Katharine Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley Temple, Lauren Bacall, Kirk Douglas, and Sidney Poitier. All of them have since passed away. Today, Sophia Loren is the only star from both lists who is still living.

Discover the Top 50 Movie Stars

This section shows the top 25 male and top 25 female screen legends. You'll see their names, when they lived, a picture, and some of their most famous movies. It also mentions if they won an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar).

No. Male Legends Female Legends
1 Bogart, HumphreyHumphrey Bogart

(1899–1957)

Humphrey Bogart 1940.jpg Famous for:

Casablanca (1942) The Maltese Falcon (1941) The African Queen (1951) He won an Oscar for The African Queen.

Hepburn, KatharineKatharine Hepburn

(1907–2003)

Katharine Hepburn promo pic.jpg Famous for:

The Philadelphia Story (1940) The African Queen (1951) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) She won four Oscars, including for Morning Glory and On Golden Pond.

2 Grant, CaryCary Grant

(1904–1986)

Grant, Cary (Suspicion) 01 Crisco edit.jpg Famous for:

Bringing Up Baby (1938) His Girl Friday (1940) North by Northwest (1959) He received an honorary Oscar in 1969.

Davis, BetteBette Davis

(1908–1989)

Jezebel-1938-Bette-Davis-cropped.jpg Famous for:

Jezebel (1938) Dark Victory (1939) All About Eve (1950) She won two Oscars, for Dangerous and Jezebel.

3 Stewart, JamesJames Stewart

(1908–1997)

Annex - Stewart, James (Call Northside 777) 01.jpg Famous for:

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Vertigo (1958) He won an Oscar for The Philadelphia Story.

Hepburn, AudreyAudrey Hepburn

(1929–1993)

Audrey Hepburn 1959.jpg Famous for:

Roman Holiday (1953) Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) My Fair Lady (1964) She won an Oscar for Roman Holiday.

4 Brando, MarlonMarlon Brando

(1924–2004)

Marlon Brando in The Men.jpg Famous for:

On the Waterfront (1954) The Godfather (1972) Apocalypse Now (1979) He won two Oscars, for On the Waterfront and The Godfather.

Bergman, IngridIngrid Bergman

(1915–1982)

Ingrid Bergman, Gaslight 1944.jpg Famous for:

Casablanca (1942) Gaslight (1944) Murder on the Orient Express (1974) She won three Oscars, including for Gaslight and Anastasia.

5 Astaire, FredFred Astaire

(1899–1987)

Astaire, Fred - Never Get Rich.jpg Famous for:

Dancing in movies with Ginger Rogers, like Top Hat (1935) Swing Time (1936) Easter Parade (1948) He received an honorary Oscar in 1949.

Garbo, GretaGreta Garbo

(1905–1990)

Garbo in Inspiration.jpg Famous for:

Grand Hotel (1932) Queen Christina (1933) Ninotchka (1939) She received an honorary Oscar in 1954.

6 Fonda, HenryHenry Fonda

(1905–1982)

Henry Fonda, 1940.jpg Famous for:

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) 12 Angry Men (1957) On Golden Pond (1981) He won an Oscar for On Golden Pond.

Monroe, MarilynMarilyn Monroe

(1926–1962)

Monroe 1953 publicity.jpg Famous for:

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) The Seven Year Itch (1955) Some Like It Hot (1959)

7 Gable, ClarkClark Gable

(1901–1960)

Clark Gable - publicity.JPG Famous for:

It Happened One Night (1934) Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Gone with the Wind (1939) He won an Oscar for It Happened One Night.

Taylor, Dame ElizabethDame Elizabeth Taylor

(1932–2011)

Studio publicity Elizabeth Taylor.jpg Famous for:

National Velvet (1944) Cleopatra (1963) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) She won two Oscars, for BUtterfield 8 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

8 Cagney, JamesJames Cagney

(1899–1986)

James cagney promo photo.jpg Famous for:

The Public Enemy (1931) Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) He won an Oscar for Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Garland, JudyJudy Garland

(1922–1969)

Judy Garland 1943 publicity photo.jpg Famous for:

The Wizard of Oz (1939) Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) A Star Is Born (1954) She received a special Oscar for young performers in 1939.

