What happened to Hollywood’s iconic stars of the 1970s?

Liv Ullmann was nominated for two Oscars during her career and it was the '70s that truly cemented her as a star talent on screen. Her collaborations with director Ingmar Bergman were legendary, including the likes of Cries and Whispers and Scenes from a Marriage. 

The arthouse icon has been seen less frequently on screen since her '70s heyday, most recently appearing in 2012 German thriller Two Lives. She's reportedly due to star in upcoming horror The Nix.

Donald Sutherland's career began with a TV debut in 1962 on Studio 4, followed by appearances on The Saint, and a big screen role. But it was the '70s that made him a household name, with roles on M*A*S*H* and war epic Kelly's Heroes.

He was introduced to a new audience in dystopian drama The Hunger Games as the terrifying Coriolanus Snow, as well as appearing in Ad Astra and Mr. Harrigan's Phone. The acclaimed actor sadly passed away on 20 June 2024.

Barbra Streisand led a successful career in music throughout the '70s and '80s with tracks like 'The Way We Were' and 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers'. But she has also left her mark on screen with features like emotional drama A Star is Born.

Nowadays, she spends less time in the public eye, enjoying life with her husband James Brolin. She released memoir My Name Is Barbra in 2023 and album Barbra Streisand The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2 in 2025.

Ellen Burstyn was busy sending a shiver down audiences' spines in The Exorcist as leading lady Chris MacNeil who starts to notice her 12-year-old daughter is acting strangely. Followed by roles in Same Time, Next Year and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Ellen cemented her star status.

Her talent on the screen carried over into the 21st century, including flicks like Requiem for a Dream, The Age of Adaline and Interstellar. She also returned to The Exorcist franchise for 2023's The Exorcist: Believer.

Richard Dreyfuss starred in classic, two-note horror Jaws, '70s sci-fi hit Close Encounters of the Third Kind and romance The Goodbye Girl, establishing himself as one of the decade's most prominent leading men.

The actor recently returned to shark-based horror in Into the Deep (2025) and starred in 2024 drama Waltzing with Brando. According to his IMDb, his comedy project Killing Winston Jones was actually filmed over a decade ago in 2012, but remains notoriously unreleased to this day.

Kris Kristofferson brought audiences to tears on 1976 classic A Star is Born alongside alongside Barbra Streisand. He's also starred in '70s hits like Convoy and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. 

The father of eight married three times and was wed to his third wife Lisa Meyers until his death in 2024. Kris had a successful career in both acting and music, best known for songs like Highwayman, Riders in the Sky and Why Me. 

Actress and comedian Madeline Kahn was a regular onscreen during the '70s, particularly notable for comedies like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety.

She continued to work in the decades that followed, acting in '80s hit Clue. The two-time Oscar nominee last appeared in TV sitcom Cosby between 1996 and 1999. 

One of Paul Newman's best-known movies brought the star to the big screen in the Seventies. In 1973, he starred opposite Robert Redford in The Sting.  

The actor continued working until his final years before his death in 2008, voicing Doc Hudson in Disney classic Cars (2006) and recording the audiobook D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths

Two-time Oscar nominee Richard Harris might now be best known for his appearance as Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films, but he was a superstar in the '70s.

In 1970 he starred in western A Man Called Horse and 1977 horror Orca. The Irish actor sadly passed on 25 October 2002 at 72 years old.

With her iconic spin transformation, Lynda Carter shot to fame in the ‘70s for her portrayal of the titular superhero in the 1976 TV series Wonder Woman. A former beauty pageant queen, she went on to star in shows like Partners in Crime (1984) and Hawkeye (1994), while also showcasing her singing talents through a variety of specials.

Post Wonder Woman, Carter remained a familiar face on screen and stage. In recent years, she’s made nostalgic appearances in Supergirl (2016–2018) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), but largely enjoys life away from the spotlight, devoting much of her time to charity work and advocacy. Her original portrayal of the Amazonian hero remains a cultural cornerstone for many film fans.

Ali MacGraw was an awards show darling in the early ‘70s, earning a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer for Goodbye, Columbus (1969), and an Academy Award nomination for her starring role in Love Story (1970). Ali quickly became one of the most recognisable actresses of the decade, even receiving a hand-and-footprints ceremony at Hollywood’s famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in 1972 despite only having three film credits.

Following a highly publicised affair with her The Getaway (1972) co-star, Steve McQueen, Ali withdrew from the limelight, appearing in a string of smaller films throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. In her 1991 autobiography Moving Pictures, Ali chronicled her rapid rise to fame and her struggles with alcohol addiction. Nowadays, Ali enjoys a peaceful life away from the silver screen and is known for her animal rights advocacy.

