I thought it was awful. On the cocktail table stands a sculpture by Italian artist Marino Marini. Ad Choices, Photo: Charles Nicholas/The Commercial Appeal/Polaris, Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images, Inside Actor John Leguizamos New York City Brownstone, an Antique Lovers Paradise, 76 Housewarming Gifts Guaranteed to Get You Welcomed Back, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Being Evicted From Frogmore Cottage, Photo: John Bryson/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images, Photo: Herbert Gehr/*Time Life*Pictures/Getty Images, Photo: Cyril Matland/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, The Chateau Marmonts Most Famous Guests Through the Years, Built in 1929, the Los Angeles hotel is now the stuff of legend, Another Look at a Charming 19th-Century Lighthouse on an Island in Maine, AD100 designer William Sofield and furniture maven Dennis Anderson have embraced the challenges of decorating the remote home, Tour an Expansive Wisconsin Lakeside Villa Thats Filled With Amazingly Ornate Artistry, The sprawling home, designed by Jessica Jubelirer, is a breathtaking homage to decorative design, Tour a Washington, DC, Row House With Period-Perfect Victorian Details and a Touch of 80s Style, It was designed by decorator Patrick Mele. Moreau was known not only for her work in front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well. Sophia Loren poses for photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, in 1964, in the master bedroom of Villa Sara, her 16th-century house near Rome. Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. Starting at the young age of 14, Anouk Aimee is a French actress that made her debut in 1946 in La Maison sous la mer where she played the role of Anouk and she liked the name so much she actually kept it for the rest of her career. Marilyn Monroe Jayne Mansfield Betty Hutton Mae West Though she died in a car crash at age 34, the actress in this image had plenty of time to become a star thanks to a series of '50s films. Admired for his boyish charm and common man persona, Jimmy Stewart had a long and distinguished career in Hollywood. Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Then & Now: 25 Hollywood Actresses From The 1960's - History Things That same year, she worked with Raymond Burr in Bride of the Gorilla (full movie below). When Elvis Presley had his Memphis, Tennessee, mansion, Graceland, decorated in 1957, the living rooms 15-foot-long sofa was upholstered in electric-blue fabric and the walls were painted Dresden-blue. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Her first major role came just two years later in the film Les Cousins. In 1957 she got national attention by claiming to have been kidnapped by two men. Merry Christmas from Old Hollywood Stars Glamour Daze presents a special Merry Christmas from Old Hollywood Stars video, featuring some of Hollywood's most enduring and loved actresses and actors from the 1940s and 1950s. Sleeping with Hollywoods A-List did nothing for her career. 100 Black . A group of rising stars in the '20sRichard Taber, Agnes Esterhazy, Liane Haide, Grit Haid, Walter Rilla, and painter Rauschercelebrate New Year's Eve together. (nee Palmer; later Peers) and Herbert W. Palmer. She was eventually discovered by producer Norman Foster and his wife, actress Claudette Colbert. The raven-haired beauty was the 1949 Washington, D.C. entry into the Miss America pageant. Ingrid Bergman was one of the greatest actresses from Hollywood's lamented Golden Era. Free shipping for many products! Then a divorced mother of two, Bennett, known for films such as Little Women, Scarlet Street, and The Woman in the Window, got a white-painted-brick mansion so elegant that actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. said it resembled the beautiful Joan expressed in bricks and mortar. Though the exterior remained white-painted brick with blue shutters and dark-gray shingles throughout Bennetts nearly 15-year residency, decor went through two color phases, said the actress, who was a talented amateur decorator. There are holiday parties, and then there are Old Hollywood holiday parties. Then, her public image was further tarnished by an performance at the White House, and a guilt-by-association with a soon-to-be dethroned Richard Nixon. After her high school graduation in 1947, Grace Lana Turner had an acting ability that belied the "Sweater Girl" image MGM thrust upon her, and even many of her directors admitted that they knew she was capable of greatness (check out The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)). Long before streaming was a thing, people flocked to the movies to escape reality. set in. Above him hang two Pablo Picasso paintings that he and his