Jane Russell

Jane Russell's talents as a dramatic actress and musical performer were just as significant as her legendary figure. She was brought to fame by Howard Hughes, who featured her in the western "The Outlaw" (1943). Russell smoldered quite spectacularly on screen, but showed a particular knack for both a wisecrack and a song, as demonstrated in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) and other musicals. She was teamed to great effect on several occasions with Bob Hope in such films as "The Paleface" (1948) and with Robert Mitchum in "His Kind of Woman" (1951), both of which gave her ample opportunity to poke fun at her screen persona.

She left Hollywood in the mid-1960s for work on stage and in commercials. One of the last of the true Hollywood bombshells - blonde or otherwise - Russell was a consummate professional.