The Greatest Stars of the 1950s Poll Revealed! (Part 2)

James Stewart made the Top 5.

Last week, we counted down from #25 to #11, so today we will reveal the Top 10. I wasn't surprised to see any of these actors chosen by classic movie fans as the decade's "greatest." As always, polls like this are--to a certain extent-- a popularity contest. But I don't think that makes them any less interesting.

Plus, it's hard to argue against including most of these stars. Marilyn Monroe went from a supporting actress to a mega-star in the 1950s. Audrey Hepburn only had a few starring roles during the decade, but her performances included some of her most beloved ones (e.g., Roman Holiday, Sabrina).

Of the male stars, James Stewart had one of the best decades ever by an actor. He appeared in two of Hitchcock's finest (Vertigo and Rear Window) and helped redefine the Western genre with his collaborations with director Anthony Mann.

As for the star at No. 1, well, he was already pretty big. In fact, he was the top choice in our Greatest Stars of the 1940s poll. Without further delay, here's the Top 10, starting from the bottom and working our way to the top:

10. Gregory Peck
9.   William Holden
8.   Humphrey Bogart
7.   Doris Day
6.   Gene Kelly
5.   Marlon Brando
4.   James Stewart
3.   Audrey Hepburn
2.   Marilyn Monroe

And the Greatest Star of the 1950s:  Cary Grant at No. 1!

Do you agree? As always, feedback is appreciated.

The Greatest Stars of the 1950s Poll Revealed! (Part 1)

Grace Kelly came in at No. 12.

We had such fun with our Greatest Stars of the 1940s Poll in 2014 that a sequel was inevitable. This time around, over 100 classic movie fans participated in our online poll to determine the greatest movie stars of the 1950s.

The ballot included 107 actors and actresses who were active during that decade, ranging from Fred Astaire to Orson Welles. To reflect the growing popularity of international cinema, we included foreign-language stars such as Toshiro Mifune and Marcello Mastroianni. And, because we listen to constructive feedback, we expanded the number of British stars. Still, we made a major blunder right out of the gate--by forgetting to put Elizabeth Taylor on our ballot. She still received six write-in votes, but I suspect she would have cracked the Top 25 had she been a nominee.

Some of the stars that just missed cracking the Top 25 include:  Tony Curtis, Vincent Price, Errol Flynn, Fred Astaire, and Barbara Stanwyck. The only one that truly surprised me was Astaire, who had a strong decade with The Band Wagon, Funny Face, and Silk Stockings. He didn't make a lot of films during the 1950s, so that may have impacted the voting.

Today, we will reveal the stars that placed from #25 to #11. Next week, we will unveil the Top 10!

25.   Robert Mitchum
24.   Ava Gardner       
23.   Gary Cooper       
22.   Rock Hudson     
21.   Deborah Kerr  
20.   Katharine Hepburn   
19.   Paul Newman     
18.   Bette Davis          
17.   Jack Lemmon      
16.   Montgomery Clift
15.   Kirk Douglas    
14.   Charlton Heston
13.   James Dean    
12.   Grace Kelly 
11.   John Wayne