wife Anne purchased in 1960. (The photograph here was published in Life magazine, six months before Dean was killed.) The inseparable duo starred opposite one another for years. Shes on set here with W.C. Fields in My Little Chickadee (1940). These portrait photographs of Russia's ruling Romanovs were taken in 1903 at the Winter Palace in majestic. She played in many 1930s comedies and soon commanded one of the top salaries of the time. Although Heatherton could act, sing, and dance, her main asset was, without a doubt, her raw sexuality. But with a topic like this, I suppose it couldnt have ended any other way. Heatherton was a long-time member of Bob Hopes USO troupe between 1965 and 1977, delighting soldiers with her enticing singing, dancing and provocatively revealing outfits. He served in the US Army during WWII. She continues to work and seem to look as good as she ever did. She first performed at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London. The house, which Crosby and his first wife, Dixie Lee, bought shortly after their marriage in 1930, had been constructed in the 1840s by the first mayor of San Diego, Juan Osuna, and enlarged in 1910. Over her long career, Cardinale was incredibly diverse in her choice of movie roles starring in British, French, Italian and English speaking films. At age 18, her picture in the window Ingrid Bergman was one of the greatest actresses from Hollywood's lamented Golden Era. Before & After Plastic Surgery Photos of 1950s Hollywood Stars Cheerfulness kept creeping in." She was born on February 27, 1932, and passed away on March 23, 2011. Marlene Dietrich began her career as a cabaret singer in 1920s Germany. Starting out as a child star in vaudeville and moving into theater, Mae West didnt have her first movie role until age 40 in Night after Night (1932). St Petersburg is the city Christopher Hitchens called "an apparent temple of civilization: the polished window between Russia and Europe the, "I never saw Eric Ravilious depressed. She decided to attend film school, where a Swedish film director pulled her for a part in his movie, which then led to Hollywood roles. Ms. Vickers had appeared in Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman before making a splash as the centerfold in a 1959 issue of Playboy. 15. Here are 5such examples. But it was after a screen test at 20th Century Fox that landed her a seven- year movie deal. Just six years later she made her Broadway debut in The Boy Freind. Vitti would continue working on into the 80s where she went back to working on stage as both an actress and a teacher before retiring in 1989. Ms. Jeanne Moreau is a French actress that made her debut in 1947 working on stage and then in small film roles by 1949. Pink shag carpeting covered the ceiling, walls, and floor of the actresss bath, and the heart-shaped tub glittered with gold mosaic tiles. She made her debut as a stage actress in the late 50s then switching to the big screen. A Place in the Sun and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are just a few of her films from the decade. She signed her first studio contract at age 16. She appeared in such classic 1950s films as Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She appeared in such classic 1950s films as Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch, and Gentlemen Prefer Blonde s. Tall 'Golden Age' Actresses - IMDb Within a few years, she was playing theater roles before signing with the studio in 1925. Kay Francis. The Golden Age of Hollywood reverberated with glamorous women in elegant gowns (Marilyn! Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Beverly E. Fisher dies at 67; Errol Flynn's final girlfriend", "71-Year Old Black Actress Who Made Soap Opera History in the 1980's Refuses to Retire", Most popular American actresses on Wikipedia, with user comments on traffic jumps, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_American_film_actresses&oldid=1134124692, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 03:22. Have some tissues handy these are some sad and troubling tales. His easygoing manner and butter-smooth voice garnered a huge fan base, especially during the dark days of the Great Depression. 10 Pioneering Asian Actors From The Golden Age Of Hollywood - ScreenRant Cooper was known for doing his own stunts and for having many different lovers, despite his wholesome portrayals. She mainly has switched to the work behind the camera as of late, but she still is said to produce a couple movies per year. