Basic 1970s actresses

Ali McGraw's warmth? You're kidding right?

R1 Don't forget Lois Chiles' thick, beautiful, shiny hair.

If the were basic in the 70's, do you really expect any of us to remember them? What's the point!

Set-up too complicated.

Susan Anspach is the name you're looking for

Jennifer Warren - attractive but

The Landers Sisters own this thread.

The chick who played Jim Rockford's lawyer. Though she actually had more moxie than most of these other basic bitches. Perhaps I should withdraw her nomination on second thought.

Ali McGraw = warm? I think you must be thinking of someone else OP. If you aren't, lie and say you were.

OP's picture reminds me of what a hottie Pacino was back then.

OK she wasn’t warm per se but had enough of SOMETHING (beyond fucking the head of the studio) to not play the kind of roles I mean. Ali had those brown eyes and a believable smile, at least in GOODBYE COLUMBUS and LOVE STORY. The kind of actresses I am thinking of could not even manage that.

In LOVE STORY, this kind of actress wouldn’t play Jenny but, say, Tommy Lee Jones’ nice but icy rich girlfriend in 1.5 scenes. Or a waitress at a nudie bar the boys head to after a game who is working her way through art school.

A "look", r9......

R10 Thank you for condensing 2 paragraphs into 1 word, LOL

These other women are from the same high cheekboned long legged factory.

Deborah Raffin?

[quote]Lois Chile’s

Oh, dear.

VALERIE HARPER

Holly Palance, Lee Purcell, Jennifer O'Neill, Camille Keaton, Pamela Susan Shoop.

Joanna Pettet.

Cristina Raines

[quote]Deborah Raffin?

She was much prettier than the basic '70's actress.

Brenda Scott

No one says "basic" anymore.

Kate Jackson. From Charlie's angels.

Karen Black

Ya basic, R20.

Let's not forget about perky, ebullient Susie Blakely!

Joyce Boulifant

Cornelia Sharpe couldn't act. She was also married producer Martin Bregman so she has been well taken care of.

Susan Anspach was wonderful in Five Easy Pieces (much more natural than the actressy Karen Black) and Blume In Love.

Kay Lenz, Meg Foster, Jamie Smith-Jackson, Susan Dey, Cybill Shepherd, Susan Anton, Adrienne Barbeau, Cheryl Ladd.

Meg Foster’s eyes always creeped me out.

Lucie Arnaz

Susan Dey is a BITCH

Sondra Locke. Clint Eastwood's real-life gf at the time who appeared in most of his 70s movies.

Anjanette Comer, Linda Purl, Dyan Cannon, Belinda Montgomery, Jane Seymour, Susan Sullivan, Paula Prentiss

Miss Piggy

R32 People like Paula Prentiss and Dyan Cannon had enough onscreen charisma to steal any scene they were in. I think we're looking for actresses who were dull as dishwater in this thread.

Mariette Hartley just barely skimmed out of this catagory.

BARELY

Joan Hackett

Jamie Smith Jackson's acting career may have stalled, but she's been getting that sweet Michael Ontkean dick for almost 40 years. She wins.

Most of the late 1970's actresses hit their stride in the early 1980's - Donna Mills, Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd, Linda Evans, Victoria Principal, etc. They were all gorgeous and quite glamorous. I would say that many of these women epitomized beauty far more than the boring Friends and Melrose Place (Heather Locklear being an exception to the era as she was a late 1970's/1980s star as well) set that came into power during the 1990's.

Whoever mentioned Joan Hackett knows too much about being basic in their own sad lives and NOTHING about acting and presence. I'm getting tired of the 'white women with thin lips are ugly by designation of having thin lips" trolls all over Datalounge. It's not as if Black women as generally the complete opposite of that hated phenotype are celebrated on this site either! I'd love to see what happens inside the brain of the average gay fella when the words "aesthetics" and "woman" is mentioned. Must be akin to a snake and ladders board.

