Ann Blyth on Most Beautiful Women in Hollywood List

Ann Blyth was featured on a list of "The 12 Most Beautiful Women in Hollywood" by Photoplay magazine in December 1951.  It's an interesting list, and she appears in the number 2 slot after Ava Gardner.  The rest, in order behind her are Elizabeth Taylor, Arlene Dahl, Linda Darnell, Joan Crawford, Mona Freeman, Loretta Young, Marlene Dietrich, Susan Hayward, Rita Hayworth, and Deborah Kerr.

Though articles involving "experts" panels, even among photographers, more likely reflect popularity contests among the fans or effective barracking by the studios, we do see a reflection of what made for popular appeal in 1951 (though classic film fans today would regard glamour as timeless, surely).

From the article by Vicky Riley:

"Ann Blyth has flawless facial attributes," said one photographer, "but it is something beyond her bone structure and her exquisite, dusky coloring that makes her a great beauty -- an inner spiritual beauty which illumines her face."

Another said, "Ann symbolizes the dream of all of us.  Sher personifies everything that girls of her age want to be.  She is the girl boys desire for a wife.  And she is the girl parents want for a daughter."

She was also a photographer's dream.

You Can Change the World - 1950

 

 

Hollywood stars moonlight in this short subject with Fr. James Keller of The Christophers in You Can Change the World (1950).  Bob Hope provides the introduction in a comic bit, and the rest of the cast includes Jack Benny, Eddie Rochester Anderson (both also along for laughs), William Holden, Paul Douglas, Loretta Young, Irene Dunne, and Ann Blyth.  Though The Christophers was a Roman Catholic based group, the cast represents a non-denominational aspect to influence  young people to change the world for the better by pursuing careers in public service such as teaching and government work.

 

Above is a press photo.  And here is the link to watch the short on YouTube.