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('Unit6'); }); Through the previous decades, McDonald had been known to sleep around. He married a total of five times, including his greatest love, actress Carole Lombard, who was killed in a plane crash in 1942. A high-school dropout at age 16, Clark Gable decided to become an actor when he saw a play in his hometown. Marilyn Monroe sure knows how to rock a holiday photoshoot. --The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show-- 6. Actor Kirk Douglas stretches out on a skylit sofa in his Beverly Hills home in the early 1960s. Who is the most popular movie star from the 1950s? Here, hes reading passages from Hemingways book on which the movie was based during shooting of A Farewell to Arms (1932). Up through the early Sixties, McDonald starred in a couple dozen films, some good some bad, including the 1963 film, Promises! At just 13 years old, Judy Garland was signed by Hollywoods largest movie studio, Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). In 1935, he had a child with his Call of the Wild co-star Loretta Young; because of the strict morality clauses in their contracts and the fact that Gable was married they kept the child secret. All three works were eventually sold by the Douglases to fund childrens playgrounds. Hes shown here alongside hunky co-star Montgomery Clift. Because of the outbreak of World War I, she is six years old the first time Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York, into a family of dancers. It doesnt happen all the time, but a very sad fall from grace for these girls is all too common especially when their career was almost exclusively based on their sex appeal. On the Waterfront and The Wild One still go down as two of his best films. He went on to star in many '40s classics including High Sierra (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), and Casablanca (1942). Jane Russell They apparently gave her one year to make it before they would make her come back home. Rice, the Crosbys expanded the house as well, adding a wing to accommodate their growing family. Shes on the set here in 1932. Hes headed to his dressing room between takes, circa 1940. Elizabeth Taylor made the nice list in 1950 thanks to this gorgeous Christmas advertisement. Known for playing everyday men with real-life problems, James Stewart appeared in some of the most popular films of all-time in his over 50-year career. It was the last New Year's Eve for quite some time where the champagne floweda few weeks later, the Prohibition Era began and didn't end until 1933. As AD observed, the den was a place for casual entertaining and where family evenings, kids [the Pecks had three sons], and dogs [the couple had several Alsatians] were welcome., In 1938, actress Joan Bennett commissioned architect Wallace Neff to design her 14-room house in the west Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills in her favorite French Provincial style. In the years that followed, Yvette bounced from B-movie to B-movie, making appearances on the convention circuit before fading into obscurity. Called an amusing little clown in one film review, actress Jean Arthur (Mr. Known for his commanding voice, dimpled chin, and bad boy appeal, Robert Mitchum discovered acting in an amateur theater company, obtaining bit parts in many 1940s films. After escaping from the clinic, and a wild string of abuse and excess, McDonald was found dead in 1965 as a result of a drunken overdose. The pair would co-star in eight movies together. This shows her with co-star Marlon Brando on set. List of American film actresses - Wikipedia With her gorgeous violet eyes and creamy white skin, Elizabeth Taylor was a child star, co-starring alongside horses and dogs in National Velvet and the Lassie movies, long before she was a screen siren in movies such as Cleopatra. James Stewart (1932-1991) James Stewart, an actor from Indiana, Pennsylvania, US, was one of the most famous stars of the 1950s. Then shit started hitting the fan. 2. His affair with actress Ava Gardner broke up his marriage, and his career stalled. James Dean, Jerry Lewis, and William Holden were also popular 1950s male actors. Hulton Archive/ Getty Images. With her iconic looks and wispy voice, Marilyn Monroe defined the classic Hollywood actress. The sprawling, ranch-style house sat on five and a half acres, and its high brick walls kept us safe and apart from the world outside, the actors daughter Aissa Wayne wrote in AD in 2008. List of Famous 50s Actresses - Ranker Shes having her makeup touched up on the set of The Merry Widow (1952). This list features 20 of the most well-known actresses of the '50s. She starred in the Manchurian Candidate in 1963 that launched her into superstardom and continued on that path up until present day. The 1950s featured the rise of blonde bombshells and their beautiful brunette counterparts. Her autobiography I Am Not Ashamed (1963) tells of gang bangs, knifings, arrests for public drunkenness, heroin addiction, and