Though often thought of as primarily a male vehicle, the film noir offered some of the most complex female roles of any movies of the 1940s and 1950s. Stars such as Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Tierney and Joan Crawford produced some of their finest performances in noir movies, while such lesser known actresses as Peggie Castle, Hope Emerson and Helen Walker made a lasting impression with their roles in the genre. These six women and 43 others who were most frequently featured in films noirs are profiled here, focusing primarily on their work in the genre and its impact on their careers. A filmography of all noir appearances is provided for each actress. “welcome...an excellent film biography of each star...an essential purchase for all film collections”― Library Journal ; “fascinating...striking black-and-white studio portrait[s]”― Booklist ; “beguilingly written...entertaining to read”― Choice ; “an interesting and well written study. Recommended”― Public Library Quarterly ; “well-researched...lively writing...a brilliant, first-rate examination”― Big Reel ; “a welcome addition”― The Art Book ; “fabulous...a superlative read for true fans of classic film in general, and film noir in particular”― journeyinclassicfilm.com ; “well researched and engagingly written...a fine history of women who played some of the most complex and mesmerizing characters on the screen”― Past Times ; “there are simply no other volumes like these...commendable...good solid research”― Classic Images ; “invaluable...a must”― Femme Fatales. What could be more unsettling than the steely look on Gene Tierney's face as she watches her young brother-in-law drown in Leave Her to Heaven? Or Barbara Stanwyck's voice in Double Indemnity as she coolly tells her lover that it is "straight down the line for both of us" in their plot to murder her husband. Though often thought of as primarily male vehicles, films noirs offered some of the most complex female roles of any movies of the 1940s and 1950s. Stars such as Stanwyck, Tierney and Crawford produced some of their finest performances in noir, while such lesser known actresses as Peggie Castle, Hope Emerson and Helen Walker made a lasting impression on moviegoers with their roles in the genre. These six women and 43 others who were most frequently featured in films noirs are profiled here, focusing primarily on their work in the genre and its impact on their careers. A filmography of all noir appearances is provided for each actress. What could be more unsettling than the steely look on Gene Tierney's face as she watches her young brother-in-law drown in Leave Her to Heaven? Or Barbara Stanwyck's voice in Double Indemnity as she coolly tells her lover that it is "straight down the line for both of us" in their plot to murder her husband. Though often thought of as primarily male vehicles, films noirs offered some of the most complex female roles of any movies of the 1940s and 1950s. Stars such as Stanwyck, Tierney and Crawford produced some of their finest performances in noir, while such lesser known actresses as Peggie Castle, Hope Emerson and Helen Walker made a lasting impression on moviegoers with their roles in the genre. These six women and 43 others who were most frequently featured in films noirs are profiled here, focusing primarily on their work in the genre and its impact on their careers. A filmography of all noir appearances is provided for each actress. Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is editor of the bimonthly film noir newsletter The Dark Pages and has written about the actors of film noir. She lives in Chicago.