Bombshells: Silvana Pampanini

Before Sophia Loren or Gina Lollobrigida, there was Italian sex symbol Silvana Pampanini. The curvaceous, green-eyed, and long-legged beauty was born in Rome and, like many Italian goddesses, had a fiery personality that only enhanced her appeal. This excellent resource on all things Italy details Silvana’s ferociousness, but here’s a particularly choice quote that makes … Continue reading Bombshells: Silvana Pampanini →

Bombshells: Peggy Knudsen

Margaret Ann “Peggy” Knudsen (1923–1980) was a Minnesota girl who first ventured to Broadway and then across country for a Hollywood movie career. While she had small and bit parts in several big films, like A Stolen Life and The Big Sleep, Peggy largely carved out a career in B movies, where her midwestern beauty … Continue reading Bombshells: Peggy Knudsen →

Bombshells: Debra Paget

Born Debralee Griffin on August 19, 1933 in Denver Colorado, Debra Paget’s acting career began as a teenager, making her film debut at 15 in Cry of the City (1948). She went on to star in westerns, swashbucklers, and period pieces over a career that lasted until the early 1960s, when she retired after marrying … Continue reading Bombshells: Debra Paget →

Bombshells: Betty Grable, the Girl with the Million Dollar Legs

"I became a star for two reasons, and I'm standing on them." — Betty Grable Legs for days. American actress and pinup model Betty Grable (1916–1973) was a big box office draw, starring in many successful films during her movie career, including Mother Wore Tights (1947) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)—the latter of … Continue reading Bombshells: Betty Grable, the Girl with the Million Dollar Legs →

Bombshells: Chili Williams, the Polka-Dot Girl

A popular pinup girl in her day, the Minneapolis-born Chili Williams would still likely be categorized as a minor bombshell. Her film career lasted less than a decade—which certainly wasn’t uncommon for minor bombshells of the 1940s and 1950s—but she earned everlasting fame as “The Polka-Dot Girl” after a photo of her sporting a polka-dotted … Continue reading Bombshells: Chili Williams, the Polka-Dot Girl →

Bombshells: Adrienne Dore

The sultry and sexy Adrienne Door (1907–1992) was a model, first runner-up in the 1925 Miss America pageant, and an actress whose unremarkable and brief film career began during the silent era, but whose stunning pinup work endures for all time. A total smokeshow with a penchant for rocking garter belts and stockings, she also … Continue reading Bombshells: Adrienne Dore →

Bombshells: Marie Wilson

Lovely, innocent-looking, well-endowed comedienne Marie Wilson was a featherbrained delight instantly reminiscent of the zany Gracie Allen. Unlike Allen, however, Marie was a knockout--with high cheekbones, a wide slash of a mouth and a figure that wouldn't quit. IMDb That’s taken from golden age of Hollywood starlet Marie Wilson’s IMDb bio. Besides offering a less-than positive … Continue reading Bombshells: Marie Wilson →