9 Tracy, SpencerSpencer Tracy

(1900–1967)

Spencer Tracy.jpg Famous for:

Captains Courageous (1937) Boys Town (1938) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) He won two Oscars, for Captains Courageous and Boys Town.

Dietrich, MarleneMarlene Dietrich

(1901–1992)

Marlene Dietrich in No Highway (1951) (Cropped).png Famous for:

The Blue Angel (1930) Shanghai Express (1932) Destry Rides Again (1939)

10 Chaplin, CharlieCharlie Chaplin

(1889–1977)

Charlie Chaplin portrait.jpg Famous for:

His character The Tramp Silent films like The Gold Rush (1925) and City Lights (1931) Modern Times (1936) He received several honorary Oscars.

Crawford, JoanJoan Crawford

(190? – 1977)

Joan Crawford - 1936 - Hurrell.JPG Famous for:

Grand Hotel (1932) The Women (1939) Mildred Pierce (1945) She won an Oscar for Mildred Pierce.

11 Cooper, GaryGary Cooper

(1901–1961)

Gary Cooper 1936.jpg Famous for:

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) Sergeant York (1941) High Noon (1952) He won two Oscars, for Sergeant York and High Noon.

Stanwyck, BarbaraBarbara Stanwyck

(1907–1990)

BarbaraS39.jpg Famous for:

The Lady Eve (1941) Double Indemnity (1944) Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) She received an honorary Oscar in 1981.

12 Peck, GregoryGregory Peck

(1916–2003)

Gregory Peck 1948.jpg Famous for:

Spellbound (1945) The Guns of Navarone (1961) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) He won an Oscar for To Kill a Mockingbird.

Colbert, ClaudetteClaudette Colbert

(1903–1996)

Claudette Colbert 1931.jpg Famous for:

It Happened One Night (1934) Cleopatra (1934) Since You Went Away (1944) She won an Oscar for It Happened One Night.

13 Wayne, JohnJohn Wayne

(1907–1979)

John Wayne 1940.jpg Famous for:

Westerns like Stagecoach (1939) The Searchers (1956) True Grit (1969) He won an Oscar for True Grit.

Kelly, GraceGrace Kelly

(1929–1982)

Grace Kelly 1955.jpg Famous for:

High Noon (1952) Rear Window (1954) To Catch a Thief (1955) She won an Oscar for The Country Girl.

14 Olivier, LaurenceLaurence Olivier

(1907–1989)

Laurence Olivier - Rebecca.jpg Famous for:

Rebecca (1940) Hamlet (1948) Marathon Man (1976) He won an Oscar for Hamlet.

Rogers, GingerGinger Rogers

(1911–1995)

Ginger Rogers - Tender Comrade.jpg Famous for:

Dancing with Fred Astaire in movies like Top Hat (1935) Swing Time (1936) Kitty Foyle (1940) She won an Oscar for Kitty Foyle.

15 Kelly, GeneGene Kelly

(1912–1996)

Gene kelly.jpg Famous for:

Dancing in musicals like An American in Paris (1951) Singin' in the Rain (1952) Xanadu (1980) He received an honorary Oscar in 1951.

West, MaeMae West

(1893–1980)

Mae West - 1936.jpg Famous for:

Her witty lines and roles in She Done Him Wrong (1933) I'm No Angel (1933) My Little Chickadee (1940)

16 Welles, OrsonOrson Welles

(1915–1985)

Orson Welles 1937.jpg Famous for:

Directing and starring in Citizen Kane (1941) The Third Man (1949) Touch of Evil (1958) He won an Oscar for writing Citizen Kane.

Leigh, VivienVivien Leigh

(1913–1967)

Vivien Leigh - Anna Karenina.jpg Famous for:

Gone with the Wind (1939) A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) She won two Oscars, for Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire.

17 Douglas, KirkKirk Douglas

(1916–2020)

Kirk douglas photo signed.JPG Famous for:

Champion (1949) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) Spartacus (1960) He received an honorary Oscar in 1995.

Gish, LillianLillian Gish

(1893–1993)

Lillian Gish-edit1.jpg Famous for:

Silent films like The Birth of a Nation (1915) Broken Blossoms (1919) The Night of the Hunter (1955) She received an honorary Oscar in 1970.