Kay Lenz was at least always INTERESTING on screen. And Paula Prentiss was always a delight on film or TV. Neither of them deserve to be consigned to the category of "basic."

Faye Dunaway

Ruth Elizabeth Favor, still setting her sights on that elusive third Oscar in her twilight years.

As yet unmentioned (or I've already forgotten): Shelley Hack, Kathleen Quinlan, Catherine Bach, Priscilla Barnes, M. Hemingway, Lisa Pelikan, Amy Irving, Pamela Sue Martin, Sybil Danning, Sylvia Kristel, Maria Schneider, Lisa Eichhorn, Karen Allen, Pam Dawber, Julia Duffy, Season Hubley, Pamela Bellwood, Morgan Brittany, P.J. Soles, Erin Gray, Nancy Allen, Morgan Fairchild, Susan George, Ann Jillian, Belinda J. Montgomery, Brooke Adams, Jessica Harper, Brooke Shields, Lindsay Wagner, Marilyn Burns, Twiggy, Olivia Newton-John, Jennifer O'Neill, Peggy Lipton, Barbara Bach, Lee Purcell, Loni Anderson, Meredith Baxter, Suzanne Somers, Maud Adams, Leigh Taylor-Young, Gretchen Corbett, Elaine Joyce, Michelle Phillips, Catherine Schell, Lauren Hutton....

If someone names me, they’re getting a cunt punt.

R43 definitely Shelley Hack!

Kathleen Quinlan

Brooke Adams

Karen Allen

Margot Kidder

Joan Hackett was NOT basic.

The bitch from Straw Dogs

I want to smack R36's ugly face so hard he'll have to stick a toothbrush up his ass to clean his teeth.

Joan Hackett was active in the 60s and she was not basic. She was a solid talent.

Katherine waterston— she’s actually good though. Steve Jobs, she did a lot with that small part..

Pam Dawber. How did she get a job in anything?

Pam Dawber invented bitchface.

Kay Lenz, Paula Prentiss and Adrienne Barbeau weren’t dull, though.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Miss Kay Lenz is a goddess. Always and forever.

R43, don’t mention every actress you can think of. Olivia Newton Hohn, Brooke Shields and Lauren Hutton may not have been great actors, but the camera loved them. They didn’t play 3rd string girlfriends and certainly weren’t bland.

ONJ is an odd one. In TV interviews she comes across as charming and funny but on film she is a dud. It's a but like Madonna on film. They are great in music videos but not as actors.

My lord that blonde pic of Rumer is horrific.

Jennifer Warren was in Night Moves with Gene Hackman. She gives off, to me at least, a lesbian vibe, and their sex scene is one of the most awkward I have ever seen.

Off-topic, but I am strangely aroused by Pacino's wavy 70s hair and porn stache in OP's photo.

Just me?

Not just you. 70s Pacino is the best Pacino. I find that era sexy. Anyway,, Shelly Hack, basic.

Pamela Sue Martin - I'd rank up there with the great Kay Lenz. She was always interesting.

Al Pacino was always sexy, until he hit 50.

Donna Mills in Play Misty for Me.

Susan Dey

[R55]

Christ, Joanna Pettet should sue for defamation or something. That piece of casting is flat out insulting.

Au contraire, R57--I could think of thousands of other actresses with more talent and on-screen presence than the list I created. ONJ, Shields and Hutton are blander than bland and never demonstrated the acting chops to rise above the level of OP's criteria.

*than those in the list I created...

[quote]If someone names me, they’re getting a cunt punt.

There are a multitude of reasons why you aren't named, dear.

HOW DARE YOU, R36!

r51 Katherine Waterston was born in 1980, so please explain how she qualifies as a "Basic 1970s actress."

Katherine Waterston in ‘Inherent Vice’ had the look of a 70s basic hoe. But then I said she’s much more interesting.

If talking about basic looks I'd say a few mentioned like Cybill Shepherd and Catherine Bach would probably not belong.

Katherine Waterston was born behind the times.

