Coming in late on this, but I don't see how you can have a representative list without Claire Trevor. Defining performances in Born to Kill and Raw Deal, superior performances in Murder My Sweet and Key Largo. She'd be right behind Stanwyck on my list.
Ida Lupino would have to be on my must-have list as well. Other strong actresses after Stanwyck, Grahame and Scott with multiple memorable performances ... Crawford, Winters, Windsor, Bennett, Tierney, Raines ... and then there's Mary Astor.
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