Gentlemen still prefer blondes as Monroe tops poll of film beauties

Published on Friday 19 September 2003 01:00

MARILYN Monroe’s iconic screen status remains unassailable. A new survey to find the top 50 film goddesses of the last half century has placed Hollywood’s greatest blonde bombshell at No 1.

British beauty faired well in the survey of 6,000 people, with Catherine Zeta Jones, who won an Oscar this year for Chicago, making the top ten, coming in at eighth place, just ahead of Sixties "it" girl Julie Christie.

Liz Hurley, the model who co-starred in the first Austin Powers film, came in at No 18, Kristin Scott Thomas, of The English Patient, at No 16, while Kate Beckinsale, who is currently starring in Underworld, just made the grade by coming in at No 50.

Many of the big names of the past apparently still hold a place in the public’s affections. Audrey Hepburn, star of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, came second, followed by Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Lauren Bacall.

But Monroe - star of such classics as Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - who died in mysterious circumstances in 1962, won by a clear margin.

A spokesperson for drinks brand Babysham, which conducted the survey, said: "Marilyn is still a star for many. Her appeal surely is that she was glamorous, sexy and bubbly."

Voters showed the enduring appeal of stars of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, such as Veronica Lake, Vivien Leigh and Rita Hayworth, placed at 20, 28 and 31 respectively.

But contemporary Hollywood notions of attractiveness proved compelling, with waif-like Gwyneth Paltrow at No 10, Nicole Kidman at No 11 and Cameron Diaz at No 13, broken up only by the timeless looks of Sophia Loren.

Surprisingly, Madonna, whose most recent film Swept Away was released to universal derision, took 26th place in the voting.

Golden girls the big names on the big screen

1: Marilyn Monroe

2: Audrey Hepburn

3: Grace Kelly

4: Elizabeth Taylor

5: Lauren Bacall

6: Julia Roberts

7: Michelle Pfeiffer

8: Catherine Zeta Jones

9: Julie Christie

10: Gwyneth Paltrow

11: Nicole Kidman

12: Sophia Loren

13: Cameron Diaz

14: Raquel Welch

15: Halle Berry

16: Kristin Scott Thomas

17: Brigitte Bardot

18: Liz Hurley

19: Greta Garbo

20: Veronica Lake

21: Kim Basinger

22: Natalie Portman

23: Andie MacDowell

24: Demi Moore

25: Angelina Jolie

26: Madonna

27: Penelope Cruz

28: Vivien Leigh

29: Sandra Bullock

30: Liv Tyler

31: Rita Hayworth

32: Winona Ryder

33: Salma Hayek

34: Catherine Deneuve

35: Minnie Driver

36: Isabella Rossellini

37: Sharon Stone

38: Meg Ryan

39: Kate Winslet

40: Pam Grier

41: Laura Dern

42: Kate Hudson

43: Bo Derek

44: Heather Graham

45: Uma Thurman

46: Patricia Arquette

47: Cate Blanchett

48: Ingrid Bergman

49: Ellen Barkin

50: Kate Beckinsale