During Hollywood’s Golden Age,musical filmswere in their prime and established by classics such asThe Wizard of Oz,Yankee Doodle Dandy, andSingin' in the Rain. The iconic film genre continued to evolve, reaching new heights during the New Hollywood Movement with unforgettable titles likeThe Sound of Music,Cabaret, andFunny Girl. Even though musicals remain a beloved film genre among cinephiles of all ages, they would never have earned notoriety without the long line of stars who brought them to life on the silver screen.
Stars such asJudy Garland,Gene Kelly, andJames Cagneyare just a few legendary musical stars who pioneered the classic film genre and carried on by other notable names, includingBarbra Streisand,Julie Andrews, andDick Van Dyke. Dozens of movie stars found success in the musical film genre but only a select few managed to make a name for themselves, ultimately becoming icons of the infamous film genre.
10Dorothy Dandridge
‘Carmen Jones,’ ‘Porgy and Bess,’ and ‘Atlantic City’
Dorothy Dandridgewas one of the first major African American musical stars who was a trailblazer on and off the silver screen. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dandridge started performing at a young age with her sister, Vivian, in a song and dance act, but once the Great Depression hit, there was little opportunity in Ohio, and Dandridge and her family eventually moved West to Hollywood. She and her sister continued to perform, appearing at the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater, before Dandrigde made her on-screen debut in anOur Gangcomedy short,Teacher’s Beau, in 1935.
In 1953, Dandridge starred in her breakthrough role in the musical,Carmen Jones, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, making her the first African American star to ever be nominated for a leading role. After becoming a worldwide sensation, Dandridge appeared in several more films, includingIsland in the SunandThe Decks Ran Red, before earning another major leading role in the 1959 musical film,Porgy and Bess, alongsideSidney Poitier.While Dandridge dazzled on the big screen, she also utilized her star power to break down racial barriers within the industry as well as American society, making her one of the best and most influential musical stars in cinema history.
RentCarmen Joneson Amazon Prime
9Dick Van Dyke
‘Mary Poppins,’ ‘Bye Bye Birdie,’ and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’
Dick Van Dyke is an award-winning versatile musical star whose career spans over several decades of notable appearances on the stage, television and film. Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri but grew up in Illinois and started his career as an entertainer on the radio and television. He made his Broadway debut in the 1959 production,The Girls Against the Boys, and in 1960, he appeared in the original production ofBye, Bye, Birdie, earning him a Tony Award as well as a part in the 1963 film adaptation. Van Dyke soon starred in his own television series,The Dick Van Dyke Show, but he reached the height of his career after starring opposite Julie Andrews in Walt Disney’s musical film,Mary Poppins.
The film was a box office sensation, receiving thirteen Academy Award nominations and winning five, including Best Original Song, Best Special Effects, and Best Musical Score. The film’s soundtrack was also a massive hit, which also earned both Van Dyke and Andrews a Grammy Award for their vocal performances. In 2023, at the age of 97, Van Dyke competed in the popular singing competition,The Masked Singer, as the Gnome.After his unmasking, he did a song and dance rendition of the iconic song,Supercalifragilisticexpialidocuious, earning him an overwhelming standing ovation and proving that age is simply just a number for this movie musical legend.
WatchMary Poppinson Disney+
8Barbra Streisand
‘Funny Girl,’ ‘Hello, Dolly!,’ and ‘Yentl’
Proclaimed singer and actress, Barbra Streisand is one of few stars who has achieved EGOT status (winning an Emmy, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, AND a Tony Award) and is ranked as one of cinema’s greatest musical performers.Streisand initially started in show business as an accomplished singer before making her feature film debut in the popular musical comedy,Funny Girl. Her breakthrough performance earned the actress her first Academy Award win for Best Actress, becoming an overnight sensation.
She continued to star in box office hits, includingHello, Dolly!,The Way We Were, and the highlyunderrated screwball comedy,What’s Up, Doc?In 1976, she starred alongside Kris Kristofferson in the remake ofA Star Is Born, earning her a second Oscar for Best Original Song. Streisand made history in 1983 with her film,Yentl, making her the first woman ever to write, produce, direct, and star in a major feature film. Between her immense accomplishments and exceptional talent and range, Streisand has more than proven herself to be one of the best musical movie stars of all time.
