The 1970s was one of the greatest decades, it gave us some of pop culture’s most inspiring female figures. From Goldie Hawn to Raquel Welch, these 1970s icons remain timelessly influential. Let’s find out what the female superstars of yesteryear look like today.
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews was an undeniable musical sensation who rose to fame with the roles of Mary Poppins and Maria from the beloved musical ‘The Sound of Music.’ The multitalented actress’s career continued to flourish well after the seventies were over. Her most recent appearances include voice acting work in the movies Shrek and Despicable Me, as well as a role as the Queen of Genovia in the Disney movie The Princess Diaries.
Morgan Fairchild
Morgan Fairchild, born Patsy Ann McClenny, first rose to fame with her role as Jennifer Pace on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow from 1973-1977. She soon landed guest roles on Happy Days, Kojak and Dallas. She continues to act today, with her most recent role in 2016’s A Christmas in Vermont, starring alongside Chevy Chase. She has aged gracefully, maintaining her demure and refined beauty.
Beth Chapman
Beth Chapman hails from Denver, Colorado. She was just 29-years-old when she became the youngest licensed bail bondsman in the history of Colorado. The record would later be broken by her very own step-daughter, Lyssa Chapman. Beth is known for being one of the main characters in the series Dog the Bounty Hunter and Dog and Beth: On The Hunt. In 2017, she was diagnosed with cancer but would go on to make a full recovery and return to good health.
Jaclyn Smith
The gorgeous Jaclyn Smith first rose to fame in the hit sitcom Charlie’s Angels, becoming a noteworthy sex symbol. Following the end of the series, Smith continued her career on the small screen, appearing in several made-for-TV movies. In a true show of her astounding longevity, Smith made a memorable cameo appearance in the 2003 action flick Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.
Linda Ronstadt
Linda was one of the iconic musical names of the decade. She was dubbed the First Lady of Rock by the media, producing 31 gold and platinum records and earning herself 10 Grammy awards. In 2013, Linda announced she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and would be officially retiring from the music industry. She detailed her devastating but triumphant journey with the disease in her memoir titled Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir.
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn was once the beloved golden girl of Hollywood. She appeared in a string of hit comedies and became quickly a much-loved icon. Goldie is still acting, recently returning to the big screen in the mother-daughter comedy, Snatched, alongside famous comedian Amy Schumer. She is happily coupled with Kurt Russell and is the mother of the lovely actress, Kate Hudson.
Pam Grier
Pam was a popular leading lady in a host of early 1970s movies, most often portraying bold, self-assured and confident characters. Some of her more memorable performances appeared in the movies Foxy Brown and Sheba, Baby. More recently, Grier has appeared in the films Jackie Brown and The Man with the Iron Fists and starred on the controversial hit series The L World.
Kim Basinger
The beautiful blonde first dominated the modeling world before her acting debut in the TV series Gemini Man. In the 70s and 80s, the bombshell took on multiple roles in feature films. Her defining performance was as Lynn Bracken in L.A. Confidential for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She most recently appeared in 2017’s erotic thriller Fifty Shades Darker, playing an older seductress.
Barbara Streisand
Barbara Streisand is synonymous with the 70s era of Hollywood. After a spectacularly successful musical career in the 1960s, Streisand boldly made her transition into acting. In 1968, she had her breakthrough role in the iconic comedy Funny Girl, for which she won an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Although becoming more reclusive in her later years, the singer and actress continues to thrill the world with onstage performances. She is set to star in the movie adaptation of Gypsy which islet to be released.
Billie Jean King
King is best known for winning the iconic tennis match, fondly known as ‘the Battle of the Sexes,’ playing against male tennis-champion, Bobby Riggs, in 1973. In 1981, she became the first prominent female athlete to come out as gay. King continued to have success beyond the world of tennis. In 1987, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and in 2009 she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She is considered to be one of the most inspiring female athletes of all time.
