Explore our collection of Best Actress Oscar winners, including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Marion Cotillard, Vivien Leigh and Cher. View full biographies, photos and videos, only at Biography.com.
Browse notable film actresses such as Debbie Harry, Lauren Bacall, and Kathy Bates.
Take a look at famous people named Janet, such as Janet Jackson, Janet Hubert, and Janet Jagan.
View famous people who died in 1984 such as Truman Capote, Indira Gandhi, and Marvin Gaye.
Meet famous people such as Johnny Cash, Dorothy Dandridge, James Dean, Grace Kelly, Jimi Hendrix, and Steve Irwin, who died in the month of September.
In the early years of motion pictures, actors were recruited from the stage, resulting in larger-than-life performances that seemed jarring when blown up to the size of a movie screen. As the years went on, actors began to understand the subtleties of the medium, and used more natural expressions to connect with their audiences. They became movie stars, known for their glamorous looks and identifiable personalities. As Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard would say, they didn't need dialogue, they had faces.