the murder of an FBI informant. Knowing what was to follow, the venue was apposite. She later married and retired from show biz. Rita's American mother, Volga Margaret (Hayworth), who was of mostly Hedy Lamarr, the woman many critics and fans alike regard as the most beautiful ever to appear in films, was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna, Austria. She was known for her intense style and enigmatic personality. Beside the actor is his Academy Award for Best Actor, presented for his performance in the 1953 film Stalag 17. List of films based on Greco-Roman mythology. Ms. Payton got some Hollywood buzz via the 1949 film noir Trapped, with Lloyd Bridges. Frank Sinatra was almost as famous for his movie roles as his decades of music. One thing is for sure, pretty much anything that she does is usually loved by all. By the time she was 15, Brigitte was Jean Dorothy Seberg was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, to substitute teacher Dorothy Arline (Benson) and pharmacist Edward Waldemar Seberg. Promises! They were in the Big Apple for Sherry's first New York art exhibit at the American British Art Center. It was downhill from here. With his methodical delivery, natural acting abilities, and striking good looks, Gary Cooper enjoyed a long and respected career in Hollywood, including leading roles more than 80 films. Only GH+ members can save this article. She's certainly one of the female icons of the 1950s. DONATE, Before the money moved in, Kings Cross was a place for born-and-bred locals, clubs and crime, See what really went on during that time in NYC's topless go-go bars, Chris Stein 's photographs of Debbie Harry and friends take us back to a great era of music. This was a common photo pose for stars of the era. Martha Hyer Martha Hyer With so many beautiful actresses to choose from, it's up to you to decide who should be . Working in a series of films during the '20s, her silky voice enabled her to transition seamlessly to talkies when sound became part of movies in the late '20s. Id furnished the house when I was a blonde, Bennett explained, and when I became a brunette [she began dyeing her fair hair around 1940], naturally the colors were no good with my dark hair. 40 Old Hollywood Actresses Who Aged Beautifully His gentlemanly behavior and understated sex appeal quickly caught the attention of moviegoers, and he reigned during the '40s and '50s. His complex performance in Stalag 17 earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Tall, dark and handsome described Gregory Peck, who started going to school for medicine but changed gears once he fell in love with theater. Brigitte's mother encouraged her daughter to take up music and dance, and she proved to be very adept at it. This time, the snaps were taken to promote her upcoming movie, We're Not Married, which debuted on July 11, 1952. Here, she smiles for a July 4th photo, while promoting How To Marry a Millionaire, which came out just a few months later. She has a role in the film Wild Oats that was released just a few short months prior to this writing. She appeared in several silent movies before her first talkie in 1930 and starred in many 1930s movies including Mata Hari (1930) and Grand Hotel (1932). This lovely lady is the French-born actress, Stephane Audran, who was a particularly famous actress who made her debut in 1957 in the French film Le Jeu de la nuit. Pacific Palisades was the California town where actor Gregory Peck chose to settle down in the late 1940s. Inspired by stars like Sophia Loren and Connie Francis, women began teasing their hair for exaggerated. Considered one of the 1950s' biggest box office draws, William Holden is most famous for starring in Sunset Boulevard (1950), Sabrina (1954), and Stalag 17 (1953). She was promoting her new film All About Eve. Here, she starred in the 1934 film, Imitation of Life and is seen with co-star, Louise Beavers (left), who plays her mother in the movie. To make it easier for Hollywood lovers to know about the famous stars of the 1950s, check out the following list of all the legendary actors and actresses of that era: 1. In the '20s, Humphrey Bogart managed a small theater company in New York, soon taking to the stage himself. Weve been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. In a book that became to be known as 'The People of the Abyss' London described the time when he lived in the Whitechapel district sleeping in workhouses, so-called doss-houses and even on the streets. Marilyn Monroe tops our list. His most memorable movies were The Philadelphia Story (1940), An Affair to Remember (1957), and North by Northwest (1959). The desert was Dads lifelong passion, the place where he felt healthiest and most peaceful, Sinatras daughter Tina, once