Carole Landis

Many young hopefuls dreaming of wealth and fame descended on Hollywood during its Golden Age. Most fell short of that dream, while others found moderate success through hard work and determination. Lovely blonde actress Carole Landis - one of WWII GI's favorite pinups due to her ample curves and beaming smile - fell into the latter category, but her personal life was rife with problems that would eventually overwhelm and consume her. After small parts in some major productions and leads in a handful of minor ones, Landis's beauty and athletic abilities earned her a cheesecake role in Hal Roach's campy fantasy "One Million B.C." (1940). The attention she gained from that role led to the her being labeled the "Ping Girl" and to garnering more challenging parts in A-list pictures like "Topper Returns" (1941), "I Wake Up Screaming" (1941), "Four Jills in a Jeep" (1944), and "Having Wonderful Crime" (1945). While she was a consistently competent and sometimes genuinely impressive performer, her career never reached the heights she had hoped for. Between several failed marriages, emotional issues, and her refusal to be manipulated by studios to the degree that was common during the contract player days, Landis' life eventually took a turn that she could not face and she committed suicide. But her legacy as a radiant, all-American bombshell who kept the home fires burning for thousands of grateful GI's was well assured.