Find Out Who Was The Global Heartthrob The Year You Were Born?
Celebrity crushes through the years.
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Five decades of swooning.
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1
1960: Kirk Douglas
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You can blame Spartacus. As the iconic gladiator in the sweeping 1960 Kubrick vehicle, Kirk turned heads (and melted hearts, duh) thanks to his penchant for stage fighting, bold declarations, and noticeable lack of shirt.
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2
1961: Toshiro Mifune
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Arguably the most famous Japanese actor of the 20th century, Mifune appeared in four movies in 1961, including Yojimbo, the film in which his character is chased by two crime bosses who want him as their bodyguard.
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3
1962: Gregory Peck
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Anyone who grew up watching the Californian-based actor as Atticus Finch in the adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird developed an understandable crush. (Even if you weren't seeing the movie until 1999 in high school English.)
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4
1963: Marcello Mastroianni
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The next time you cite 8 1/2 as the pinnacle for menswear, throw your emoji hallelujah hands in the air and thank whatever-higher-being-you-believe-in for the work of Marcello Mastroianni, the man who brought Guido Anselmi (and his unforgettable aesthetic) to life.
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5
1964: Sean Connery
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Behold: the original James Bond. (Meaning that 60-plus years after the fact, it really is time to retire the typical white male protagonist.)
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6
1965: Christopher Plummer
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When thinking about Christopher Plummer as Captain Von Trapp in 1965's The Sound of Music, it's important to remember the following things. First, he did not sing his own songs. Second, he looks freakishly similar to our collective boyfriend, Michael Fassbender.
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7
1966: Clint Eastwood
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Before he was a director-turned-man who yelled at chairs, Clint Eastwood was the posterboy for post-John Wayne cowboy culture, starring in 1966's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and adding a little more grit to the genre.
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8
1967: Sidney Poitier
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1967 was a big year for Poitier, and the world reaped the benefits: starring in both Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night, Poitier established himself as an industry king (and major babe).
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9
1968: Paul Newman
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If any of you even think of questioning this, take a long look this 1968 cover of LIFE, in which Newman (and his very blue eyes) becomes the face of political assertion.
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10
1969: Dustin Hoffman
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I think we can actually just say this in seven words: Mr. Hoffman, you're trying to seduce us.
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11
1970: Ryan O'Neal
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Every year has its Notebook. Enter: Love Story and the heartbreaking tale of Jenny and Oliver who taught us that love means never having to say you're sorry. Unfortunately, that's incorrect. But Ryan O'Neal was the Ryan of 1970.
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12
1971: Richard Roundtree
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Don't let the remake convince you otherwise, the best (and original) Shaft premiered in 1971 and introduced us to a detective by the same name played by Richard Roundtree. Even more impressive? It was only his second film.
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13
1972: Al Pacino
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Lest we forget that before becoming Scarface, Al Pacino had the looks of an innocent soldier who'd eventually take over the family business. Diane Keaton, we get it.
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14
1973: Roger Moore
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Another year, another Bond. So with 1973's Live and Let Die, we met Roger Moore as James 2.0. And while he may have made us laugh in Spice World, the '70s were serious about this particular secret agent (especially since unlike Connery, he didn't wear a toupee).
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15
1974: Robert Redford
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In 1973, we had The Sting. In 1974, it was The Way We Were. So with two game-changing films, Robert Redford became the guy for anyone, anywhere with a thing for blond hair and blue eyes. (Or, you know: an ability to act well.)
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16
1975: Jack Nicholson
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Controversial, I know. Unlike the '50s and '60s, the '70s were less about uniform-like handsomeness. And such was the case with Jack Nicholson, who helped usher in this new era of heartthrob with his turn in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The runner up? Tim Curry in Rocky Horror Picture Show, obviously.
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17
1976: Sylvester Stallone
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Days into overthinking this and maybe you guys can answer for me: Did fans love Stallone or did they love Rocky? And how many people do you think wished they'd been named Adrian?
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18
1977: John Travolta
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Grease in the streets, Saturday Night Fever in the sheets. Such was the range of circa '77-era Travolta.
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19
1978: Christopher Reeve
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Do not, under any circumstance, let Henry Cavill fool you. At one point (especially in the late '70s and early '80s), Superman was a huge deal, particularly since he was embraced so perfectly by Christopher Reeve, an actor as lovely-seeming as he was talented.
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20
1979: Steve Martin
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In case you hadn't been won over by his stand-up or turns on SNL, The Jerk gave Steve Martin another avenue to establish himself as the posterboy for Funny Men™ — or more specifically, Very Funny Male Movie Stars™.