WatchFunny Girlon Amazon Prime
7Rita Moreno
‘West Side Story,’ ‘The King & I,’ and ‘The Vagabond King’
Riat Morenois a triple threat and EGOT star who is best known for her iconic performance in the 1961 classic musical,West Side Story, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Latin American female to win the prestigious award. Born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Moreno initially started out appearing in Broadway productions before earning small roles in popular musical movies such asSingin' in the RainandThe King and I, which both rank as two of the best musical films of the 20th century. While Moreno found steady work, her breakout performance came inWest Side Storyas the fierce Anita, performing some of the film’s most difficult and complex musical numbers.
By the 1970s, Moreno had become an established actress who also found success on television, notably starring in the PBS series,The Electric Company, while continuing to star in films such asMike Nicols’Carnal Knowledgeand the comedy farce,The Ritz. Today, Moreno shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 92 years old. She recently appeared in the remake of her Oscar-winning film,West Side Story, directed bySteven Spielberg, as well as the laugh-out-loud comedy,80 For Brady.Throughout her career, Moreno made incredible strides in Hollywood, and, considering her noteworthy contributions and achievements, she has been cemented in cinema history as one of the greatest movie musical stars.
WatchWest Side Storyon Tubi
6Liza Minnelli
‘Cabaret,’ ‘Lucky Lady,’ and ‘New York, New York’
Liza Minnelli is widely recognized as the daughter of cinema icons,Judy GarlandandVincente Minnelli, but despite her successful parents, Minnelli has seemingly proved herself to be one of the top-ranking musical movie stars of all time. Known for her eccentric characters and commanding stage presence, Minnelli followed in her mother’s footsteps and started performing in various theater productions and eventually nightclubs throughout Los Angeles, blossoming into a promising young star. In 1969, Minnelli starred in the comedy-drama,The Sterile Cuckoo, and the following year inOtto Preminger’sTell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon.
While Minnelli proved her acting chops, she earned notoriety for her musical performance inBob Fosse’s film adaption of the successful stage musical,Cabaret,co-starringJoel GreyandMichael York. The movie earned ten Academy Award nominations, ultimately winning eight of them, including Minnelli for Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor. Minnelli went on to star in several more prominent musical films, such asLucky Lady,New York, New York, andA Matter of Time,directed by her father.Unlike most stars born with famous parents, Minnelli established herself on her own two feet, showcasing her incredible talent and becoming one of the best musical film stars in history.
RentCabareton Amazon Prime
5James Cagney
‘Yankee Doodle Dandy,’ ‘Love Me or Leave Me,’ and ‘Footlight Parade’
Known for his gritty gangster roles and multifaceted tough guys,James Cagney is one of the most overlooked triple threats of Hollywood’s Golden Agewho deserves more credit for his musical accomplishments and talent. Born in New York, Cagney started tap dancing at a young age and eventually joined the Vaudeville circuit before graduating to Broadway. By 1930, Cagney had transitioned into movies and soon signed a contract with Warner Bros. Studios. He appeared in early musical films such asFootlight ParadeandSomething to Sing About.
Despite his immense musical talent, Cagney found fame after starring in the classic gangster film,The Public Enemy, making him a frequent face in some of the greatest gangster movies of all time. In 1942, Cagney returned to his musical roots, starring as the famed real-life patriotic composer,George M. Cohan, inYankee Doodle Dandy. The film was a massive hit for Warner Bros. as well as Cagney, who received the Oscar for Best Actor for his exhilarating performance.Even though Cagney shaped and molded the gangster genre, his astonishing musical talent simply can’t be ignored, thus making him one of the best musical film stars of all time.
RentYankee Doodle Dandyon Amazon Prime
4Julie Andrews
‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘Mary Poppins,’ and ‘Victor/Victoria’
Julie Andrews is a brilliant British musical star who initially found success on the stage before transitioning into American cinema. Andrews was born into an acting family and began performing alongside her parents before going solo at the age of twelve. Throughout her teens, she went on to conquer various venues in the London theater circuit, but her major break came when she starred in the stage adaptation ofMy Fair Ladyas Eliza Doolittle. Her performance caught the attention of American composer,Richard Rodgers, who cast the young actress in his television adaptation ofCinderella.
