Given name: Lenny Hacker. Born in Brooklyn, NY. One of the great comedians of stage and screen. Worked primarily on stage and in nightclubs, though he was certainly successful in films and in guest spots on television as well. He was a very special and gifted performer.

Born in Galveston, Texas. Prolific character actress of the 1930s and '40s.

Given name: Jean Shirley Verhagen; born in Chicago, IL. Very talented actress / comedienne in dramas and some comedies. Played a wide range of characters, and appeared in some film noir.

Born in Illinois. Actress, generally in dramas. Probably best remembered today for her role as Della Street on the Perry Mason TV series.

Born in Boston, Mass. Actor / dancer / comedian in many films. Immortalized as the Tinman in The Wizard of Oz, 1939.

Born in Cleveland, OH. Actress in drama and comedy. Immortalized as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, 1939. Shown here (left) with Spring Byington (right) in a publicity still from Way Down East, 1935.

Musician / orchestra leader born in Louisville, Kentucky. Played vibraphone, drums and piano.

Born in Massachusetts. Gifted dancer / actress / comedienne on stage and screen; assistant to Gene Kelly. A rising star, her career was cut short by diabetes and she died from a sudden attack of bronchial pneumonia.

Highly respected and skilled British actor on stage and film. He was knighted by King George V in 1934 for his distinguished career in stage and film.

Best remembered for his work as the larger half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy, though he did more work solo than he did with Stan Laurel. Appeared in more than 400 films!

Given name: Harlean Harlow Carpentier; born in Kansas City, Missouri. Married Charles McGrew at age 16, and they moved to Los Angeles. Jean began finding extra work and bit parts in films almost immediately. She finally made the step into short subjects, where she was noticed, and her contract was picked up by MGM in 1930. Her career skyrocketed but, sadly, she died of complications from nephritis at the peak of her stardom. She was a very gifted actress / comedienne - once you've watched her work on-screen, you can never forget her!

Born in Indiana. Singer / actor / bandleader / comedian on radio, television and film. Married to Alice Faye. Starred with Alice Faye in a number of radio shows; voiced a number of characters for Disney, including the voice of Baloo in The Jungle Book.

Born in Limerick, Ireland. Attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Very gifted actor, but the films he appeared in were often mediocre or worse. He had a smash hit with a controversial (and nonsensical) song "McArthur's Park" in 1968, and the subsequent album "A Tramp Shining." But his greatest triumph, in my opinion, was his portrayal of King Arthur in Camelot - both on stage an on screen. More than anyone else, he defined King Arthur, and was brilliant in the part. Some of the drops do sparkle!

Born in Houston, Texas. Very talented actress / singer / dancer, generally in support roles.

Singer/composer born in Liverpool, England. Member of legendary rock group The Beatles

Pictured clockwise from top left: John, Paul, Ringo and George on the "Let It Be" album, 1970.

Superb British actor / comedian on stage and screen. Remembered today for a long string of great films, including My Fair Lady, Anna and the King of Siam, The Reluctant Debutante and many others. Married to actress Kay Kendall.

Lyricist; best remembered for his collaborations with Richard Rodgers. The story of Rodgers and Hart is told (if somewhat inaccurately) in the film Words and Music.

See also: Composers: Lorenz Hart

Paul and Grace Hartman were popular stage actors and were husband and wife. Though they delighted theatre-goers all over the country, Higher and Higher was the only film they appeared in together.

Short Irish character actor in many films.

Given name: June Stovenour; born in Illinois. Actress in comedies and musicals. Married to Fred MacMurray from 1954 until his death in 1991.

Given name: June Hovick; actress / comedienne born in Vancouver, BC. Sister of Louise Hovick (Gypsy Rose Lee).

Character actor, born in Oklahoma or Canada in 1882 or 1884, depending on who you ask. Yes, he did play bankers and other official types - he has that look about him. But, my favorite role he played is that of Kathryn Grayson's and June Allyson's grouchy old father in Two Sisters from Boston.

Actor / comedian born in England. Now probably best remembered as "Uncle Max" in The Sound of Music.

Very distinguishable voice and face. Gabby generally played old rascal types in Westerns - miners, trappers, mountain men, sidekicks, etc. He was equally adept at comedy and drama. One of my favorite characters from old Western movies!

Easy-going singer / actor, born in Argentina

Given name: Edythe Marrener; born in Brooklyn, NY. Wonderful actress in drama, comedy and musicals. Her portrayal of Jane Froman in With a Song in My Heart and Lillian Roth in I'll Cry Tomorrow are unforgettable.

Given name: Margarita Carmen Cansino; born in Brooklyn, NY. Actress / singer / dancer / producer. Very popular with the movie-going public. Produced many of her own films.

Given name: Clarence Earnest Lee Nash; born in Houston, Texas. Actor / comedian, generally remembered today for originating The Three Stooges.

Given name: Emmett Evan Heflin. Jr.; born in Oklahoma. Fun actor in drama, comedy and westerns. He's great!

Considered by many to be the greatest violinist of the twentieth century. Recorded on RCA Records; appeared in many concerts and a few films.

Born in Oslo, Norway; moved to U.S. in 1938 after winning her tenth consecutive World Championship and third consecutive Olympic Gold Medal. One of the greatest figure skaters of all time. All-around athlete with many trophies in skating, skiing, swimming and tennis. Once in the US, she turned professional, producing her own elaborate skating shows and touring the world over. She was a shrewd business woman - at one time the richest woman on earth. Appeared in a number of light musicals from 1938-1945. Some contend that she wasn't much of an actress, but with that winsome smile and fabulous skating, who cares?