"Oh, I just sing like I hurt inside."

I remember watching the movie Sweet Dreams starring Jessica Lange as Patsy Cline and Ed Harris as her husband Charlie Dick. I was way, way too young to be watching this movie when I did, but I was intrigued by the tumultuous life and jarring death of the woman with the rich, gorgeous voice.

Patsy was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in 1932. Like some of our other beautiful women, Patsy dropped out of high school and began working to supplement the family income. She was working regular jobs during the day and then singing at night in her iconic fringed cowgirl outfits. Her first hit song wouldn't come until she was 25 years old; "Walkin' After Midnight" was number 2 on the country chart and number 12 on the pop charts. Cline was one of the first to have a crossover hit.

Blonde Venus

Marlene Dietrich was born in Berlin-Schoneberg in 1901. She began acting at the age of 21 with her first lead role seven years later. She didn't move to America until she was 28 and made her first American film that same year.

Unpleasant Dreams

Do you recognize this woman?

One In A Million

Taken from us far too soon, Aaliyah was only 22 years old when a tragic plane crash took her life. She had just finished filming a new music video and decided to come home early. Unfortunately, the plane that she and her entourage boarded was overloaded with passengers and equipment. I remember that day and how I felt knowing that someone my age had been cut short in such an unexpected and possibly avoidable way. Mortality slapped me in the face.
But what of her talents? Her contributions to the musical world? Aaliyah signed a record deal at the age of twelve and began recording her debut Age Ain't Nothing But A Number with her mentor R. Kelly. This was followed by One In A Million and the soundtrack to her first feature film Romeo Must Die. She began work on Queen of the Damned and released the album Aaliyah.

The Barefoot Contessa

Ava Gardner started her Hollywood career after her brother-in-law posted a photograph of her in his store window. MGM signed the 18 year old to a seven year contract in 1941. Between her signing and her breakthrough performance in The Killers, Ava marries and divorces Mickey Rooney and Artie Shaw. In 1951 Ava marries her third and final husband, Frank Sinatra. She receives an Oscar nomination in 1953 for her work in Mogambo.

Stormy Weather

As well known for her acting and singing as for her fight for civil rights, the lovely Lena Horne left us just this year. Horne started her career in Harlem's Cotton Club after leaving school at 16 to help provide for her mother. She became the first African-American to sign a long term contract with a studio and was the highest paid black actor in the 1940s. She was one of the many actors to be persecuted by the anti-Communist hysteria in the 50s because of her activities in civil rights. Not one to be bullied, Horne marched on Washington in 1963.

"I'm not a bad witch! I'm a good witch!"

Elizabeth Montgomery was best known for her role as Samantha Stephens on "Bewitched". The 5'6.5" beauty also made many, many television movies like "The Legend of Lizzie Borden" and "Act of Violence". I've never seen them either. Ahem. She also married four times and had three children. She ranked number 52 in FHM's list of the 100 sexiest women of all time.

An American Dream

Janet Leigh is best known for her role as Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Though Leigh is only in the movie for less than half of it, everyone remembers her iconic shower scene vividly. The implied nudity, brutality, and convincing scream from Leigh made more than a few people frightened to shower without the doors securely locked.

Some Thought

I've been unsure about how much information to include in my posts. I didn't want to go all biographer on you but I also don't want to just describe what you can see for yourself when looking at the photos of the ladies. So, from the next post on I'll be providing more information about the women while also trying to focus on what made them so irresistible. It'll be a bit more wordy, but I believe that any readers that I might have can handle it. And if you can't, skip the words and get right to the ogling. I won't be able to tell the difference.

A Woman of Distinction

A talented comedienne with beauty to spare. Russel was not seen as a sex symbol in her day, but as a character actress. Really?

Oh look, we have created enchantment!

Best known as Scarlett O'Hara, Vivien Leigh possesses a grace and beauty that is timeless. The arch of her eyebrow seems to tease while her eyes look right through you and her full lips hint at a smile.

The Temptress

Another day, another gorgeous film icon. Garbo was declared to be the most beautiful woman that ever lived in 1954 by Guinness World Records. She is also credited as the first method actress and one of the highest paid women in the 1930s. She made over 25 films and was nominated for 4 Academy Awards.

