Given name: Harry James; born in Albany, Georgia. Trumpet player / orchestra leader. Married Betty Grable in 1943.

See also: Composers: Harry James

Born in Cape Town, South Africa. With the 20th Century-Fox Shirley Temple phenomenon in full swing, all studios in Hollywood were trying to find another Shirley. Sybil Jason was the Warner Bros./First National child star. Sybil was very cute and a fine little actress, but it seemed nobody could dethrone America's Princess. Ironically, Sybil's final films were Shirley Temple vehicles (and her only films available on home video).

Born in Tennessee. Operatic singer / actress; married to Douglas McPhail.

Given name: Gloria Jean Schoonover; born in Buffalo, New York. Child singer / actress on contract to Universal Studios. She was being groomed to become another "Deanna Dubin type," but her picture budgets continued to decline and she finally left Universal to work as a free agent. But she never achieved stardom, though she certainly had her share of fans. She's really cute and sings like a nightingale!

Given name: Alfred McGonegal; born in Staten Island, New York. Usually seen playing comic tough guys, gangsters or cops. Began his career on Broadway before moving into film in the early 1930s.

Born in Los Angeles, California. Popular freckle-faced child star of the 1940s. His best parts were in Our Vines Have Tender Grapes and The Human Comedy.

Born in New York, New York. Comedian / actor / singer / producer on stage, screen, radio and television. Credited with giving Judy Garland her screen surname.

Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Officially changed his name to Elton Hercules John. Rock singer and composer; known in his earlier years for his loud costumes and huge glasses. In recent years, he has written some wonderful movie song scores. Often works with lyricist Tim Rice.

Very beautiful and gifted actress / comedienne born in South Africa, daughter of actor Mervyn Johns. Generally in light comedy roles, probably best remembered as the mother in Mary Poppins. Her performance in The Court Jester is wonderful.

Cute little bubble-cut blonde dancer. Called herself "Miss Perpetual Motion." She was a fringe-wearing sort of Go-Go Dancer; she did her own thing - a sort of high-energy Twist with her entire body. Known in the Beach party movies for her seemingly boundless energy, and her ability to hurl men across the room (or off their surf boards) with just a shake of her hips. Performed and recorded with her own group The Exciters.

Born in Athens, Georgia; educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the New York Institute of Musical Art. Composed music. Formed the Hall Johnson Choir around 1925.

See also: Composers: Hall Johnson

Given name: Charles Van Johnson; born in Newport, Rhode Island. Singer / dancer / actor; began as a chorus boy on stage in New York, went to Hollywood to play in the film Too Many Girls (he can clearly be seen in the numbers with chorus and even has some lines). By the late 1940s, he was one of the hottest names in Hollywood. Full filmography below.

Nightclub singer / recording artist / actor born in St. Louis, Missouri. Sang opera and pop in a few films. Married to Kathryn Grayson (1947 - 1951).

Given name: Asa Yoelson; born in Lithuania or St. Petersburg (sources vary). Began in Minstrel Shows. One of the most beloved pop singers of all time; often referred to as "the world's greatest entertainer." After years as a major stage star, he was the first major singer to appear in a full-length feature "talkie" (The Jazz Singer, 1927). After a good run of movies in the 1930s, his style became dated and he moved to radio, where he was, once again, very popular. He remained a major radio star until his death in 1950.

Just some of the all-time great songs associated with Jolie include "April Showers," "Avalon," "California, Here I Come," "My Mammy," "Rockabye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody," and "Sonny Boy."

His life story was presented in The Jolson Story and the sequel, Jolson Sings Again, with Larry Parks playing Jolson, lip-syncing to Jolson's own voice. One of the greatest entertainers of all time!

Opera singer born in Pennsylvania. Became popular with the movie-going public in the mid-1930s. Closely associated with the songs "Cosi Cosa" and "The Donkey Serenade." Father of Jack Jones, popular singer in the 1960s who scored big with the hit "Wives and Lovers." Shown here with Fanny Brice and Judy Garland in a publicity still for Everybody Sing, 1938.

Given name: Phyllis Isley; born in Oklahoma. Married to Robert Walker (1939 - 1944). Divorced Walker and married producer David O. Selznick. Wonderful actress, generally in drama.

Born in Los Angeles, California. Popular child actress of the 1930s. Today - at least in home video - Marcia Mae is best seen in support roles in Shirley Temple and Deanna Durbin films.