The single event that kick-started my interest in classic Hollywood was my discovery of Preston Sturges' great films of the 1940s very early in this decade. I was always searching for good, fun, diverting comedies to watch, and we had pretty much exhausted the limited supply of modern ones.
But I didn't really become a full-fledged classic Hollywood fan until my discovery of Fred Astaire a couple years later, in September 2013. The previously mysterious Ginger Rogers--who I of course had heard of, but alas had never seen a film of prior to late 2013--very soon became my favorite actress.
As I explored more and more films from the 1930s and 1940s, my list of favorites grew. My list has changed modestly over these last few years, but currently these are my favorite actors and actresses of that era, and hence of all time.
Actresses:
Ginger Rogers still is at the top of my list. Judy Garland, as the only other actress I know besides Ginger who was fabulous at four talents--drama, comedy, singing, dancing--has been in the next position for years, but Ida Lupino is up there with her now. Amazingly it wasn't until 2017 that I started seeing a significant number of Ida's films. I had taken notice of her right away, but full appreciation of her work took a while to break into my consciousness. Glenda Farrell, despite not getting many lead roles, is next thanks to her brilliant comic persona.
The next tier consists of Joan Blondell, Jean Arthur, Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis. On occasion I think Myrna Loy and Kay Francis may graduate into this tier, but I don't think I can put them there yet. Alice Brady deserves an honorable mention as well.
Actors:
Fred Astaire is obviously at the top. William Powell was an earlier discovery, though, as I found My Man Godfrey and The Thin Man a year or two before the Astaire-Rogers movies. Right below these two are Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Cary Grant, Dick Powell, Lionel Barrymore, and Edward Everett Horton. Honorable mention goes to Jack Carson, Joel McCrea, Don Ameche, and perhaps a few others.
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