In 1962, Warner Bros. announced they were adaptingMy Fair Ladyfor the big screen, and even thoughRex Harrison, who originally starred alongside Andrews, was cast in the film, Warner Bros. didn’t think Andrews had enough star power and instead cast Audrey Hepburn. Andrews was devastated, but her silver lining appeared when she was offered the titular role in Walt Disney’s classic family musical,Mary Poppins, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. From there, Andrews' film career skyrocketed, and she went on to star in other noteworthy musicals, such asThe Sound of MusicandVictor/Victoria.Like most film stars, Andrews moved into other film genres, but she is without a doubt commemorated by film fans as one of cinema’s best movie musical stars.
WatchThe Sound of Musicon Disney+
3Fred Astaire
‘Easter Parade,’ ‘Swing Time,’ ‘The Band Wagon’
Fred Astaire is a cinema icon and musical legend who doesn’t need an extensive introduction. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Astaire and his sister, Adele, were a popular dancing duo who performed on the Vaudeville circuit as children and eventually landed a major contract touring the Orpheum Circuit around the Midwest. By 1917, the Astaire’s had made their Broadway debut and, after performing on the London Stage, they were given a screen test by Paramount Studios, but despite their success and public appeal, the studio said they would never be successful.
While Adele married and settled down, Fred continued to pursue a career in show business and was picked up by RKO Radio Pictures. In 1933, he appeared for the first time with his future frequent co-star,Ginger Rogers, inFlying Down to Rio, becoming a sensational hit with audiences. Astaire made several musical films with Rogers, includingSwing TimeandTop Hat, but also appeared in other successful musicals, such asHolidayInn,You Were Never Lovelier, andEaster Parade.Astaire is considered to be one of the greatest musical stars of all time, he is also credited for his groundbreaking contributions to the musical film genre, notably the filming technique of having a camera move on a dolly to film dance routines, as well as integrating musical numbers into the film’s plot rather than just serving as stand-alone spectacles.
RentEaster Paradeon Amazon Prime
2Gene Kelly
‘Singin’ in the Rain,' ‘An American in Paris,’ and ‘Summer Stock’
Gene Kelly is the epitome of a musical star who was considered a perfectionist of his craft, making every step and note look essentially effortless. Kelly was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and is known for his athleticism and energetic dancing style as well as cultivating some of the greatest musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Kelly established himself on the Broadway stage before transitioning to the silver screen, making his film debut in the 1942 movie,For Me and My Gal, with Judy Garland. He earned his breakthrough role as a dancer after starring withRita HayworthinCover Girl.
Kelly then starred oppositeFrank Sinatrain the film,Anchors Aweigh, which many will remember for Kelly’s signature live-action animated dance routine with Jerry the Mouse. The film was a major hit and Kelly’s performance earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Kelly soon found himself with MGM Studios where he secured his legacy as a musical film star with box office hits such asSummer Stock,An American in Paris, and,Singin' in the Rain. While Kelly worked tirelessly in front of the camera, he also worked behind it as a director and frequent choreographer, becoming an absolute force in the musical genre. Out of all the musical stars mentioned, Kelly is a quintessential one who also stands in a category of his own reigning as one of the genre’s all-time greats.
WatchSingin' in the Rainon Max
1Judy Garland
‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘Meet Me in St. Louis,’ and ‘Easter Parade’
Child star turned legendary actress, Judy Garland, is a pillar in the musical film genre who is known for her leading roles in signature musical films and compelling dramas. The Michigan-born star began performing at a young age in a Vaudeville act with her sisters. As a teenager, Garland signed a contract with MGM Studios which was both a blessing and a curse for the promising star. She appeared in a series ofAndy Hardyfilms with fellow child star,Mickey Rooney, before earning her breakthrough role in the classic film,The Wizard of Oz.
Breaking away from her child fame, Garland moved into more dramatic roles while still appearing in musicals, notablyMeet Me in St. Louis, which is regarded as one of her most successful films. She went on to star alongside other major musical names, including Gene Kelly inSummer StockandThe Pirateand Fred Astaire inEaster Parade. After a brief hiatus from Hollywood, Garland revitalized her film career with the 1954 film,A Star Is Born, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.Garland’s legacy is oftentimes clouded by her personal struggles and hardships, but at the end of the day, her one-of-a-kind talent has yet to be matched, and her alluring screen presence deems her to be the definitive musical film star.
WatchMeet Me in St. Louison SlingTV
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