wrote. Her mother, Baroness Ella Van Heemstra, was a Dutch noblewoman, while her father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, was born in zice, Bohemia, to English and Austrian parents.After her parents' divorce, Actress | She actually won a contest for the Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia where the prize was a trip to Italy where she landed her film contracts. Considered a classic American beauty, shes having her makeup and hair done for her 1938 film College Swing. Shortly thereafter, Carole gets a small Warner Brothers contract, works in a bunch of cowboy features, and then gets a big break as a cave girl in One Million B.C. 2023 Cond Nast. Destined to be called "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World", Gina possibly had St. Brigid as part of her surname. The bedroom features frescoes of the four seasons, which were moved there from another room in the house; the Louis XVI painted bed was made in Tuscany. When she was 16, Wong ran away to Hollywood to become a dancer. He was married to Leigh for more than two decades, and they often played on stage and in films together. This lovely actress, Claudia Cardinale, ranks up there as one of the most talented females to come out of Italy. Ava Gardner casts a spell on Hollywood in this gorgeous Halloween look from 1946. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. 10 Hottest Celebrities Of The 1950s Other 1950s female movie stars include Shirley MacLaine, Jayne Mansfield and Dorothy Dandridge. She also was a highly accomplished stage actress with roles on Broadway that earned her a Tony. As for the houses decor, she added, My father loved Asian art and furniture, which he would mix in with other styles. Since then, she has been in countless movies and received just as many awards. Riggs career is still going strong and is almost as recognized today as she was in the early parts of her career. His real-life lover, Vivian Leigh, also launched her film career this year in Gone with the Wind. In 1963, Barbara Payton, former movie starlet and tabloid sensation, sat down with an opportunistic ghostwriter named Leo Guild to tell the story of her tortured life. Actress June Allyson smiles at the camera during a heart-themed photoshoot. 1950's actor/actresses - IMDb 1950s actors & actresses - Listal He got his first movie role in 1945. She appeared in her first major film in 1936. Long before Murder She Wrote Ms. Angela Lansbury was considered one of the great beauties of Hollywood during the early 60s. Unfortunately, her private life sometimes overshadowed her professional Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, comedienne, singer, and model. Kay Francis is possibly the biggest of the 'forgotten stars' from Hollywood's Golden Era. Fredi Washington was a talented actress and stunning green-eyed beauty, who eventually worked as an activist for other African-American stars in the entertainment industry. Richard Tauber and Lee Perry ring in 1920 with streamers and balloons. Many of these actresses have graced the pages of some of the top magazines, newspapers, and websites in the world. Her father, Eduardo Cansino Reina, was a dancer as was his father before him. Ms. Julie Andrews was one of the most popular theater actresses of the 1950s. ), tough-talking men with square jaws and cleft chins, and cute kiddie stars who sang and danced their little hearts out. Hollywood Beauty SILVANA MANGANO ITALIAN ACTRESS HAVANA 1950s PORTRAIT When discussing Audrey Hepburn, the iconic 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" must inevitably come up. Riverdale: Season Seven; The CW Previews Final Episodes Set in the That immediately cemented her on the list of most beautiful actresses of the 60s. Her popularity declined during the '40s, but she eventually pursued a successful diplomatic career. She brought the popularity of Westerns in the '40s to the next decade with her getup, complete with a fringed top, hat, and boots. Her role in the 1960 release of Psycho as Lila Crane was one of the most well-known roles she would play in her career. Douglas had roles in numerous other movies and TV series, but Beverly Hillbillies was far and away her most prominent. By the end of the 1950s, Ekberg's career was on the decline. He originally attended Princeton University to study architecture, but when the Great Depression hit, he followed his friend, Henry Fonda, to Hollywood. Born in Sweden, Greta Garbo worked in a department store as a teen to support her impoverished, fatherless family. Looking back at some of the leading ladies of Hollywood during the 1960's, you can immediately recognize that some, if not most, of these talented and lovely ladies are still going strong in their careers, even as we speak, playing