Pinup Girls of WWII
A confluence of factors during World War II led to the new phenomenon of pinup girls: Actresses, models, and other female celebrities whose popularity put them on posters that were sold at retail.
These posters became popular accessories for servicemen stationed abroad during World War II. While many soldiers might have a photo of a sweetheart in their locker, others opted to pick up these pinup posters, allowing them to ogle some of the most beautiful women in the world.
Virginia Mayo
Virginia Mayo had the acting chops to appear in both dramatic and comedic films during Hollywood's Golden Age.
Her work in the 1940s put her on the map, and her striking beauty, poised demeanor, and acting ability made her a star. She was an obvious fit for the pinup culture of World War II.
Martha Vickers
Known mostly for appearing in film noir and B-movies, Martha Vickers was nonetheless a celebrity in her time. Her most famous role came opposite Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in 1946's The Big Sleep.
Vickers had a dark, sultry look, complemented by raven-black hair, in an era where blonde bombshells were dominating the silver screen.
Marie McDonald
Known by her nickname "The Body," Marie McDonald was one of the most sought-after starlets in Hollywood during the 1940s.
McDonald started out as a model and singer before transitioning into acting. Her voluptuous physique, fiery red hair, and playful on-screen personality made her a popular choice for pin-up posters of the era.
Esther Williams
Esther Williams started out as a competitive swimmer before turning to acting in the early 1940s. She essentially pioneered a new (albeit short-lived) genre of movie, the "aqua-musical."
Williams had a graceful persona coupled with an athletic body, making her a symbol of health and beauty — the quintessential "all-American girl."
Gypsy Rose Lee
Gypsy Rose Lee had a multifaceted career that spanned burlesque, acting, and writing. In the 1940s, she was known as one of the most famous striptease artists in the world.
The risqué nature of Lee's art made her a sensual, alluring counterpoint to more traditional pin-up girls of the 1940s.
Marlene Dietrich
Generally regarded as one of the biggest stars of the 20th century, German-American actress Marlene Dietrich was already an iconic figure by the 1940s.
While she may have been an unconventional pin-up model — she was in her 40s for most of the war, and eschewed gender norms by dressing in pants and suits — her beauty still made her an immensely popular figure.
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore made a name for herself as a singer, performing with the likes of Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey.
Her wholesome, approachable image made her a beloved figure in her time, and she was commonly seen as the epitome of the "girl next door."
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was a child star who burst into the limelight with 1939's The Wizard of Oz. In the years that followed, she appeared in numerous musicals and films, and in turn became one of the most recognizable stars of the 1940s.
Garland's youthful optimism made her a symbol of hope during some of the darkest years of World War II.
Dorothy Lamour
Lamour's sultry looks and exotic appeal made her a popular choice for casting directors seeking actresses who weren't conventional blonde bombshells.
While Lamour didn't achieve the same level of fame as some of her contemporaries, she was nonetheless one of the most well-known actresses of the 1940s.
Clara Bow
Clara Bow was perhaps the first Hollywood "it girl" back in the silent film era, known for her magnetic on-screen presence.
By the 1940s, her flapper image was long outdated, but Bow remained a popular pop culture figure, and as such her image would have been a popular choice for any GI's locker.
Ann Sheridan
Ann Sheridan was a talented singer who successfully made the jump to motion pictures in the late 1930s.
Leading roles in Angels With Dirty Faces and The Man Who Came Back established Sheridan as a tough and sophisticated leading lady who could project a tough-girl edginess.
Hedy Lamarr
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Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kesler in Austria, Hedy Lamarr first turned heads with a nude scene in the 1933 Czech film Ecstasy.
Moving stateside, Lamarr was typecast as a sultry, mysterious presence. Most intriguingly, Lamarr co-invented a technology during the war years that was a precursor to modern Bluetooth and wifi technology.
Ingrid Bergman
The Swedish-born Ingrid Bergman was classically trained in Sweden before moving stateside, first making a splash with a leading role in Casablanca.
Bergman had a long career in Hollywood and was known as one of the silver screen's most beautiful and captivating actresses.
Lauren Bacall
The sultry, stunning image of Lauren Bacall became iconic almost as soon as she burst onto the Hollywood scene with a role in To Have and Have Not.
Bacall's confident, dry wit perfectly complemented her beauty, and she soon became a Hollywood icon. She also became known for her off-screen relationship with film icon Humphrey Bogart.
Jane Russell
A singer and actress during Hollywood's Golden Age, Jane Russell broke out in the 1943 film The Outlaw, playing the bold and provocative Rio McDonald.
This role, combined with others across both the dramatic and comedic realms, cemented her status as one of the decade's top leading ladies.
Ava Gardner
Ava Gardner first sought a modelling career before she was discovered by an MGM talent scout. Her role in 1946's The Killers helped her break into the mainstream consciousness.
Gardner's unique beauty — full lips and deep, expressive eyes, with a seductive but understated demeanor — made her an ideal fit for pinup culture during and after World War II.
Lana Turner
The ever-glamorous Lana Turner was one of the biggest stars of the 1940s and 1950s, largely in roles that helped showcase her sultry allure.
Turner was a high-profile figure who frequently made headlines off the screen. For many, she represented an idealized vision of feminine beauty.
Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake, with her iconic "peek-a-boo" hairstyle, was known for her numerous film noir roles throughout the 1940s.
While Lake became a massive star in the early part of the decade, her stardom faded rapidly in the 1950s. Despite this, she remains one of the most iconic actresses of the war years.
Rita Hayworth
Immortalized as a pin-up girl in Stephen King's Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, Rita Hayworth was one of the most popular pinup girls of the World War II years.
