20 Heartthrobs from the Golden Age of Hollywood

Rita Hayworth was everyone’s dream girl during the World War II era

Hollywood maven Rita Hayworth made her film debut at the ripe age of 16, and after a string of mediocre films, hit it big with 1941’s “The Strawberry Blonde” and “You’ll Never Get Rich.” In the latter film, she danced alongside Fred Astaire in a performance that “exuded the warmth and seductive vitality that was to make her famous.”

Hayworth is perhaps most well-known for her role in 1946’s “Gilda,” which made her a bonafide superstar. She famously quipped, “Men fell in love with Gilda, but they wake up with me.”