Angie Dickinson
With a cool, intelligent glamour, she redefined the Hollywood leading lady, often playing women who were smarter than the men around them.
Born 1931 (age 95)·American actress·Birthday: September 30·The Silent Generation
Biography
Angie Dickinson emerged from North Dakota to become one of television and film's most poised presences in the 1960s and 70s. After small roles, she stole scenes from John Wayne and Dean Martin in 'Rio Bravo', her character Feathers matching their bravado with witty self-possession. She became a fixture in crime dramas and thrillers, most famously as the title character in the series 'Police Woman', which made her one of the first women to headline a prime-time hour-long drama as a capable officer. Dickinson cultivated an image of sophisticated sensuality, often playing characters who used their intellect and charm as effectively as their beauty. Her career longevity, spanning decades of shifting cultural norms, speaks to her ability to adapt while maintaining a distinct, unflappable core.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Angie was born in 1931, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Angie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1931
#1 Movie
Frankenstein
Best Picture
Cimarron
Angie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1931Born
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1936Started school
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1944Became a teenager
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Could drive
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1949Could vote
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Turned 21
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1961Turned 30
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 40
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 50
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 60
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 70
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 80
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2026Age 95 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for her performance in the classic Western 'Rio Bravo'.
- Starred as Sergeant Suzanne 'Pepper' Anderson in the landmark series 'Police Woman', paving the way for female leads in action TV.
- Received an Emmy nomination for her role in the television drama 'The Chase'.
- Appeared in a series of successful films including 'Ocean's 11' (1960) and 'Dressed to Kill'.
Did You Know?
She was once married to legendary composer Burt Bacharach for 15 years.
She turned down the role of Mrs. Robinson in 'The Graduate'.
She performed her own stunts on 'Police Woman', including a famous episode where she hung from a moving cable car.
“I never thought of myself as a sex symbol. I thought of myself as an actress who could be sexy.”