in a variety of different roles. As his wife Nancy recalled, The house consumed so much energy, and involved so much intricate wiring, that a special switch box had to be installed on the outside. The couple sold the house in 1981, after Reagan was elected president. Robert Sterling of Topper fame pulls out some mistletoe for a kiss from his wife, Anne Jeffreys. Here, hes being coached alongside his co-star Joan Fontaine (Leigh wanted the role but didnt get it) by director Alfred Hitchcock on the set of Rebecca (1940). The Art of Surfing: 10 Of The Greatest Big Wave Surfers In History, The First Female Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, Edith Wharton, DeAutremont Brothers Train Robbery Gone Wrong, Frances Beneficial Assistance to America in the Revolutionary War, Famed Author of Uncle Toms Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Another one of my personal favorites is this beautiful woman known as Jacquline Bisset. She claims to have starred in over 142 films. Then, she started hopping from bed to bed in Hollywood with publicized affairs with Howard Hughes, Bob Hope, Woody Strode, Guy Madison, George Raft, John Ireland, Steve Cochran and Texas oilman Bob Neal. Her natural beauty will go down in history as one of the greats. She subsequently performed with the Oxford Diana Dors was born Diana Mary Fluck on October 23, 1931 in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. She made her greatest film in 1960, Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, opposite Marcello Mastroianni as his unattainable fantasy woman. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('Unit4'); }); Ms. Heatherton is pictured above on the Perry Como and Red Skelton variety shows. . Shirley Knight started her career in the late 50s as a Television actress on the hit western on NBC, Buckskin. Learn more about our She was born in France and thats where the majority of her film career took place. Shirley Jones started her career as a stage actress after her parents allowed her to move to New York City with $100 in her pocket. Dramatic ruffled curtains screen the picture window, while the chairs sport a Victorian silhouette. 1950s Coleen Gray Actress Lobby Card 5 x 7 Photo Vintage Photo Something about a New Year's Eve celebration with Mae West in attendance or a Halloween bash with Jayne Mansfield on the guest list is just inherently glamorous. In 1942, got a contract with Universal Studios and starred alongside Gene Kelly in Living in a Big Way in 1947. An only child Like many other female Italian film stars, Claudia Cardinale's entry into the business was by way of a beauty pageant. She was the daughter of Gertrud (Lichtwitz), from Budapest, and Emil Kiesler, a banker from Lember (now known as Lviv). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1950s Coleen Gray Actress Lobby Card 5 x 7 Photo Vintage Photo at the best online prices at eBay! Her film career started to slow down after she appeared in the 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Her earthy Linda Darnell, one of five children of a postal clerk, grew up fast. To read and save unlimited articles, sign up to become a GH+ member. Stars were signed to longtime contracts under the studio system and made numerous films every year. He won a Best Oscar for his role in Going My Way (1944), but hes often remembered most for crooning the classic holiday anthem, White Christmas and starring in the film of the same name (1954). Cook Talks 'Criminal Minds: Evolution', See Joanna Gaines's "Amazing" Selfie With Daughter, Miranda Lambert Shares Rare Photos with Husband. It was typical of Picassos work during the thirties. 100 . Marilyn Monroe is a Cupid cowgirl for Valentine's Day in 1951. She won her second Oscar for her role in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Who was the most popular actress of the 1950s? She also landed numerous television roles including a recent part on the Soap Opera, The Young and the Restless. Audrey! The role garnered her first Best Actress Oscar. He appeared in a bit part in 1934 but soon garnered larger roles collaborating with director Frank Capra in movies such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Its a Wonderful Life (1946). When her mother took her to see a play, Leigh decided the theater was her destiny. During Old Hollywoods heyday from the 1930s to the late 1950s, lavish musicals, screwball comedies, and later, wartime dramas, dominated the screen. Oscar-winner William Holden relaxes in his home in Toluca Lake, a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley; the modest Georgian-style house was designed by African-American architect Paul R. Williams and was later owned by Denzel Washington. Since then she has become heavily involved in Broadway Theater.