Mindy Cohn
Mindy Cohn is best known for playing Natalie Green, also known as Frenchie, in the hit TV series The Facts of Life. After the series ended, she landed recurring roles on several TV shows such as The Second Half, The Kids From Room 402, and The Secret Life of an American Teenager. Cohn is also known for voicing the character of Velma Dinkley in the Scooby-Doo franchise, a role which she performed from 2002-2015.
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret first demanded Hollywood’s attention after she landed the role of Kim Mcafee in Bye Bye Birdie. She went on to receive Academy Award nominations for her work in the films Carnal Knowledge and Tommy. Her most recent acting credit was in 2014, on the Showtime series Ray Donovan.
Allison Arngrim
Alison Arngrim is most known for playing Nellie Oleson in Little House on the Prairie, from 1974-1982. Since her days starring as nasty little Nellie, she has continued to act in various TV movies and sitcoms. In 2010, she released “Confessions of A Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated.” The book is a comedic memoir growing up as one of TV’s most hated but memorable characters.
Debbie Harry
Born Angela Tremble, the singer-songwriter garnered her time in the international spotlight as the lead singer of Blondie. She was widely considered a hardcore, rock goddess whose onstage persona left a legacy that is still loved and respected today. In 2014, the band released its tenth studio album, Ghosts of Download.
Jane Seymour
The beautiful and fragile Jane Seymour first turned heads as Bond Girl, Solitaire, in the 1973 film, Live and Let Die. Jane continued the 70s with landing roles on TV series and movies, like Battlestar Galactica and The Four Feathers. In the late 1980s, the actress turned her attention to authorship, penning self-help books, including Jane Seymour’s Guide to Romantic Living (1986), Remarkable Changes (2003), and Among Angels (2010). The age-defying actress continues to star in feature films and television series.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton’s first major film role was portraying Kay Adams-Corleone in the iconic mobster film, The Godfather.despite the film’s legacy, it was her film pairings with Woody Allen that really offered her the opportunity to shine. She starred in the films Play it Again Sam, Sleeper, Love and Death, and Annie Hall. Her performance as the title role in Annie Hall won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. The seemingly ageless actress continues to land roles in movies such as Somethings Gotta Give and First Wives Club.
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway first began her career in the 60s on Broadway. Her big break came with her role as the notorious Bonnie Parker in the feature film Bonnie and Clyde. She received an Academy Award for her classic and enduring performance. She went on to memorably star in some film’s most revered movies, such as Chinatown, Barfly, and The Thomas Crown Affair.
Sissy Spacek
Spacek began her career in the early 1970s. She dominated the world’s attention in 1973 when she starred in Badlands. She continued to gain notoriety when she landed the title-role of the 1976 horror film, Carrie, which earned her her first Academy Award nomination. In 2012, Spacek published an intimate memoir, My Extraordinary Ordinary Life. Spacek became the first person to act in an Academy Award-nominated film in each of the 4 most recent decades: Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980), Missing (1982), JFK (1991), In the Bedroom (2001) and The Help (2011).
Katharine Ross
Katharine Ross played Mrs. Robinson’s daughter in 1967’s most popular film, The Graduate. Throughout the following decade, she landed a host of roles that cemented her legendary status in Hollywood. She most memorably had starring roles in The Stepford Wives, The Swarm, Betsy and Voyage of the Damned. She continues to act and is credited with roles in two forthcoming movies which are yet to be released. She has also co-authored numerous children books.
Beverly Johnson
In 1974, Beverly Johnson was the very first African-American model to appear on the cover of American Vogue. In 1975, she became the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of the French edition of Elle. She was recognized as the face of a new era. The model turned actress made headlines in 2014 when she penned an article for Vanity Fair magazine, in which she accused comedian Bill Cosby of drugging her in the 1980s. In 2015, she released her autobiographical memoir, The Face That Changed It All, which gave further insight into the incident.