I watched THE GROUP this weekend for about the 100th time. Pettet and Hackett were both excellent, especially Hackett. Has there ever been a thread here about that film?

Nevermind. Found it.

Paula Prentiss and Joan Hackett do not qualify as basic. Both of them were amazing actresses with a flair for comedy and just about anything else. But they were both doomed -- Prentiss had severe mental disorders, wasn't able to compete for good parts as a result, and had a sister who attempted to murder her husband, who, btw, had about 1 percent of her talent.

Hackett was considered to be a brilliant actress and had an unusually beautiful face, but she was also difficult to work with and died quite young.

To compare them to people like the Landers sisters is insane.

Sally Struthers

Carol Lynley

Carol Lynley was more of a 60s actress. She was over the hill by the 70s. Paula Pretiss had her heyeday in the 60s, too.

Just watch the opening credits of an old Barnaby Jones episode. You're sure to catch two or three of them.

[quote]Margot Kidder

At least she got to work with Brian de Palma

I can't imagine being that kind of actress

Take your pick, OP.

Basic 1770s actress.

Judy Strangis

Dianne Hull

I Think my uncle went to high school with Judy Strangis.

Lynn holly Johnson

Most of those actresses can be seen on Mannix, Cannon, Ironside, etc.

I feel like people are just naming random actresses who starred in movies in the '70s on this thread. There is no way some of them are "basic." R43 for example named practically every female who was in a movie or TV show that entire decade.

I know, 91. Susan George had too much overripe sexuality to be dull. Likewise, gross as it was, Brooke Shields.

Katharine Ross. Talk about having a career based on your great hair. When Ally McGraw shows more personality, there's trouble.

Funny, I finally caught up on both "Serpico" and "Night Moves" with Hackman this past year and both times I thought the same thing: how did that woman get cast? They aren't bad actresses but just not very interesting. (OP mentioned the first, Jennifer Warren is the second also mentioned upthread).

This is why later actors like Melanie Griffith and Kathleen Turner and Sigourney Weaver need to be praised. They were true originals, not just dull love interests. You wouldn't get any of them mixed up with anyone else. (Melanie was even interesting in her teen role in "Night Moves", actually).

The 80s version of this thread would include the short lived careers of Elizabeth Berridge, Bess Armstrong, Michelle Mehrink, Lisa Eichorn, and Lisa Eilbacher. And another very obvious one that I am spacing on right now -- oh yeah, the boring no-name that played Patsy in "Terms of Endearment". Ditto the unsexy female lead in "Thief of Hearts".

I can think of far worse things than spending 90 minutes or so looking at that face, R93. She was gorgeous -- and has at least three classic films to her credit.

Lisa Eilbacher

Blythe Danner

PAUL LYNDE

Amy Irving is a wonderfully talented actress and has serious chops onstage too.

Has anyone mentioned Irene Miracle? She played Brad Davis' girlfriend in"Midnight Express". She won a Golden Globe for "Best Motion Picture Acting Debut - Female" for that film. I had to look up her name on IMDB. God, she was awful. Memorably awful...

[quote]Kay Lenz was at least always INTERESTING on screen. And Paula Prentiss was always a delight on film or TV. Neither of them deserve to be consigned to the category of "basic."

I just want to add that television critics loved Kay Lenz on the late 80's early 90's show, Midnight Caller.

Sissy spotchexk

Morgan Fairchild

Sondra Locke

and introducing.....Miss Kay Lenz

Season Hubley was very pretty but dull.

