Actress accents/voices in the 1940s-50s?

Question

It seems to me that many of the predominant American actresses in the 1940s and 1950s had a certain manner of speaking, not quite a European accent, but not quite American either. Examples would be Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and Katharine Hepburn. If you listen to them, they just have a different way of saying things than we do - the emphasis, cadence, rhythm, and sometimes pronunciation is different.

Is there a name for this? Is there a reason so many of them spoke like that? Or am I just imagining it?

Answer 1

Yes, they definitely had a more "affected" way of speaking. A bit more clipped.

I think speech has just gotten lazier through the years. People don't enunciate as clearly anymore.

Answer 2

In those days, most actors were trained in ""standard diction" and projection.  

Even after sound production became more sophisticated, actors had to project more loudly and clearly than they do nowadays to ensure the mikes picked them up.