Top 10 Classic Leading Ladies in Film

While Hollywood has gone to a "Flavor of The Month" in favorite leading ladies, there are some who stood the test of time and are still admired to this day. These women played in roles ranging from the strong woman to the helpless victim. A few are still active while a few have passed on and their work is still seen to this day. These 10 women are not listed in any particular order.

10) Marylin Monroe: Baptized Norma Jean Baker, Marylin Monroe had a brief but stunning career in Hollywood. Though she is often looked at as a "Dumb Blonde", Marylin was a pretty shrewd and intelligent woman. She often played the love interest to many leading men ranging from Jack Lemmon to Clark Gable. She lived the glamorous life. Though she was married several times, one of her most famous marriages was to New York Yankees great Joe Di Maggio. Her life was cut short at the age of 36 amid some controversy. She was the first centerfold in Playboy and the picture of her trying to hold her dress down while standing over a grate is still a favorite photograph among collectors.

9) Carol Lombard: Clark Gable's favorite actress to work with was Carol Lombard. Lombard and Gable were married in 1932. They loved each other so much that it was seen in their work. Their marriage ended in 1942 when Lombard died after the DC-3 she was riding in on the way back to Burbank, California crashed into a mountain just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. She was 33 at the time and her films can still be seen on DVD and on classic movie channels.

8) Audrey Hepburn: Born in Belgium as Audrey Ruston, Audrey Hepburn was considered by many to be the symbol of both classy and sexy during the 1960s. Two of her memorable roles were 1961s "Breakfast At Tiffany's" and 1964's "My Fair Lady". She starred with many of Hollywood's greatest leading men from different eras such as Humphrey Bogart, Albert Finney, Gregory Peck, and Henry Fonda. In her later years she became the Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. She wore that badge with honor and took great strides to help feed starving children in impoverished countries. Audrey Hepburn passed away in 1993 from Abdominal Cancer at the age of 63.

7) Demi Moore: In a career that began in the 1980s, Demi Moore has been a box office success. Though her marriages to Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher make headlines, Demi Moore has the staying power that has made her a star. She has made some controversy during her career including a few nude spreads on a few magazine covers and her role in "Strip Tease". She also has played a woman who is mourning the loss of her true love in :Ghost" and as a woman determined to become a U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. in G.I. Jane. Though she was never in any "Brat Pack" films, she is considered to be a part of that group. One of her breakout roles was in 1985's "Saint Elmo's Fire". She is still active in film and is also a mom as well, It goes to show that today's woman can work and be a mom at the same time.

6) Kathy Bates: Memphis born Kathy Bates had a major break out role in 1990's "Misery" where she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of a psychopathic stalking fan of novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). This lead her to take on more roles. Known for her character roles, Bates has played dramatic roles and comedic roles. One of her most memorable comedic roles was in 1998's "The Waterboy" where she played an overbearing and sheltering mother to Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler). Kathy Bates is still in demand to this day as an actress.

5) Angela Bassett: Known for her biographic roles, Angela Bassett is remembered for her portrayals of the wife of Malcom X, Betty Shabazz, and Tina Turner in 1993's "What's Love Got To Do With It?" Being active in her church and is a role model not only for the African American community but for women everywhere. Bassett has been seen mostly in television roles in recent years but she still is a favorite leading lady in Hollywood.

4) Bette Davis: Known for her alluring eyes a flair for theatrics, Bette Davis was a major leading actor in Hollywood for over 50 years. Her first role was in 1931's "Slim Summerville" and her last was in 1987's "The Whales of August". She was often cast in roles of the tough yet sensitive woman. She twice won Oscars and was nominated on eight other occasions, the last being in 1962. She passed away in 1989 from Breast Cancer and her films are still seen on classic movie channels and on DVD and Blu Ray.

3) Meryl Streep: Meryl Streep has been one of America's most prolific actors. She has been nominated numerous times for an Academy Award and she has won twice for Best Supporting Actress in 1979's "Kramer vs. Kramer" and in 1983 in "Sophie's Choice". Meryl Streep has been nominated more times for an Oscar than anyone in the history of Hollywood. She honed her talents at Yale and is an advocate of the "Strassberg Method". She continues to be active in films to this day even at the age of 60 when most women her age in Hollywood are retired or are working in reduced roles on the screen.

2) Barbara Stanwick: With one of her last major acting roles coming from the television series "The Big Valley" where she portrayed the matriarch of the Barkley clan. This may have been one of her last roles but it was not her only role, She also made a splash on the Silver Screen in a career that spanned from the silent era until the the 1980s. Her deep stern voice was what helped cement her image as Victoria Barkley in "The Big Valley". She developed a close life long friendship with William Holden who claimed that she helped save his career. She won an Emmy in 1983 for her portrayal as Mary Carson in "The Thornbirds". Stanwick passed away in 1990 due to years of declining health. Many of her film and television work is available on DVD and some can be seen on television.

1) Katherine Hepburn: Many accolades were bestowed upon Katherine Hepburn in her long and storied career. Coming from an affluent New England family, Hepburn left for Hollywood determined to become a star. A star she did become. She has won more Best Actress Oscars than anyone with four. Her last Oscar came in 1981 for her role as Ethyl Thayer in "On Golden Pond". She teamed with many of Hollywood's leading men. Her most famous pairing was with Spencer Tracy with whom she made nine films with beginning with "Woman of The Year" in 1942 and ending with 1967's "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner". Spencer's death shortly after the film's wrapping ended one of Hollywood's most famous on screen romances (which was reported to have spilled over off the screen as well). Katherine Hepburn passed away in 2003 from natural causes at the age of 96 in her Connecticut home.

There are some leading ladies who i have left off, such as Helen Hayes, Jessica Tandy, and Betty Grable. I did not intentionally leave them off but there was a need to put some leading ladies who are still working in this article since it spans from the 1930s to the 1990s. I encourage anyone who reads this to feel free to debate this list and come up with your own list. With the Oscar nominations coming soon, this is an article to make you think who this year's nominees stack up against historically.