Who were the sex symbols of every decade? See their transformation from their prime to the most recent picture

Debonaire '30s favourite Clark Gable delivered some of his most memorable roles throughout the decade, from jaded reporter Peter Warne in It Happened One Night to his most iconic casting as leading man Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind, opposite Vivien Leigh. 

He transitioned away from his heartthrob status later on in his career, playing wearier, disillusioned characters with roles in projects such as 1958's Run Silent, Run Deep opposite Burt Lancaster and 1961 feature The Misfits, casting Clark as older cowboy Gay Langland working alongside Marilyn Monroe. 

Rita Hayworth was a staple of the '40s and cemented her sex symbol status as WWII troops' second favourite pin-up girl. During the height of her stardom, Rita appeared alongside Fred Astaire in 1941's You'll Never Get Rich, You Were Never Lovelier and joined Gene Kelly in Cover Girl. The '40s also saw Rita perform her iconic glove-removal performance during 'Put the Blame on Mame' in 1946 hit Gilda. 

Her final performance came in 1972 with the Western adventure film The Wrath of God before the actress retired from show business at the age of 54. Later in the decade, she started to suffer from symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, passing away from complications of the disease on May 14, 1987 at 68 years old.

Marilyn Monroe was the definitive blonde bombshell of the 1950s, being cast in breakout roles in All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle before finding fame of her own with star roles in features like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot, with the latter earning her a Golden Globe. With her glamorous presence and naive screen persona, she was the decade's defining sex symbol.

In 1962, her final project Something's Got to Give was cut short due to production conflicts and her tragic death in August 1962. Today, Marilyn is best remembered for her status as the '50s hottest star and her transition to more serious dramatic acting, as well as founding her own production company to take back control in her career.

Raquel Welch won the title of the '60s favourite sex symbol thanks to her 1966 role in One Million Years B.C. and an iconic fur-trimmed bikini. Her other star turns during the decade included leading roles in Western Bandolero! and action hit 100 Rifles.

She went on to win a Golden Globe in 1975 for her role in The Three Musketeers and became known for projects like Hannie Caulder and Fantastic Voyage. Raquel's last roles came in 2017, with How to Be a Latin Lover and 10 episodes of Date My Dad, the same year as her last public appearance. The actress died on February 15 2023 at the age of 82.

Blonde bombshell Farrah Fawcett dominated the '70s as a regular star of the small screen, but reached the height of her household fame during her first season lead casting in Charlie's Angels as Jill Munroe. The role launched her to mainstream stardom and turned her into a pop culture icon, helped along by an iconic shot of Farrah in a Baywatch-worthy red swimsuit.

She left the show in 1979 for more serious roles, earning Emmy nominations along the way for her performances in The Burning Bed (1986) and Small Sacrifices (1989). In 2006, Farrah was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The actress courageously co-exectuive produced a documentary around her treatments which earned her an Emmy nomination. Farrah sadly passed away in 2009 at the age of 62.

Madonna combined serious songwriting talent with an outrageous sensuality, making her the top sex symbol of the 1980s. Her self-titled debut album Madonna released in 1983, releasing dance anthems 'Holiday' and 'Lucky Star', followed by her 1984 album Like a Virgin which topped the charts and introduced No. 1 hits like 'Material Girl' to an international audience.

The singer is still performing today, holding a Celebration Tour after suffering a health scare and hospitalisation in 2023 which looked back at her 40-year career in the music industry. In July, she released her 15th studio album Confessions II and returned to the MTV Video Music Awards stage, 23 years after her last performance to open the ceremony.

The '90s were dominated by red swimsuit-wearing lifeguards on the beaches of Los Angeles County, and no one wore it quite as well as Pamela Anderson. She was famous for her voluminous hair, carefully plucked brows and fashion statements that showed off her figure. The actress was spotted at a British Columbia Lions football game in 1989, paving the way for a successful career in modelling.

She was named Playmate of the Month in February 1990 and broke records with her cover appearances. Pamela is still as glamorous as she was in the '90s, now embracing a natural, no makeup look on the red carpet and continuing to act in projects like The Last Showgirl and The Naked Gun.