"If nothing else, there's applause...like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

Anne Baxter was born in Michigan City, Indiana in 1923. Her maternal grandfather was Frank Lloyd Wright, famous and still revered architect. At the age of 11, her family moved to New York City and encouraged her to seek the spotlight of acting. She was acting on Broadway and other stage productions from the age of 13 until 16. It was then that Anne decided to give Hollywood another shot at hiring her. She signed  seven-year contract with Twentieth Century-Fox but made her first film with MGM. She was loaned to the other studio to make 20 Mule Team. The first film in which Anne made top billing was 1943's The North Star. It was a success.

"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me."

Anna Maria Louisa Italiano was born September 17, 1931 in the Bronx. Anna graduated from Christopher Columbus High School and then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Actors Studio. In her early television career, Anna adopted the stage name of Anne Marno before being told to take the name Anne Bancroft when she made her film debut. Her film debut was in 1954 in the film Don't Bother to Knock.

You'll Never See Me Again

Jane Wyatt was born to a Wall Street investment banker and a drama critic in New York City. She attended Chapin School, Barnard College, and was courted by John D. Rockafeller III. She chose to pursue a career in Broadway, television and film and began as the understudy in Trade Winds. A few more Broadway roles and Wyatt was under contract with Universal Studios.

"I am just too much."

Bette Davis made got her start in acting on Broadway at the age of 21. After a second Broadway role that same year, she decided to pursue her career in Hollywood with a screen test. Universal picked her up, but only for six films. She then moved on to Warner Bros. in 1932 and a seven year contract with them. In 1935 Bette won her first Oscar for the movie Dangerous. In 1939 Bette she won her second Oscar for the film Jezebel.

Pin Up Girl

Betty Grable was the youngest of three children. Unlike other profiled here, she entered into show business at her mother's prodding and not out of necessity of the income. She began working in a chorus line at age 13. Her age was not easily discerned because the chorus line performed in black face. (Yikes!) Grable eventually became a contract player at 20th Century Fox and went on to be one of their top stars in the 1940s.

Meet Me in St. Louis

Like other Beautiful Women I've shared, Myrna Loy entered acting at the age of 15 to help her family after the passing of her father. Supposedly, Rudolph Valentino's wife happened to be in the audience of one of Myrna's plays and facilitated her entry into films. Myrna's film career would include around 129 films, both silent and sound. Loy is probably best known for her role in The Thin Man with William Powell and the many sequels of that series.
(I apologize for the shortness of the post, but Blogger is being a douche.)

Gypsy

Natalie Wood began her acting career in Miracle on 34th Street at the age of nine. Beautiful, dark-haired, girl next door Natalie Wood went on to star in twenty films before being cast in Rebel Without a Cause at the age of 16. Wood earned her first Academy Award Nomination for her role as Judy opposite James Dean's Jim in Rebel.