At the age of 10, Tatum O’Neal became the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award for her role in Paper Moon (1973), co-starring alongside her father, Ryan O’Neal. As a child actor, she appeared in films like The Bad News Bears (1976) and International Starlet (1978), before stepping back from more frequent roles in the mid ‘80s.

Tatum’s career was tempered by several highly publicised personal struggles, including a notoriously strained relationship with her father, which she later detailed in her autobiography A Paper Life (2004). Since then, she has guest starred on shows like Sex and the City and Criminal Minds, but largely refrained from lead roles. She is currently in recovery following a stroke in 2020, and continues to make frequent media appearances.

Like his daughter Tatum, Ryan O’Neal was a ‘70s screen staple, known for films like What’s Up, Doc? (1972) opposite Barbra Streisand, and Love Story with the aforementioned Ali MacGraw. One of Hollywood’s go-to leading men of the era, his later years were marked by legal troubles and his publicly strained relationship with Tatum.

In the 2000s, Ryan made guest appearances on popular shows like Desperate Housewives, 90210, and Bones, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021, next to Ali MacGraw and his former partner, Farrah Fawcett. Ryan passed away two years later from congestive heart failure, following a decades-long battle with cancer.

With her unforgettable role in One Million Years B.C. (1966), Raquel Welch became a global sex symbol – despite only having three lines of dialogue. By the ‘70s, she was one of Hollywood’s most recognisable faces, starring in hits like Myra Breckinridge (1970) and The Three Musketeers (1973), which earned her a Golden Globe. Following her popularity, she hosted the prime-time variety special Really, Raquel (1974), showcasing her talent as a singer, dancer, and comedian.

Though her film appearances slowed down in the decades that followed, she remained a pop culture icon, guest-starring in shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Seinfeld. Raquel sadly passed away in 2023 at the age of 82, but her impact on ‘70s Hollywood remains instantly recognisable.

Linda Blair became one of the first true scream queens with her legendary role as Regan MacNeil, the young girl possessed by a demon, in The Exorcist (1973). Her chilling performance earned her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination, and she later reprised the role in several of the film’s sequels. Outside of many horror and slasher roles, she also starred in the musical film Roller Boogie (1979).

Linda gradually transitioned away from mainstream fame in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, pursuing more independent projects and TV appearances, also founding the animal rights non-profit organisation Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation. She recently made a surprise return to her most famous role in The Exorcist: Believer (2023), reminding audiences why she remains a horror icon.

Susan Dey became a ‘70s sweetheart for her role as Laurie Partridge in the musical sitcom The Partridge Family (1970–1974), which made her one of TV’s most recognisable teen stars of the decade. She later starred in the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992, which earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 1988.

Following L.A. Law, Susan moved away from the Hollywood spotlight, instead appearing in a slew of television films throughout the ‘90s. She retired from acting in the early 2000s and largely keeps a low public profile, devoting her time to humanitarian work. While Susan has stated that she misses acting, she is very happy with her life and doesn’t have any concrete plans to return to the profession.

Bo Derek shot to fame with her breakout role in the romantic comedy film 10 (1979), where she instantly became a pop culture sensation. She went on to star in A Change of Seasons (1980) alongside Anthony Hopkins, and a series of films directed by her husband, John Derek, including Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981) and Bolero (1984). 

Bo gradually stepped away from stardom and pivoted towards business ventures and advocacy, known for her outspoken support of US veterans and horse welfare, even serving on the California Horse Racing Board. Her impact as a cultural icon, as well as her off-screen contributions, has extended her legacy beyond Hollywood.

Lee Majors was a defining face of ‘70s TV, best known for his role as the rugged action hero in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973–1978) and the charismatic bounty hunter in The Fall Guy (1981–1986). His all-American persona made him a household name for decades, with his high-profile marriage to Farrah Fawcett from 1973 to 1982 amplifying his star power in Hollywood.

While he largely left starring roles behind in the ‘80s, Lee continued to make guest appearances in shows like Will & Grace and Grey’s Anatomy, and appeared in several television films. With nearly 140 acting credits to his name, his most recent role was a cameo in the 2024 film remake of The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

The other half of the iconic ‘70s power couple, Farrah Fawcett rose to fame with her role in the first season of the original Charlie’s Angels (1976–1981), as well as her recurring role alongside her husband in The Six Million Dollar Man. As well as a successful acting career, she was renowned for her iconic golden locks and beauty, becoming a defining pop culture symbol of the decade and inspiring fans with her unmistakable look.

Farrah had a series of award-nominated TV acting roles in the ‘90s, and continued to keep up her acting career going into the millennium with guest appearances on shows like Ally McBeal and Spin City. Sadly, Farrah passed away in 2009 following a prolonged battle with cancer, which she had chronicled in the 2009 documentary Farrah’s Story. She remained active in its production despite her health struggles and received a posthumous Emmy nomination for her work. Farrah continues to be remembered for her legacy of resilience and groundbreaking contributions to television.