18 Dean, JamesJames Dean

(1931–1955)

James Dean - publicity - early.JPG Famous for:

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) East of Eden (1955) Giant (1956) He was nominated for two Oscars.

Temple, ShirleyShirley Temple

(1928–2014)

Shirley Temple 1949.jpg Famous for:

Being a child star in movies like Bright Eyes (1934) The Little Princess (1939) She received a special Oscar for young performers in 1934.

19 Lancaster, BurtBurt Lancaster

(1913–1994)

Burt Lancaster - publicity 1947.JPG Famous for:

From Here to Eternity (1953) Elmer Gantry (1960) Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) He won an Oscar for Elmer Gantry.

Hayworth, RitaRita Hayworth

(1918–1987)

Rita Hayworth-publicity.JPG Famous for:

Cover Girl (1944) Gilda (1946) The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

20 Brothers, MarxMarx Brothers

Chico (1887–1961) Harpo (1888–1964) Groucho (1890–1977)

Marx Brothers 1931.jpg Famous for:

Their comedy films like Duck Soup (1933) A Night at the Opera (1935) A Day at the Races (1937) Groucho received an honorary Oscar for the group's work.

Bacall, LaurenLauren Bacall

(1924–2014)

Lauren Bacall 1945 (cropped).jpg Famous for:

To Have and Have Not (1944) The Big Sleep (1946) Key Largo (1948) She received an honorary Oscar in 2009.

21 Keaton, BusterBuster Keaton

(1895–1966)

Busterkeaton edit.jpg Famous for:

His "Great Stone Face" and silent comedies like Sherlock Jr. (1924) The General (1926) The Cameraman (1928) He received an honorary Oscar in 1959.

Loren, SophiaSophia Loren

(born 1934)

Sophia Loren - 1959.jpg Famous for:

Two Women (1961) El Cid (1961) Marriage Italian Style (1964) She won an Oscar for Two Women and an honorary Oscar in 1990.

22 Poitier, SidneySidney Poitier

(1927–2022)

Sidney Poitier 1968.jpg Famous for:

The Defiant Ones (1958) Lilies of the Field (1963) In the Heat of the Night (1967) He won an Oscar for Lilies of the Field.

Harlow, JeanJean Harlow

(1911–1937)

Harlow-publicity.jpg Famous for:

Hell's Angels (1930) Red Dust (1932) Dinner at Eight (1933)

23 Mitchum, RobertRobert Mitchum

(1917–1997)

Robert Mitchum 1949 (no signature).jpg Famous for:

Out of the Past (1947) The Night of the Hunter (1955) Cape Fear (1962)

24 Robinson, Edward G.Edward G. Robinson

(1893–1973)

Edward G. Robinson 1948.jpg Famous for:

Little Caesar (1931) Double Indemnity (1944) The Ten Commandments (1956) He received an honorary Oscar in 1972.

Pickford, MaryMary Pickford

(1892–1979)

Mary Pickford cph.3c17995u.jpg Famous for:

Being a silent film star, known as "America's Sweetheart" Pollyanna (1920) Coquette (1929) She won an Oscar for Coquette.

25 Holden, WilliamWilliam Holden

(1918–1981)

Holden-portrait.jpg Famous for:

Sunset Boulevard (1950) Stalag 17 (1953) The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) He won an Oscar for Stalag 17.

Gardner, AvaAva Gardner

(1922–1990)

Ava Gardner Show Boat 1951.jpg Famous for:

The Killers (1946) Show Boat (1951) Mogambo (1953)

More About the Nominees

The 50 movie legends were chosen from a much bigger list of 250 male and 250 female actors.

As of January 2022, all the male stars and nominees on the list have passed away. However, one female legend, Sophia Loren, is still alive at 88 years old. Also, six other female nominees are still living: Ann Blyth (94), Claire Bloom (92), Mitzi Gaynor (91), Rita Moreno (91), Piper Laurie (91), and Margaret O'Brien (86). The most recent nominee to pass away was Gina Lollobrigida in January 2023, at age 95.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:AFI's 100 años... 100 estrellas para niños

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