Onscreen, Judy Holliday seemed made for mischief. She had a voice that sounded helium-lifted to a higher register, and a habit of giggling to herself in a way that invited you to do the same. She originated her Born Yesterday role of dumb-blonde-gets-wise showgirl Billie Dawn on Broadway and fought to play the part on film. It paid off: She was the rare comedienne to win a Best Actress Oscar, besting two iconic performances – Sunset Boulevard’s Gloria Swanson and All About Eve’s Bette Davis. The movie itself isn’t as memorable as either of those films, but Judy’s worth the price of admission alone. – Kimberley Jones
