There was no shortage of beautiful Hollywood actresses during the 1970s, yet some of them were seen as so beautiful that people across America fell in love.
The poster on everyone’s wall
Farrah Fawcett’s hairstyle pretty much defined the 1970s, and her role as Jill Munroe in Charlie’s Angels started America’s obsession with her. There was also a poster of her that became pretty famous, too. You know the one.
It features her in a red one-piece outfit, and interestingly enough, Fawcett did her own hair and makeup for the photoshoot. Yet somehow, she looked like she’d just stepped out of a salon, and that’s why everyone had a crush on her. That, and her perfect smile.
More than a pretty face
There was absolutely no way anybody could miss Raquel Welch during the 1970s. She was opposite Mae West in Myra Breckinridge in 1970, and then she worked with Burt Reynolds two years later in Fuzz. She was also Constance Bonacieux in 1973’s The Three Musketeers.
To give you an idea of how much people loved her, Playboy magazine actually named her the most desired woman of the decade. It’s not hard to see why. She was absolutely breathtaking, and it’s mostly thanks to her dark eyes and gorgeous hair.
Nobody messed with her
Most people wouldn’t expect to become a major Hollywood crush after playing a nurse out for revenge. But that’s exactly what happened to Pam Grier, and it’s because she made it work so well. She played the title character in 1973’s Coffy.
Grier was beautiful, sure, but it was her confidence that really made her so attractive. She had the ability to walk into a room wearing something utterly gorgeous, and it made everyone else feel nervous. Her huge hairstyles were just as memorable, too.
The blonde next door
In 1973’s American Graffiti, Suzanne Somers caught public attention, as she played a mysterious blonde driving a white Thunderbird. She made quite the impression. She became a household name a few years later when she played Chrissy Snow in 1977’s Three’s Company.
What made her really stand out were her blonde pigtails and bright smile. Her slightly confused expressions only added to her appeal. To nobody’s surprise, Somers quickly became a magazine-cover favorite and appeared on 55 national covers in one year. She was just that stunning.
That famous hairstyle
Farrah Fawcett wasn’t the only one with a famous hairstyle in the ‘70s. Bo Derek had one, too. Hers was a beaded cornrow hairstyle, and it helped catapult her to fame in her role as Jenny Hanley in 1979’s 10.
Her hairstyle was almost as famous as the movie itself. Everyone was talking about her blonde cornrows and striking looks. They were even talking about her on the evening news. If that doesn’t prove how beautiful she was, then we don’t know what does.
Friday nights in Hazzard County
The Dukes of Hazzard hit our TV screens in January 1979, and it didn’t take long for Catherine Bach to become one of its most popular stars. She played Daisy Duke, cousin to Bo and Luke. Her character was so popular that the short denim shorts she wore became known as Daisy Dukes.
But that’s not all. Her long brown hair and playful Southern charm made her a favorite of people everywhere, especially since she could flirt one minute and help her cousins escape trouble the next. The urban legend is also true. Her legs really were insured for $1 million.
The girl from Love Story
1970 saw the release of Love Story, and it was this film that made Ali MacGraw internationally famous. She played the college student Jenny Cavilleri opposite Ryan O’Neal’s Oliver Barrett IV in the romance. What made her really stand out was how unflashy she was.
She looked like the girl next door, thanks to her long dark hair and natural makeup, as well as her cozy sweaters. She really seemed like someone you’d meet on campus. Tommy Lee Jones was also in the movie as one of Oliver’s roommates, but it was MacGraw who was the apple of the audience’s eye.
The superhero with a beautiful smile
If you turned the TV on in 1975, there was a good chance that you’d see Lynda Carter transform into Wonder Woman for the first time. She had gorgeous blue eyes and dark hair. She also had that kind of smile that made her likable as soon as you saw her.
Yes, her character could stop criminals, and yes, she could deflect bullets. But her personality was so kind that you couldn’t help but have a crush on her. Carter’s take on Wonder Woman made her a character who didn’t need to prove how powerful she was. She just saved people.
