A Brief History
On October 1, 1985, the United States began celebrating National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, founded by The American Cancer Society and Imperial Chemical Industries (later to become AstraZeneca). In honor of this extremely important focus on one of the worst killers of women, today we will list 10 women famous for their breasts, with a definite nod to the other, more important qualities these women possess. Previously on October 1st we ran an article called A Timeline of Breasts, listing many incidents in history where a woman’s breasts took center stage.
Digging Deeper
1. Jayne Mansfield, actress.
The prototypical “dumb blonde,” Jayne was actually highly intelligent with an IQ of 163 and fluent in 5 languages. Jayne also played the violin and was an accomplished singer as well. Her measurements of 40-21-35 got most of the attention thrown her way, but even without that stunning build she would still be one heck of a woman. There is a famous picture where actress Sofia Loren is looking down at Jayne’s cleavage, with what seems to be envy in her eyes! (Miss Loren was fairly well endowed herself.) In 1963, Jayne became the first major Hollywood actress to appear nude in a film, Promises! Promises!.
2. Mae West, actress.
Mae West’s bosom was so famous that the military life jacket of World War II was called the “Mae West” as the bulky flotation portion of the vest fit over one’s chest giving the appearance of inflatable breasts. Far from just another sex symbol actress, West also produced, wrote screenplays, sang, and was an accomplished comedian. Unlike some get rich quick celebrities, West was intelligent with her money and invested wisely, never running out of cash. Often stifled by the censorship of the day, her dialogue in movies was limited to suit the prudish rules Hollywood lived by. She was less restricted on the nightclub circuit, where her singing and bawdy comedy won her acclaim.
3. Dolly Parton, singer/songwriter.
Not just another pretty face atop a massive bosom, Parton not only writes and sings songs, but also has acted in major motion pictures, produced, and is an astute businesswoman and investor. On top of that, she is also a philanthropist, author, plays several instruments, and has won 9 Grammy Awards (47 nominations) and was twice nominated for an Oscar. (She has numerous other awards.) Born in 1946, Parton as a child lived in a one room cabin in Tennessee (for real!). Perhaps the wealthiest Country Music star, Parton went from abject poverty as a child to a fortune of $650 million. She has had only one husband and has been married over 50 years. Dolly is so closely associated with breasts due to her 36DD cup size (41 inch bust), that the first sheep cloned from the mammary gland of a ewe was named “Dolly.” Another fun fact, Dolly is the Godmother of Miley Cyrus. Despite intense campaigning by Playboy Magazine, Dolly refused to ever pose nude or topless, although she did grace the cover of a 1978 edition of the magazine wearing a bunny outfit, complete with ears.
4. Jane Russell, actress, singer.
Jane was famously signed to a movie contract by billionaire Howard Hughes in 1940, and made her debut in the 1943 western, The Outlaw, in which the film makers took every opportunity to show off Russell’s curvaceous figure. The film was actually made in 1941, but once again the idiotic breastophobic censors of Hollywood were appalled by the cleavage revealed by Jane’s wardrobe. At 5’7” and sporting measurements of 38D-24-36, Russell quickly became a Hollywood sex symbol. Illustrating just how “prominent” Jane’s bust was to her public image, Bob Hope said as he introduced her, “The two and only Jane Russell.” Hope joked about trying to describe Jane without using one’s hands. Howard Hughes also had a memorable quote about Jane’s film attractiveness, “There are two good reasons why men go to see her.” Jane’s first husband, Bob Waterfield, who impregnated her when she was only 18, went on to become an All-American football star at UCLA and an NFL quarterback for the Cleveland (and then Los Angeles) Rams, eventually being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Russell also performed as a singer and in her younger years as a model, while later in life became active as a supporter of the Republican Party.
5. Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
Actually, Cassandra Peterson, born in 1951 in Kansas and brought up in Colorado, as a girl was fascinated by all things related to horror. While still in high school, Cassandra danced as a go-go dancer at a Gay bar. Elvira, while still Cassandra, found work after high school dancing as a Las Vegas show girl, where she met Elvis Presley and even dated the King for a while. She got bit parts in a couple movies, and appeared on the cover of a Tom Waits record album, while also posing for nude magazines. Peterson sang with a rock and roll band in Italy and continued to pursue an acting career, missing out on the role of Ginger Grant for television’s Gilligan’s Island. Her big break came in 1981 when she was selected to host Fright Night on Los Angeles television, creating the persona of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark with her cleavage revealing black Gothic vampiresque costume, accentuating her breasts. Part of the character was the “Valley Girl” style of talking, giving the character a ditzy, juvenile, but refreshing persona which Cassandra played to perfection. Peterson’s sense of humor and timing reveal her to be a witty and talented comedian. Her character was such a hit, that numerous movie (not always as Elvira) and television appearances followed, along with commercial endorsements and other entertainment based on her Elvira character, including video games, comic books, and pinball games. Her success has even led to a legion of “Elvira” impersonators.