Pandora's Box

Louise Brooks started in the silent Hollywood films of the 1920s and moved on to films in Germany. Her haircut was the "Rachel" of her time, causing many to adopt the now iconic bob.

I'm No Angel

Mae West is clearly voluptuous and sultry. She's also one of my favorites because of her sense of humor and bawdy quotes. So I'm going to accompany her photos with some of my favorite quotes from the unique Ms. West:
"A hard man is good to find."
"A man in love is like a clipped coupon--it's time to cash in."
"Good sex is like good Bridge; If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand."

Lily of the Field

Anna May Wong is another Hollywood trailblazer with talent and good looks to spare. The Los Angeles-born beauty is known for her role in Shanghai Express with Marlene Dietrich but has over sixty television and movie roles and appearances to her credit. Though Anna May struggled to win film roles, with Hollywood preferring to cast white actors in "yellow face", she worked until her death in 1961.

Easy to Love

The beautiful Josephine Baker. She broke barriers in Hollywood with her voice and acting. She broke hearts with that gorgeous face, sparkling eyes, and warm smile.

Peek-A-Boo!

Another iconic hairstyle and an enviable body. In my (limited) research, I found that Lake was referred to as The Bitch by one of her co-stars. I fear the name has more to do with that golden, wavy hair, sultry mouth, and a body that won't stop housing the personality of a spitfire.

"I Was Never the Girl Next Door"

Well, you sort of look like the girl next door here. Sweet smile, warm eyes, creamy skin, dark and luminous hair. I'm not sure what you mean by that quote, Bettie.

Schöne Münchenerin

The daughter of a shoemaker, Helene Sedlmayr, the "Beauty of Munich", caught the eye of Bavarian King Ludwig I when she was only fifteen. He ordered a painting to be made of her, so as to capture her beauty and display it in his palace. Her picture now hangs in the Munich Residenz in the Gallery of Beauties of KingLudwig I. But enough historical education! 

Look at her lovely eyes, her tiny waist and that shiny hair. Beautiful. (She was 15)

Thanks to Jen K. for the submission of Ms. Sedlmayr!

The Girl Can't Help It

Jayne Mansfield, screen siren and shunner of clothes. But with a body like that, why would you even try to contain the sexy with trifles such as pants and bras? It is madness to cover up such curves with anything that doesn't highlight them.

She's Got Legs, And She Knows How To Use Them

Look at those legs. I mean, damn. Cyd Charisse danced with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on those heavenly gams. She captivated Hollywood with those legs and good looks. Obviously Charisse looks like a real sultry siren in that kitty-cat number up there, but she also had the innocent look of the girl next door.

Well, Princess, it looks like you managed to keep me here a while longer.

Can you believe that gorgeous face? CAN YOU? Those cheekbones, those eyes, those full, luscious lips. And she gets to be a princess? In Monaco? So not fair. But soooo sexy and beautiful. And?

L’amour est un oiseau rebelle

The beautiful and talented Dorothy Dandridge, how I envy your flawless skin and curvy body. Your voice is probably making the angels in heaven jealous, but with the flash of one of your sly smiles and a sultry wink, they get over it. I daresay you're courting some of the fine male specimens shown here while romping naked up there (everyone is naked in Heaven, right?) At least, that's what I'll be imagining. I bet I won't be the only one.

A Little Somethin' Somethin' For the Fellas*

Hello. Welcome. If you happened upon this blog via search engine then what the hell did you type in? Seriously though, welcome. Perhaps you've heard of our brother site, Handsome Men Who Are Now Dead? If not, click on over and gaze upon men who are deceased but still able to light a fire in our panties. Nice, right? Yeah. Mama like.  But this is about the ladies, so. Sit down. Grab something to drink and bathe in the beauty of yesteryear as we gaze upon the countenances of ladies who are no longer with us but still beautiful. Sexy even. Ladies that you would not hesitate to buy a drink for and drop a crappy pick-up line on if you were to find yourself traveling back in time so that you could save your future. Or something.

Luckily, I've got quite a few starting suggestions from people on the Facebook, including Kriegerfrau , the inventor of the dead sessy people blogs, and many other hot, but still very much alive, Pajibans. Those will not last forever though. So sit back, relax, and start sending in suggestions for posts to zoidbergmaybe@yahoo.com. Rawr.

*Or anyone that likes looking at sexy ladies. Which should be everyone.