Classic Beauty: Ruth Roman

Classic Beauty

I was re-watching a 1957 movie called 5 Steps To Danger on TCM (Turner Classic Movies), which featured Sterling Hayden and Ruth Roman, and once again was bewitched by Ruth’s low, sexy voice.  Her problem was that her face was too similar to Ava Gardner’s, and Gardner already had that space occupied.  Still, here she is:

She also had a steaming pair of legs, if that counts:

 

With all that, it’s still the voice that gets me on my takeoff run.  Watch 5 Steps  if you can find it — but be warned, the plot is typical of late-50s suspense not directed by Hitchcock, i.e. awful and cheesy.  She makes it worthwhile, though.

6 comments

  1. I miss the days when starlets were beautiful, sexy and classy rather than today’s replaceable half naked strumpets.

    JQ

  2. Sterling Hayden you say? That makes it worth a look. I found him first via Dr. Strangelove and The Long Goodbye, plus The Godfather of course, but the guy was an animal in the 50’s, with dozens of credits. The Killing, written by Kubrick, is probably the most well known. He also wrote an autobiography and at least one novel. The guy dropped out of high school at 16 and spent most of the 30’s sailing schooners and square riggers working his way up to master. Prostate cancer got him early, but he still managed three wives and six children. His first wife was the English hottie, Madeleine Carroll. (She’s one for your list, Kim.)

    It’s funny that, with a few exceptions, I find actresses of the 30’s and 40’s indistinguishable. I mean that literally. They all look alike and I can’t tell one from another. Also, since you brought it up, Ms. Roman couldn’t carry Ava’s jock strap.

    1. You left out Sterling Hayden’s time with the OSS WWII, including a Silver Star.

    2. It is interesting that you say that about similarities in appearance. Alida Valli and Märta Torén resembled one another with slightly longer faces than Rita Roman, and despite their lack of resemblance to Ingrid Bergman, were both touted as “the next Ingrid Bergman”, so the idea that actors and actresses resembled each other is not out of line.

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