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Nancy Olson

Often playing good girl roles in feature films and on television, Nancy Olson rose from relative obscurity and became a Hollywood star, thanks to a scene-stealing performance in Billy Wilder's film noir masterpiece "Sunset Boulevard" (1950). The Wisconsin-born ingénue breathed liveliness into her character, a vivacious studio assistant and William Holden's love interest, providing a shining spot in an otherwise chilling and emotionally intense drama. Olson received an Academy Award nomination for her engaging performance in the film and landed several other starring roles opposite Holden because of it. Olson's career temporarily stalled in the late 1950s, but she reemerged the following decade with plum roles in Disney family films such as "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1961) and "Son of Flubber" (1963), opposite the likeable Fred MacMurray. Her sheer talent and dedication to her craft inspired other actors and actresses who followed in her footsteps, but it was Olson's breakout role in "Sunset Boulevard" that earned her a place amongst the most beloved stars of classic cinema.