After the war, Hayworth mostly became known for her off-screen romances, but she'll forever be remembered as an integral part of pinup culture.
June Allyson
June Allyson was one of many chorus girls of the 1930s, but carved out a name for herself with a series of hit film roles in the early 1940s.
While other pinup girls were celebrated by sensual or exotic personas, Allyson was more known for her perky, sweet-natured, and wholesome image.
Betty Hutton
Actress, singer and dancer Betty Hutton was signed by Paramount Pictures in the late 1930s and quickly became a box office draw.
Her vivacious on-screen personality and powerful singing voice were both attention-grabbers, and she went on to become one of the most successful actresses of her era.
Joan Leslie
Joan Leslie's innocent, youthful image worked well in a string of films in the 1940s, and the talented Leslie showcased her versatility across a variety of roles.
While Leslie was more of a popular figure in the years immediately following the war, she still remains an icon of 1940s Hollywood.
Barbara Hale
Hale is best known for starring in Perry Mason in the 1950s and '60s, but before this, she was a reliable supporting actress in various film roles.
Hale's graceful poise and wholesome beauty made her a popular actress in her day, long before she became a household name thanks to Perry Mason.
Linda Christian
Mexican-American actress and model Linda Christian got a relatively late start in Hollywood, not emerging until the late 1940s, when she was already well into her 20s.
Despite the late start, she made up for lost time with a string of hit films. Her exotic beauty made her a reliable choice for femme fatale roles.
Dorothy Dandridge
A pioneering Black actress, Dorothy Dandridge found her big break when she signed with 20th Century Fox in the 1940s.
She'd see the peak of her popularity in the post-war years, when she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress — the first Black woman to be nominated.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe is probably the most famous woman of the mid-century period, and while she didn't become world famous until the 1950s, her early modelling work took place in the 1940s.
There's little that can be said about Monroe that hasn't been said before, but it's safe to say that she's one of the most iconic pinup girls of all time.
Lynn Bari
Lynn Bari didn't reach the heights of some of her contemporaries, as she was mostly known for her work in B-movies.
Despite this, Bari was a consistent presence in Hollywood, and was well known for her classic good looks. While she didn't become iconic, her image still captured a refined, elegant beauty.
Yvonne De Carlo
Yvonne De Carlo was best known for appearing as Lily Munster on the 1960s TV show The Munsters, but she was a Hollywood mainstay as early as the 1940s.
De Carlo was a versatile star who could play the role of elegant leading lady or quirky, comedic side character with equal aplomb.
Ann Miller
An accomplished tap dancer during an era when tap dancing was at the peak of its popularity, Ann Miller crossed over to become a Hollywood star in the late 1930s.
She mostly appeared in musicals that could showcase her dancing (and singing abilities), and her youthful, fun image made her a popular star.
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda was born in Portugal and raised in Brazil, where she first made her mark as a samba dancer.
With 1940's Down Argentine Way, Miranda became a star stateside. She was a major draw during the decade, and represented a fun, colorful persona during an otherwise bleak era.
Jean Peters
Peters aspired to be a concert singer before changing course to pursue modelling and acting. First discovered by 20th Century Fox talent scouts, she became a major star of the '40s and '50s.
While she didn't become an iconic pinup star like some of her contemporaries, Peters had a timeless look that made her a star for many years.
Lucille Ball
Long before her star turn in I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball was a model and actress in the 1930s and '40s.
Ball's signature comedic timing became her trademark, but in the pre-I Love Lucy days, she was known mostly as an energetic showgirl with radiant red hair and a wide smile.
Ruth Roman
Ruth Roman was the rare B-movie star who successfully crossed over into mainstream Hollywood films of the 1940s and '50s.
Roman's name isn't widely known today when compared to some of her contemporaries, but a string of hit movies — well into the 1970s — shows how accomplished she was as an actress.
Patricia Medina
Patricia Medina quickly became known in Hollywood after making her film debut in 1942, often playing exotic or glamorous roles across a variety of genres.
Medina's unique beauty and alluring presence made her a popular star in her day, and as such she would have been an ideal fit for pinup posters during World War II.
Catherine McLeod
Catherine McLeod, like many others of the era, started as a model before transitioning into acting.
After signing with Columbia in the 1940s, she appeared in supporting roles in mainstream cinema, and leading roles in B-movies. She remained an active figure in Hollywood well into the '60s.
Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie was a competitive figure skater who won Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936, along with ten World Figure Skating Championships.
After her Olympic success, Henie transitioned to a movie career, where she became a popular star of the '30s and '40s, mostly in light-hearted romantic leading roles.
Margaret Lockwood
British actress Margaret Lockwood was well known in England for a variety of roles in the 1930s and '40s.
While Lockwood wasn't totally unknown to North American audiences, she didn't have the same name recognition stateside as she did in England, where she was a beloved figure.
Susan Hayward
After signing with Warner Brothers in the 1940s, Susan Hayward quickly cultivated an image as a feisty, fiery character actor.
Hayward's striking beauty, bright red hair and sultry looks made her an ideal candidate for pin-up culture of the war years.
Carole Landis
Carole Landis emerged as a major star in 1940 thanks to her standout performance in One Million B.C., and quickly became one of the biggest pinup stars of the day.
Sadly, Landis passed away in 1948 at the age of 29 after overdosing.
Betty Grable
This image of Betty Grable is the quintessential World War II pinup image, to the point that Grable is likely more famous for this image than for anything she did as an actress.
Despite this, she was still a reliable box office draw through the 1940s and '50s. Her roles, along with this image, helped to demonstrate her "girl next door" appeal.