[quote]As yet unmentioned (or I've already forgotten): Shelley Hack, Kathleen Quinlan, Catherine Bach, Priscilla Barnes, M. Hemingway, Lisa Pelikan, Amy Irving, Pamela Sue Martin, Sybil Danning, Sylvia Kristel, Maria Schneider, Lisa Eichhorn, Karen Allen, Pam Dawber, Julia Duffy, Season Hubley, Pamela Bellwood, Morgan Brittany, P.J. Soles, Erin Gray, Nancy Allen, Morgan Fairchild, Susan George, Ann Jillian, Belinda J. Montgomery, Brooke Adams, Jessica Harper, Brooke Shields, Lindsay Wagner, Marilyn Burns, Twiggy, Olivia Newton-John, Jennifer O'Neill, Peggy Lipton, Barbara Bach, Lee Purcell, Loni Anderson, Meredith Baxter, Suzanne Somers, Maud Adams, Leigh Taylor-Young, Gretchen Corbett, Elaine Joyce, Michelle Phillips, Catherine Schell, Lauren Hutton....

Jesus, save some for someone else, would ya?

Sian Barbara "Shortbus" Allen

Glynnis.

Glynnis looks a lot like Stefonie. Who was Glynnis? Was she born female?

Honor Blackman

Kim Darby.

Annette O’Toole opposite Miss Robbie Benson.

Audrey Landers was a good actress until she dyed her hair blonde.

R84, I know, Joyce, they don't make 'em like us anymore.

r45 looks like DL fav Jessica Savitch

Def Lindsay Wagner. She stunk up the Paper Chase.

The late Karen Lamm - she was a former wife of Dennis Wilson.

Lee Purcell

There are a lot of people who are obviously unaware of the careers of most of the women on here called "basic".

What happened to the Connoisseurs?

Sian Barbara Allen

All the girls who died on Medical Centre.

Didn’t Lee Purcell catch VD from Scott Colomby on Medical Center? Or was it Dr. Welby MD?

Marisa Berenson?

Leigh Taylor Young

Julie Budd. That girl could sang. SANG!!!

OP, that chick with Pacino in Serpico married a director/producer whatever.

That was the deal, be basically pretty, fuck around, marry up, do a movie, retire and have kids.

R123, I think Marisa Berenson is too interestingly beautiful to be in this league. I would argue the same about Barbara Bach.

Sure, she married up, but she wasn’t Serpico Chick.

Cornelia Sharpe was groomed to be the next Faye Dunaway....then it turned out she couldn’t act, plus audiences hated her.

Pauline Karl called her a “lynx-faced model”.

KAEL !

godDAMNit!

[quote]Cornelia Sharpe was groomed to be the next Faye Dunaway....then it turned out she couldn’t act, plus audiences hated her.

Kind of like when Sarah Wynter was groomed to be the next Cate Blanchett.

Looks don't cut it.

Dominique Dunne

Jenny Agutter

Julie Dwan Cole

Karen Valentine

Maureen Teefy

Jenny Agutter hung in there a lot longer than most.

She’s on CALL THE MIDWIFE to this day.

Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne

Jenny Agutter was not basic.

Jenny Agutter had erotic potential.

As did Susannah York, whose penchant for playing lezzies and harlots is the only reason the doesn’t belong on this list.

When did "basic" first become a negative? It used to just mean "basic." Now it means third-rate. Who started that? The millenniots? Twitter?

That girl in OPs pic looks like that crazy Scientologist, Jenna Elfmann(?).

Kim Darby is an odd duck but her mother was gorgeous. Pic of her parents linked below. Mamma wearing something pretty scandalous for those days.

Far from Basic!

"I was in Taxi Driver"

Almost all tv moms through the 80s fit this description. Bland bland bland. Decent actresses, but oh, so boring and bland.

Ruth Roman is the 1950s version of this.

[quote] I feel like people are just naming random actresses

As do all such threads.

Lorraine Gary of Jaws. A typical, bland, Spielbergian nonentity.

[quote]They all had affected, silvery voices, couldn’t act and sadly lacked Ali McGraw’s warmth

Ali? Warm?

Lorraine Gary indeed.

Sandy Dennis, Sandy Duncan, Gary Sandy.

Susan George

Jenny Agutter does Black Widow.

Far from basic

Ingrid Boulting owns this thread.

Not Susan George! She was far too hot and slutty to exemplify the woman I mean.

Long staight hair ,mod, thin Iike twiggy