The Biggest Sex Symbols Of The 1980s

The 1980s was a prime decade for sex symbols! Many icons were acting in huge movies and TV shows of the day, and music stars were strutting their stuff on stage. This gallery looks back at the biggest sex symbols of the '80s — starting with Tom Selleck.

The moustachioed actor broke out as the star of Magnum, P.I. beginning in 1980. With his unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, Selleck was a defining sex symbol of the decade.

Click through the gallery slides here for the full list!

Kim Basinger may very well have been the defining sex symbol among 1980s actresses. She played the Bond Girl in Never Say Never and had a run of hot movie roles, including the steamy erotica film 9½ Weeks.

The 1980s was the decade when Patrick Swayze cemented his status as an all-time sex symbol. And the role that did it was Dirty Dancing. But the "Sexiest Man Alive" winner also made fans swoon in Road House and The Outsiders in the '80s.

Not to be outdone by her Dirty Dancing co-star, actress Jennifer Grey also won many fans with her performance in the beloved 1987 dance film. The young actress was an '80s favourite and also appeared in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Red Dawn.

While many have a love-hate relationship with Tom Cruise these days, he was a certifiable sex symbol back in the '80s. He broke out with that iconic (and pants-less) dance scene in Risky Business, and many more heartthrob roles followed in titles like Top Gun and The Outsiders.

Phoebe Cates became a household name when she appeared in that scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. She also appeared in Gremlins and a few other '80s films, but Cates is still best remembered for her Fast Times bikini drop.

Things also heated up on television of the 1980s. The end of the decade saw the premiere of Baywatch, which starred an often-shirtless David Hasselhoff. The actor had already won legions of fans with his suave role on Knight Rider and singing ability.

Madonna pushed the limits on sexuality in pop culture and music of the 1980s. The "Like a Virgin" pop star was hugely successful with her provocative style and exploration of sexual themes.

Actor Richard Gere arrived on the scene in a big way in the 1980s. He broke out with the daring film American Gigolo before going on to romantic classics like An Officer and a Gentleman and, in 1990, the timeless Pretty Woman.

Kelly LeBrock was a major attraction at the movies in the 1980s. The model-turned-actress debuted in the title role of The Woman in Red before becoming the dream woman of many film fans in Weird Science.