The 24 greatest '50s actors

The Golden Age of Hollywood is called that for a reason. Some of the most iconic movie stars of all time emerged in the era, marked by the advent of sound in 1927 and lasting until 1969.

After World War II, the slow collapse of the studio system gave actors (and directors) more power to benefit themselves in contract negotiations. This not only made Tinseltown’s celebrity residents richer and able to live out enviable lifestyles, it also meant that movie stars became the true franchises of Hollywood in the 1950s. 

Importantly, the decade saw an influx of new, younger talent who altogether took the craft of acting more seriously – or, arguably, obsessively. Many also became defining sex symbols, foreshadowing new social norms in the coming years.

The 1950s are simply brimming with iconic faces of the silver screen, and here are some of the greatest movie stars of the 1950s.