Karen Lynn Gorney
From 1970 to 1974, Gorney played Tara Martin on the long-standing soap opera All My Children. In 1977, she was awarded her biggest role as Stephanie Mangano in Saturday Night Fever, alongside a young and beautiful John Travolta. Although the actress took a break from Hollywood in the 1980s, she returned in the 1990s. She had roles in critically acclaimed TV shows like Law & Order and The Sopranos.
Lorraine Gary
Gary is undeniably best known for her role as Ellen Brody in the Jaws films franchise. She abruptly retired from acting after her appearance in Steven Spielberg’s movie 1941. She came out of retirement for a special reprisal of Ellen Brady in Jaws: The Revenge, in 1987. Gary has since receded from the spotlight. She is a happily married mother of two and an active philanthropist.
Ellen Burstyn
In 1971, the talented Miss Burstyn received her very first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Last Picture Show. She garnered her second nomination playing Chris MacNeil in the cult classic horror flick, The Exorcist. She went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, in 1975, for playing Alice Hyatt in the Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Burstyn continues to wow audiences with her talent in box office hits like Interstellar and The Age of Adaline.
Meryl Streep
There are few actresses in history who have the prowess, beauty, talent, and eloquence of Meryl Streep. She began her career in the 1970s on Broadway and made a transition into film with her Academy Award-winning performance in the drama Kramer vs. Kramer. Miss Streep is the most celebrated actress of our time, with 21 Oscar nominations and 31 Golden Globe nominations. She continues to effortless embody some of film’s most complex characters. She is an outspoken women’s rights activist and philanthropist.
Carol Kane
Carol Kane was a quirky starlet of the 1970’s with roles in Hester Street and Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. In the following years, Kane’s success with roles in The Princess Brid and Addams Family Values. From 2005-2014, she played the evil headmistress Madame Morrible in the Broadway musical Wicked. In 2015, she nabbed the role of the lovable and weird character Lillian Kaushtupper in Netflix’s popular series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Talia Shire
Talia is best known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather films, and Adrian Pennino in the Rocky series. For both of these acclaimed performances, the adaptable actress was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress. Talia continued her career appearing in various films and TV movies. She mothered another famous face, actor Jason Schwartzman.
Lynda Carter
Lynda is best known for her role as the superhero icon, Wonder Woman, in the TV series titled after the timeless character from 1975 – 1979. In 1978, the actress ventured into the music industry with the release of her first pop album. After Wonder Woman wrapped, she continued to act on the big and small screen. She recently appeared in the series Supergirl.
Cybill Shepherd
Cybill first appeared onscreen in The Last Picture Show in 1971. It was an international box office hit and received several Academy Awards and nominations. In 1976, she would land another definitive role in Martin Scorcese’s Taxi Driver. Cybill played an ethereal beauty who charms Robert De Niro’s lead character. The actress would go on to have continued success in Hollywood, starring in her own TV show, Cybill, from 1995 – 1998. A little-known fact about the actress; she once dated Elvis Presley!
Agnetha Faltskog
Agnetha Faltskog, is one of the faces from the famous Swedish pop group, ABBA. ABBA brought us some of history’s most loved hits like Take a Chance on Me, Dancing Queen and Mamma Mia. In the early 80’s, golden-haired Agnetha took a shot at a solo career. Unfortunately, her first solo album only achieved moderate success.
Raquel Welch
Rounding off the 1960s with her iconic bikini-wearing role in One Million Years BC, Raquel continued to rise to fame in the 1970s. She won a Golden Globe award for her performance in The Three Musketeers in 1973 and subsequently appeared in the thriller flick The Last of Shelia. Raquel further cemented her mark in pop culture when she released her Total Beauty and Fitness Program books. She is still known as one of Hollywood’s ageless beauties.
Carly Simon
Carly Simon released her first self-titled album in 1971, which included her very first hit single That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be. She went on to release a second album later that year to similar public and critical success, but it was her 1972 scorned-woman-anthem You’re So Vain which would leave an enduring imprint on the music industry. Rumors remain about who the song was penned about. Womanizer Warren Beatty is on top of the list…
Catherine Bach
Who could forget the steamy image of Catherine Bach in a pair of tiny denim shorts playing the role of Daisy Duke? Bach would leave male viewers swooning onscreen in the Dukes of Hazzard TV series from 1979-1985. In 2012, Bach joined the cast of the ever-popular daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless, in the recurring role of Anita Lawson.