The funny girl with the big blue eyes
Goldie Hawn wasn’t trying to look serious during her early television appearances. When she appeared on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, she’d giggle and dance along, while also appearing in some hilarious sketches.
It was her bright blue eyes and blonde hair that really caught people’s attention. But it was her ability to laugh at herself that kept people’s eyes on her, and she went on to have huge success in films like Foul Play opposite Chevy Chase.
Sandy’s big moment
Grease was released in 1978, but by that time, Olivia Newton-John had already made a name for herself as a singer. She’d represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, for one. Her most famous role was as Sandy Olsson, opposite John Travolta.
As the respectable Sandy, she had blonde curls and wore pretty dresses. As the edgier one, she was the perfect complement to Danny Zuko. It didn’t matter which version of Sandy it was because audience members fell in love with both versions of Olivia.
A familiar face on campus
In 1978, Karen Allen made her movie debut in National Lampoon’s Animal House, where she played Katy, the girlfriend of college student Boon. She didn’t need a glamorous wardrobe to get everyone’s attention.
No, it was her curly brown hair and expressive eyes that managed to do that, as these gave her a very natural appearance. Everyone had a crush on Allen because she looked like the kind of cool girl you might meet at college. She wasn’t someone who’d stepped out of a fashion advertisement.
A woman with a few upgrades
It’s funny to think that Lindsay Wagner’s Jaime Sommers wasn’t supposed to stick around. She first appeared in the role in 1975’s The Six Million Dollar Man, where she played Steve Austin’s love interest. Jaime was supposed to die, yet writers decided to keep her on.
Audiences had become so attached to Jaime that they protested her death that the producers brought her back. They helped give Jaime a really sweet personality. Sommers was a true standout, even when she played someone who could run at extraordinary speeds and defeat criminals.
The receptionist in charge
WKRP in Cincinnati came to CBS in September 1978, and it gave audiences their first proper taste of Loni Anderson as an important character, Jennifer Marlowe. She might’ve been a receptionist in it, but she certainly wasn’t going to sit by and make coffee.
She had beautiful blonde hair and a wardrobe to die for. We also can’t forget about her figure, as it made her a favorite with pinup fans. Despite all that, Jennifer was usually the smartest person working at the radio station, and that made many people fall in love with her.
Trouble beneath the water
Jacqueline Bisset had appeared in quite a few major movies before 1977’s The Deep. But really, it was that film, where she played Gail Berke, that brought her even more attention. A lot of the film is set underwater, and there’s one particularly famous scene.
You probably know the one, it features Bisset swimming in a white T-shirt, and promotional photographs of the scene began appearing everywhere. People couldn’t stop talking about her striking looks, although Bisset said she’d prefer audiences pay attention to her acting.
The runaway bride with a cheeky smile
Thanks to Gidget and The Flying Nun, Sally Field became America’s sweetheart on television for years. But then came 1977’s Smokey and the Bandit. The film showed a different side of her, and it was one that people everywhere fell in love with.
Her big smile and lively personality made her almost seem to come out of the screen. Even when she was acting against Burt Reynolds as they raced across the country, Field could hold her own.
The blonde with effortless elegance
The fact that Candice Bergen was a model before becoming an actress shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s easy to see why. She has such a killer face, for one, while her blonde hair and sophisticated appearance helped make her stand out.
She was in several movies throughout the 1970s, like 1971’s Carnal Knowledge, where she played Susan. Bergen brought a kind of cool, confident personality to the role that made everyone have a crush on her. She looked glamorous in basically every role.
Hollywood’s leading lady
The 1970s hadn’t even begun, yet Faye Dunaway had already picked up an Oscar nomination for Bonnie and Clyde. She continued to see success throughout the decade when she bagged another nomination for 1974’s Chinatown.
She had a look that made her really hard to forget. Maybe it was her striking eyes, or maybe it was her perfectly styled blonde hair. It could’ve been her rather mysterious smile that made her one of Hollywood’s most glamorous actresses. We just don’t know.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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