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Silver screen sirens and leading lads of yesteryear

In honour of what would have been Marilyn Monroe's 89th birthday this month, we celebrate the actress' life and look at some of the other retro super stars of yesteryear.
Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was a talented superstar that not only defined an era, but paved the way for a slew on-screen starlets who looked up to her.

The blonde bombshell comes from a generation of glittering stars that have gone on to become legends.

From Audrey Hepburn to Clint Eastwood, we take a step back in time and look at our top 10 silver screen sirens and leading lads of yesteryear.

Marilyn Monroe was the 50s blonde bombshell that shook up the entertainment industry. Born Norma Jeane Mortenson the actress touched many. She famously said: “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring!”

Audrey Hepburn was the British actress that brought grace and class to the silver screen. The ever-inspiring beauty had the right idea when she mused: “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible!'”

Diamonds are forever and so is screen siren, Elizabeth Taylor. One of the greatest actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age, she was famous for her love of men and even greater love for diamonds. Famously noting that “Big girls need big diamonds!” Amen to that.

Grace Kelly was Hollywood’s princess turned actual royalty when she married Prince Rainier III, becoming Princess of Monaco. A true princess, once admitting: “The idea of my life as a fairytale is itself a fairytale.”

Sophia Loren was the sultry goddess from Italy. Wisely she once said: “Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.”

Clint Eastwood has just celebrated his 85th birthday and the leading man is still going strong. The man with commanding yet quiet voice once quipped: “Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power.” Tell ’em, Dirty Harry!

The hound dog himself, Elvis dances into our hearts. The King of rock ‘n roll admitted: “I’m not trying to be sexy. It’s just my way of expressing myself when I move around.”

Butch Cassidy aka Paul Newman stole our hearts. Not only a Hollywood heartthrob, he is also was a social activist and philanthropist. He once mused that: “People stay married because they want to, not because the doors are locked.”

James Dean was so much more than a rebel without a cause. “Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today,” he said.

Robert Redford is a man after our own heart, who believed: “Health food may be good for the conscience but Oreos taste a hell of a lot better.” Agreed!

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