6. Sofia Vergara, actress.
Born in Columbia in 1972, Sofia came to the United States to pursue a career in modeling and acting after attending 3 years of Dentistry school, only a year shy of graduating. Discovered while on a beach in Columbia, Sofia got work modeling and in commercials as early as age 17, an interest she retained while attending college. Show biz beckoned with richer potential, and the well endowed (32F bust) actress found work hosting Spanish language television shows before hitting the big time and appearing in Hollywood movies. Lately her role in Modern Family on television has been her primary exposure to the public, although she has also worked as a spokesperson for commercial entities such as Cover Girl cosmetics, Pepsi Cola, State Farm Insurance and Kmart stores (among others). An accomplished actress with many nominations and awards, she has her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sofia has also done fund raising work for humanitarian reasons, proving she is much more than a pretty face and a killer body (although she has a pretty face and has a killer body!).
7. Kate Upton, actress, model.
Born in 1992, Kate has plenty of time left to achieve greatness, but at age 25 she already has! A World Champion horse rider a few times over while in her teens, Kate became a model, appearing in the 2011 Swim Suit Issue of Sports Illustrated Magazine. She then appeared on the cover of the Swim Suit Issue in 2012, 2013 and 2017, and has appeared on other magazine covers. Kate has also appeared in major motion pictures, and has measurements of 38-26-37, with a bra size of 34DD.
8. Salma Hayek, actress.
Only 5’2”, this Mexican-Lebanese-American beauty sports a bra size of 32D with measurements of 36-25-35. Born in Mexico in 1966, it is hard to believe Salma is already 51 years old. The years have been kind to her gorgeous face and hourglass figure, but she is much more than just a sexy actress. Salma attended and graduated from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, with a course of study in International Relations. She took her international relations from success in Mexican cinema to Hollywood, where she has continued to star in major motion pictures. She has also worked as a producer and director, using her fine brain and not just relying on good looks. On the other hand, Salma has used those good looks as a spokesperson endorsing cosmetics and toiletries among other things. Hayek has also worked for charitable causes, including the United Nations, and is a naturalized American Citizen. She has worked against violence against women and immigrants, and has also championed women’s rights. Hayek was the Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year in 2011, and has received numerous other awards.
9. Alexandra Daddario, actress.
With a strikingly classic hourglass figure, with measurements of 38-26-36 and a bra size of 34D, this beauty was destined for a career in front of a camera. Coming from a pedigree of a grandfather that was a US Representative to Congress and a father that headed up the NYPD Counter-Terrorism Unit, Alexandra is no empty head, having attended Marymount Manhattan College after attending prestigious schools as a girl. Alexandra has appeared on television since the age of 16, and has also appeared in numerous motion pictures. Her 2014 role on premium television’s True Detective got her acclaim for her acting. She has also been nominated for several acting awards, though she has not yet won one. At only 31 years old, there is plenty of time for her to take home a prize.
10. Shannon Elizabeth and Jennifer Tilly, actresses and Poker Champs.
Both of these beautiful, busty actresses show their brainy side while playing poker, with both ladies having won numerous tournaments. Jennifer measures a voluptuous 40-28-38 with a bra size of 34D, while Shannon comes in at 37-25-35 and 34C. Both measure A1 when it comes to being sly with the cards. Tilly has a BA from Stephens College in Missouri, while Elizabeth told the nation she was half Arabic and 100% American after the 9/11 terrorist events, and has done admirable charity work. Tilly is known to wear cleavage revealing low cut tops (with push up bras) while playing poker to disorient men with her ample bosom.
Question for students (and subscribers): What ladies would you include on today’s list? Feel free to nominate one or more. Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Crow, Sheryl and Kristi Funk. Breasts: The Owner’s Manual: Every Woman’s Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk, Making Treatment Choices, and Optimizing Outcomes. Thomas Nelson, 2018.
The featured image in this article, a screenshot of Jayne Mansfield from the trailer for the film The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1959), was published with a copyright notice, and its copyright on the trailer was not renewed. Further licencing information: [1]. This work is in the public domain in the United States, because it was published in the United States between 1925 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. For further explanation, see Commons:Hirtle chart as well as a detailed definition of “publication” for public art.