Given name: George Ranft; born in New York, NY. Began as a dancer on stage and in nightclubs in New York. It is said that through his nightclub work he met many notorious characters. Raft moved into movies in the early 1930s, and played gangsters at first, then turned to playing good guys - tough good guys. He continued this persona throughout most of his career, though he did play other character types from time to time.

Given name: John Lee Ragland; born in Louisville, Kentucky. If he looks like a boxer, it's because he was for a while. He gave that up, finally, to try his hand as a comedian and ended up in "Panama Hattie" on Broadway. He went to MGM when they produced the screen version of the musical. He stayed at MGM, playing light comedy roles until his untimely death in 1946.

Given name: Thomas Rall; born in Kansas City, Missouri. Actor / dancer on stage and screen. Shown here with Betty Carr in a publicity still for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954.

Singer / composer, often with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra. Born in Colombia, South America.

NOTE: There is more than one Carlos Ramirez in films.

Given name: Margaret Teresa O'Reed; born in Butte, Montana. Actress / comedienne / singer on stage, screen and television. Worked in vaudeville with her family when a child; as a teenager sang with dance bands. Signed by Paramount in the mid-1930s. After 1950 she worked nightclubs and television, while still doing an occasional movie.

Given name: Ronald Wilson Reagan; born in Tampico, Illinois. Fortieth President of the United States; last of the great statesmen presidents. Began as a sports announcer turned actor, president of Screen Actors Guild, former governor of California, former President of the U.S. Married to Jane Wyman and later to Nancy Davis. Reagan was actually a reasonably good actor, contrary to the rumors that abound. And he played in some first-rate films. He also worked in television. And he was a great president!

Given name: Donna Mullenger; born in Denison, Iowa. Actress in films and on television. On contract to MGM beginning in 1941. Starred in "The Donna Reed Show" on television (1958 - 1966).

Given name: Mary Frances Reynolds; born in El Paso, Texas. Actress / singer / dancer; one of my personal favorites. Debbie moved from El Paso to Burbank, California when she was still a child. She won the Miss Burbank 1948 beauty contest, and Warner Bros. grabbed her. After only two films, she moved over to MGM, and took off to become one of MGM's leading musical comedy stars of the 1950s and 1960s. Debbie also recorded, and her singing was popular with teenagers of the 1950s. Debbie married Eddie Fisher (who subsequently left her) and is the mother of actress Carrie Fisher. Recently, she has been appearing in movies again, and doing some concert work. Yeah, I admit it - I'm in love with Debbie! She's the best!

Given name: Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal; born in Cleveland, Ohio. Child actor, played Jimmy McMahon in the Andy Hardy Series. Later became director, producer.

Given name: Joyce Sirola; born in San Antonio, Texas. Leading lady of the 1940s, usually as a teenager.

Given name: Marjorie Goodspeed. Actress on screen and television.

Born in Rockford, IL. Singer / dancer / actress. Began as a radio singer at age eight.

Given name Earnest Sharpe. American comic actor; born in Oklahoma. Probably best remembered today for his zany Italian characters in Top Hat and The Gay Divorcee. This guy cracks me up!! Photo: (l-r) Erik Rhodes, Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore in a scene from Top Hat.

Bing Crosby was a member of this singing group that generally appeared with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra in the early 1930s.

Given name: Irene Luther, born in Buffalo, NY. Actress on screen and radio. Silent screen siren, continued on into the talkie era.

Actor. Shown here with Julie Newmar in a publicity still for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954.

Born in London, England. Most popular British film star of 1915. In American theater from 1917, moved to Hollywood in mid-1930s. Generally played matriarchal roles (and she was very good at it).

Born in Brooklyn, New York. Short, spunky actress with thick Brooklyn accent. Great character actress and second lead.

Comedy team consisting of Al Ritz (1901 - 1965), Jimmy Ritz (1903 - 1985) and Harry Ritz (1906 - 1986). Actual surname: Joachim; all three born in Newark, New Jersey. Nightclub comedians signed by 20th Century-Fox in the mid-1930s. Less than desirable vehicles caused them to move to Universal around 1940, but they had the same problem there - the films they were in just didn't make them shine like they did on stage. So, in the mid-1940s, they left films and returned to nightclub work. They worked together until Al's death in 1965.

Beautiful redhead singer / actress in films; made some appearances on television. Also recording artist.

Given name: Paul Robeson; born in Princeton, New Jersey. Actor/singer (baritone) on stage and screen. Attended Rutgers College and then went on to Columbia University Law School, where he performed in an amateur stage production. The bug bit him, and by 1921 he had made his professional stage debut. Began making films in 1924. Robeson was in the 1928 stage production of Show Boat, and reprised his role in the 1936 film. He continued actively working on stage and screen until the late 1950s.

Given name: William Robinson; born in Richmond, Virginia. Legendary tap dancer of stage and screen. Just may be the best ever on-screen. Best remembered today for his films with Shirley Temple and for his role in the film Stormy Weather (1943).

Legendary composer of great show music. One of the most talented and prolific composers of the 20th century. Best remembered today for his collaborations with Lorenz Hart (Rodgers & Hart) and later with Oscar Hammerstein II (Rodgers & Hammerstein). Worked mostly on stage, but also personally supervised all of his stage musicals that were brought to the screen. That's Richard Rodgers (left) with Oscar Hammerstein II (right) in the picture. See also: Composers: Richard Rodgers.