Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow was the original "Blonde Bombshell," with luminous skin swathed in white satin gowns, kewpie doll red lips, and that trendsetting platinum blonde hair. Harlow displayed real comedic chops, most notably in the films "Dinner at Eight" (1933), "Libeled Lady" (1936) and those she made with Clark Gable, such as "Red Dust" (1932) and "China Seas" (1935). Throughout her decade-long acting career, Harlow made 36 movies, received countless accolades, including landing the cover of LIFE magazine - a first for any movie actress - and was one of the most widely loved stars in town. To her family and colleagues, the endearing actress was simply known as "the Baby" - a sweet, unassuming woman who was nothing like the vamp she played onscreen. Despite her mysterious death at age 26 of what was essentially kidney failure, Harlow would not be forgotten, with the American Film Institute voting her No. 22 on their esteemed list of the "50 Greatest Stars of the Cinema" some 60 years after her tragic death.