Anita Ekberg was twenty years old when she first appeared in LIFE magazine. In 1951 the magazine breathlessly introduced this relative unknown model to readers in a story headlined “Beautiful Maid of Malmo.”
The most photographed, most pursued, and most popular girl at the most recent Miss America contest in Atlantic City was the blue-eyed blonde shown above, who boasts a sunny face and a stunning figure, a five-word English vocabulary—ya, no, hamboorger, El Morocco, ice cream—and was not eligible for the contest. The beautiful blonde was 20-year-old Anita Ekberg who, as Miss Sweden, was a guest of honor.
The gist of the story was that Ekberg, hot off being named Miss Sweden, had come to the United States to further her modeling career. LIFE photographer Lisa Larsen captured Ekberg meeting with a titan of that business, Eileen Ford.
The magazine was clearly among those impressed with the young Swede. Mere months later Ekberg posed in Los Angeles for another LIFE photographer, Allan Grant. And she would pose for Grant again in 1956.
In addition to modeling, Ekberg soon launched an acting career. She picked up small parts in films beginning in 1953, including playing an alien in Abbott and Costello Go to Mars. In 1955 staff photographer Loomis Dean captured Ekberg’s appearance on the short-lived television version of Casablanca.
In 1956 Ekberg then debuted on the cover of LIFE, when the magazine wrote about the film adaptation of War and Peace. Ekberg had a supporting role—the female lead in the movie was played by Audrey Hepburn—but that didn’t stop LIFE from devoting a major feature to her, photographed by James Whitmore.
The headline of that story, “Malmo Maid Makes Good,” celebrated how far the young model had come from her first appearance in the magazine.
Anita Ekberg made her first appearance in LIFE at age 20, in 1951, when she was an aspiring model. In this photo she wore a hostess hat from Scandanavian Airlines.
Lisa Larsen/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg made her first appearance in LIFE at age 20, in 1951. In this photo, as she looked to advance her modeling career, she was having her hips measured by agency executive Eileen Ford, 1951.
Lisa Larsen/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg made her first appearance in LIFE at age 20, in 1951.
Lisa Larsen/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg made her first appearance in LIFE at age 20, in 1951.
Lisa Larsen/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg made her first appearance in LIFE at age 20, in 1951.
Lisa Larsen/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg in Los Angeles, 1951.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Model and actress Anita Ekberg posed for LIFE in 1955.
Allan Grant/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg and Clarence Muse appeared in the television version of Casablanca, which ran for ten episodes from 1955-56.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg appeared in the 1950s television version of Casablanca.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg appeared in the 1956 film version of War and Peace.
James Whitmore/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg appeared in the 1956 film version of War and Peace.
James Whitmore/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
