Entertainmentmrs-robinsonThe Graduateanne bancroft

10 Years Ago Today... We Lost Anne Bancroft. We Remember Her Mrs Robinson In This Remarkable Seduction Scene

Guess How Much Older Mrs Robinson Actually Was...
Caroline Frost
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10 years ago today, we lost the wonderful Anne Bancroft, a beautiful, earthy woman celebrated as glint of eye and sharp wit of tongue and, with Mel Brooks, one half of Hollywood's most talented double acts.

Her most memorable role was as the seductress Mrs Robinson in 'The Graduate', where she overwhelmed breakout star Dustin Hoffman with her potent brew of mystery, sensuality and an unhealthy amount of cigarette smoke.

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How could he resist?

Anne Bancroft later rued that her success in the vampish role overshadowed all her other work, including winning an Oscar for her role as Hellen Keller's teacher in 'The Miracle Worker', and collecting Tony and Emmy Awards too. Her very final role was as herself in a 2004 episode of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'.

Strange but true: Despite her turn as Mrs Robinson becoming a prototype for the seductive older woman, inspiring a song by Simon and Garfunkel AND Dustin Hoffman's character in the film going on to date her daughter, Anne Bancroft was, in fact, only six years older than Dustin.

10 Vintage Beauty Secrets From Old Hollywood
Marilyn Monroe(01 of10)
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Marilyn Monroe was famous for her enviable figure -- and especially for having curves in all the right places. Apparently, it was mostly due to a regimen that included weight training and a high protein diet. In a 1952 interview with Pageant Magazine, Monroe detailed her morning fitness routine and told of her bizarre breakfast. "Before I take my morning shower, I start warming a cup of milk on the hot plate I keep in my hotel room. When it's hot, I break two raw eggs into the milk, whip them up with a fork, and drink them while I'm dressing," Monroe said. Ick. (credit:Camerique Archive via Getty Images)
Elizabeth Taylor(02 of10)
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There's no eye makeup more iconic than Liz Taylor's dramatic winged liner and heavy eyeshadow in "Cleopatra." Taylor said in an interview that she liked to be in charge of her own beauty routine, cutting her own hair and even learning to do her "Cleopatra" makeup -- on her own.

But even with that striking eye makeup, there's one thing that's most important when trying to look wide-eyed and awake: beauty sleep. "Honey, you'll look like hell if you don't get a good night's sleep," Taylor said. (credit:Silver Screen Collection via Getty Images)
Audrey Hepburn(03 of10)
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Audrey Hepburn's doe-eyed look was her trademark. Along with a strong brow, and efforts to keep the rest of her makeup neutral, Hepburn focused on her lashes to draw attention to her eyes. To ensure separation of each lash, her makeup artist used to apply mascara -- and then painstakingly separate each lash using a safety pin. We wouldn't recommend trying this one at home! (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)
Grace Kelly(04 of10)
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Celebrity hair and makeup artist Peter Lamas told Style.com that when working with actress Grace Kelly, he noticed her repeatedly applying lotion to her hands. Kelly reportedly said it was because hands are where people show their age first -- a definite no-no for the princess who rocked a stunning Cartier diamond engagement ring of over 10 carats! (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Marlene Dietrich(05 of10)
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Marlene Dietrich's perfectly arched, thin eyebrows weren't a gift from nature. In the early 1930s, it was reportedly stylish to pencil in your lashes. Dietrich is said to have completely shaved off her natural brows so that she could draw artificial ones on to perfection. Hmm... what do you think? (credit:General Photographic Agency via Getty Images)
Rita Hayworth(06 of10)
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We like to think of Rita Hayworth as one of Hollywood's original redheads, paving the way for other flame-haired stars like Emma Stone and Julianne Moore. Surprisingly, her natural color was not red. To advance her career, Hayworth had her hair dyed and was even convinced to have her hairline moved back, to create a bigger forehead, through electrolysis. Yikes. She also reportedly kept her star feature in tip-top shape by doing hot oil treatments after every wash, and then rinsing them out after 15 minutes with water and a bit of lemon juice. (credit:Silver Screen Collection via Getty Images)
Mae West(07 of10)
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You've probably heard of the recent coconut oil fad, with people swearing to its virtues for beauty, health and cooking. But Mae West was in on this little secret decades ago. The sex symbol relied on coconut oil to give her skin its dewy, youthful glow. (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)
Ingrid Bergman (08 of10)
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Unlike many of her counterparts, the lovely Ingrid Bergman was known more for her natural beauty than for being a made-up bombshell. Bergman said she rarely wore makeup outside of when she was filming. She also chalked her looks up to good genes. Her approach to beauty was more about inner wellness. She also made sure to get plenty of exercise, simply by walking and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. She also said one of her favorite things was getting in the sauna and enjoying a rub down. Nice! (credit:Archive Photos via Getty Images)
Sophia Loren(09 of10)
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The bombshell Sophia Loren, who often wore revealing outfits, kept her skin soft and hydrated by occasionally taking baths with olive oil, according to the BBC. Our environment and water can be drying on the skin, so olive oil does help seal in much-needed moisture. Incidentally, Loren still looks glamorous today -- even at 80. (credit:Camerique via Getty Images)
Jean Harlow(10 of10)
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The platinum blonde actress Jean Harlow felt contouring was important in giving her face all the right angles. She purposely avoided a center part and liked voluminous hairstyles to make her face appear less full.

And it appears contouring wasn't invented in the modern day. The actress used to apply blush high on her cheeks to give the illusion of a slimmer face and even plucked out her eyebrows so she could draw them on perfectly herself. Ouch. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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