Ali Macgraw
Ali Macgraw began her acting career appearing in national commercials. She first gained international fame after playing Jenny in Love Story in 1970. Sadly, the actress only appeared in 3 more films in the 1970s before receding from the spotlight. In 2008, GQ magazine listed her as one of the Sexiest 25 Women in Film Ever.
Dolly Parton
Quick-witted, gorgeous and multitalented, Miss Dolly Parton is synonymous with country music. In 1974, Dolly took the music world by storm with 3 solo songs, Jolene, I Will Always Love you, and Love is Like a Butterfly, which all reached #1 on the country chart. She hosted her own variety show, Dolly!, from 1976-1977. In 2016, Dolly had her largest U.S. tour to date, performing in 60 cities throughout the country.
Lauren Hutton
Gorgeous and gap-toothed, Lauren Hutton appeared on the cover of Vogue for a record-breaking 27 times. She was one of the most well-known models of the decade with major commercial fashion campaigns. She made a successful transition into acting with roles in American Gigolo and The Gambler. She continues to model, most recently appearing in campaigns of for H&M, Alexander Wang and Lord and Taylor.
Jacqueline Bisset
British actress Jacqueline a Bisset first demanded the world’s attention in 1968, with her portrayal of Norma MacIver, in The Detective, opposite Frank Sinatra. The 1970s brought commercial success for Bisset, she appeared in 17 movies throughout the decade. A lesser known fact about the beauty is that she is the godmother to another Hollywood goddess, actress Angelina Jolie.
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fischer will forever be known as the original woman behind Star War’s Princess Leia. The actress did have other mentionable roles in The Blues Brothers, When Harry Met Sally and Heartbreakers. To the devastation of many avid Star Wars fans, Fischer would pass away after suffering a heart attack in late 2016.
Dawn Wells
From 1964-1967, Dawn Wells played Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan’s Travels, the comic show that followed the lives of a group of castaways as they struggled to survive on a deserted island. After the series ended, Wells pursued a career in theatre and focused on her humanitarian endeavors.
Olivia Newton John
After the release of the musical hit Grease, there wasn’t a person in the world who didn’t swoon over the sweet and then sultry Olivia Newton John. After her iconic portrayal of Sandy, the Australian returned to her musical roots and released her second studio album. In 2015, Olivia released a pop song co-featuring her daughter, Chloe. The catchy track was the first mother-daughter song to reach number-one single on Billboard’s Dance Club Play chart.
Christie Brinkley
Supermodel, Christie Brinkley is best known for gracing the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Her all-American allure seduced male readers, as well as Billy Joel, the singing superstar she would go on to marry, and infamously divorce. For the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, at the age of 63, Christie returned to the cover of the sultry magazine.
Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren is still recognized as one of the world’s most enduring beauties. She began her acting career in 1950 at the tender age of 15. After a series of minor parts, she landed the lead role as Cesira in Two Women, which would earn her an Academy Award for Best Actress. The Italian American became a worldwide sex symbol with her seductive curves and powerful screen persona.
Kate Jackson
Born Lucy Kate Jackson, Jackson is known for her role as the sassy Sabrina Duncan in the iconic 1970s TV series Charlie’s Angels. She left the show in 1979 and moved onto TV series like Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Baby Boom. She is currently writing a reflective memoir, entitled The Smart One, that is set to be released in 2020.
Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd famously played Kris Munroe in the hit series Charlie’s Angels, from 1977-1981. In 1978, she released her first pop single, ultimately transitioning over into music with a warm public reception. Since the 70s, her most notable performances were in Millennium in 1989, and Poison Ivy, in 1992. Her most recent role in 2016, was in the critically acclaimed TV mini-series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
