Goldie Hawn, Then And Now: The Bikini Blonde Who Won An Oscar

Goldie Hawn went from one of Laugh-In's bikini girls to a leading comedic actress in the blink of an eye, starring in a string of films that included There's A Girl In My Soup, Butterflies Are Free, The Sugarland Express, Shampoo and Foul Play. In the '80s, Hawn's star continued to rise, with performances in Private Benjamin, Seems Like Old Times, Swing Shift, Protocol, and Wildcats. Hawn is, and always has been, a go-to actress for ditzy blonde characters -- who almost always turn out to be smarter than they seem. 

But like her characters, there's much more to Goldie Hawn. We got an inkling early on, during those Laugh-In (1968-70) years. Hawn, in her first credited screen role, acted with Walter Matthau and Ingrid Bergman in the 1969 comedy Cactus Flower -- and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for it. A decade later, she was again nominated, this time for Best Actress in a Leading Role, for Private Benjamin.

Hawn's first aspiration was to be a dancer. Goldie Hawn began her dancing career at a very young age and found small successes in that field. Ultimately, she was cast on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, in which she portrayed the “dumb blonde” personality. Hawn appeared on Laugh-In, as a regular with her chipper attitude, high-pitched giggles and curvy, bikini-clad, painted body. She obviously commanded a lot of attention! Although her character was very stereotypical, it was not a true portrayal of the real Goldie Hawn.

Goldie Hawn is extremely intelligent and insightful. Besides being known as an iconic actress, she has also been a successful movie director, producer and occasional singer. Though she projects a flighty, sometimes helpless charm on screen, she has always been in control of her career.  Though Hawn was born Jewish, she has embraced a spirituality that has Buddhist tendencies. She once said:

Once you laugh at you own weaknesses, you can move forward. Comedy breaks down walls. It opens up people. If you're good, you can fill up those openings with something positive. Maybe combat some the ugliness in the world.

Pretty wise for a "dumb blonde."

Appearing on Laugh-In turned out to be quite prosperous for Hawn. She was ultimately recognized for her natural talent and sex appeal. Soon she would be cast in movies including Cactus Flower, There’s a Girl in My Soup and Butterflies Are Free. There is nothing like a beautiful face to draw attention to a movie…. or anything else, for that matter!

Although she has long enjoyed celebrity status, Goldie Hawn is no different from other people, both notable and not so notable. She has loved and lost, being unsuccessfully married two times. She ultimately found her one true love, Kurt Russell. Although they never “legally” married, they remain committed to their longtime relationship. The pair is often referred to as one of Hollywood’s sweetest couples. Though they technically crossed paths in the 1968 film The One And Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, they're really known for sharing the screen twice, in Swing Shift (which led to their relationship) and Overboard.

Hawn is beautiful, lighthearted and optimistic. She has the type of personality that lends itself to roles in comedies. She is a natural when it comes to acting and has been going strong for years, always landing roles that seem like they were written just for her.