Icons. All of them. Frozen in time.
Marilyn Monroe - August 5th (today or yesterday for most of you) is the 50th anniversary of her death. She was 36 when she died and the most famous actress who ever lived. An enigmatic mixture of innocence and wholesomeness, sensuality and raw sexuality. Under-appreciated in her own time. Her soul shows through in every photograph - loved by men and women alike. She still fascinates.
Jean Harlow - The Original Blonde Bombshell and the first woman to legitimately claim the title of Hollywood Sex Symbol. Her life was cut tragically short by sudden onset renal failure. She died in 1937 at the age of 26.
Carole Lombard - A platinum blonde bombshell modeled after Jean Harlow with the same impeccable comedic timing. Married to Clark Gable. Died at age the age of 33 in 1942, in a plane crash as she returned from a visit to the American troops in Europe.
Patsy Cline - Died in a plane crash at age 30, at the height of her career. Perhaps the most famous female country singer of all time. She possessed the voice of an angel. Think of “Walkin’ After Midnight”, “Crazy”, “I Fall to Pieces”.
Janis Joplin - A crazy and unconventional rocker and blues singer with an evocative, ragged, powerhouse of a voice. Died of a drug overdose at the height of her popularity. She was 27 years old. (In reality, she had one of the sweetest singing voices you can imagine.)
Grace Kelly - Quite possibly the most elegant woman to ever grace the silver screen. Grace Kelly left the ranks of Hollywood royalty to marry the Prince of Monaco. She was 53 years young when she died of a stroke.
Princess Diana - When the most famous woman in the entire world died, I refused to believe it. She and I were contemporaries. We had kids at the same time, for Christ’s sake. How could she die like that? Such a tragedy. Like Marilyn Monroe, she was 36 when she died.
Gia Marie Carangi - The only woman really and truly owns the title of First Super Model. Her legacy lives on and on. As far as I’m concerned she is the only icon of the fashion world. She died of AIDS at the age of 26.
(The pictures above are from my book, movie, music collection.)
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Okay, now I’m depressed. Maybe they all just dropped out and went to that secret tropical island to hang out with Elvis.
Oh crap, Marie. Sorry. You know, like they’re with the heavenly band?
I had no idea so many of those stars died so young. I still remember the morning when I heard Princess Diana died. It seemed so surreal. She was one of those people, I imagined were invincible.
It’s so sad that all these beautiful women had to die so young.
Maybe there’s an Island in an afterlife with all the hot chicks. I’ll meet you there after we’ve died. Jess explained why being a vampire is great to Tara along these very lines a few weeks ago on True Blood.
I think another appealing thing about all of these women is their “mystique”….since they lived before the age of twitter/social media/constant updates by celebrities, there was something a bit mysterious about them. There is something to be said for maintaining an air of mystery. I think the celebrities who are “letting it all hang out” are doing themselves a disservice in the PR department. We don’t want to know when they get indigestion, etc. Keep us guessing.
My fav here is Grace Kelly.
Janis. God, but she could belt it out. I can still see that wild sweat-soaked hair of hers, flying through the air as she stomped a foot and flung her head about.
Though I’ve known all this before, it’s still a shock, when you see them all grouped together. Wonderfully talented and beautiful women gone in their prime. The mysteries of life.
It’s amazing that these women lost their lives so young. Looking at their pictures makes me thankful that I can complain about the aches and pains of growing older. Thanks for the memories, Julia. I’m going to put on some Patsy Cline.
They will always be remembered.
Ah Patsy, Sweet Dreams is a favourite of mine
Janis, Cry Baby does it for me
Oh Tom, I love Sweet Dreams. Patsy had quite a voice. As did Janis.
Stephanie - I got over my big butt when I saw that friend last week looking like death warmed over… Love Patsy!
I know, Diana. It’s amazing. It’s why they are icons. It’s weird.
I would love to have been old enough to have seen her, Tim. Her voice grabs you.
Penny - isn’t Grace Kelly just the perfect princess? Such a beauty. Yes, I’m laughing about the indigestion. Lots to be said for a mystique.
It’s a date, Steph! The island of icons. And rock and roll.
Really sad, Amber, but then, we remember them forever young. Sort of immortal, I guess.
Yes, Delilah. It’s like the Challenger disaster. I remember exactly where I was when I heard Diana had died.
Patsy Cline and Janis Joplin. Wow! Sounded nothing alike but they both had glorious voices in their own right.
True, Sandra - both unique.