Given name: Lisle Henderson; born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Prolific actor usually playing second leads or support roles. Appeared in about 200 films from the early 1930s to the late 1950s. Also worked on television.

Given name: Russell Tamblyn; born in Los Angeles, California. Actor / dancer / singer on stage and screen.

Given name: Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor; born in London, England (to American parents). Very gifted and naturally beautiful actress (those eyes!). Began as a child actor at MGM. One of the most popular actresses of the 1950s and 1960s. Won two Academy Awards and was nominated for three more.

Given name: Spangler Arlington Brugh; born in Filley, Nebraska. One of the most popular screen actors of the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Hailed as "the new king" upon Clark Gable's departure from MGM in 1955.

Jazz Trombonist, vocalist, bandleader. One of the greats.

Given name: Shirley Temple; born in Santa Monica, California. Actress, dancer, singer in films from age three. The most popular child actress of all time. She was a phenomenon. She was immensely popular during the 1930s, but when she turned a teenager her popularity sagged. Even so, she continued her acting career until she was 21 years old. She had a television show in the late 1950s, but hasn't done any acting since then.

Later in life she served as Delegate to the United Nations (1969), U.S. Ambassador to Ghana (1974), U.S. Chief of Protocol (1976), and U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989).

Cairn Terrier owned and trained by Carl Spitz (Jack Weatherwax worked with Terry on the set). Terry had a successful career in Hollywood, playing across from some major stars! She (Terry was a female) gained immortality as Toto in The Wizard of Oz. After filming Oz, Terry was renamed Toto.

Given name: Amos Jacobs; born in Deerfield, Michigan. Actor, singer, comedian, producer. Appeared on screen and televison.

Given name: James Marshall Thompson; born in Peoria, Illinois. Actor, Director, Writer, Producer. Appeared in movies and on television.

Big-band singer; often on-screen with Benny Goodman and His Orchestra or with Ziggy Elman.

Given name: Ann Todd Mayfield; born in Denver, Colorado. Child star of the 1940s.

Photo (l-r): Ann Todd, Jose Iturbi, Jane Powell, Jeanette MacDonald, Mary Eleanor Donahue; lobby card for Three Daring Daughters, 1948 (larger image)

Note: There are two actresses named Ann Todd!

Given name: Franchot Tone; born in New York. Prolific actor, producer, director. Appeared on stage and screen.

Given name: Spencer Tracy; born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Actor; quite possibly the best ever to appear on screen. Began on stage after WWI. Moved into film in 1930 and started out playing "tough guy" and prison films. Continually frustrated with these roles, Tracy moved to MGM in 1935, where he began playing second leads. Two years later he won his first Academy Award for his portrayal of Manuel in Captains Courageous. The next year he played the lead as Father Flanagan in the film Boys Town and took another Academy Award. Tracy's career was off and running, and he continued to turn in wonderful performances until his death in 1967. Tracy had a long-running affair with Katherine Hepburn, and the pair made a series of films together, all of which are still popular today.

Actor, born in Pittsburgh. Played mostly support roles.

Given name: Travers Heagerty; born in England. Stage actor in England, moved to Broadway in the 1920s and on to Hollywood in the 1930s. Probably best remembered today for his role as Clarence the angel in the film It's a Wonderful Life.

Born in Englewood, New Jersey. Popular actor/singer/dancer on stage and screen. Travolta first came to national attention on the television show "Welcome Back, Kotter," (1975) playing the part of Vinnie Barbarino. That series proved a springboard to films, where Saturday Night Fever made Travolta a major star.

Given name: Arthur Veary; born in England. Though he played other roles, he's generally remembered for playing many a sardonic (but loveable) butler or valet. Famous quote: "Oh, my word!"

Given name: Mary Louise Summers; born in St. Louis, MO. Actress / comedienne, generally in support roles. Always a bright spot in any film!

Fast-talking actress / comedienne with a nasal voice. Noted for her ability to rattle off nonsensical comments faster than they could register in your mind, and to change subjects at the drop of a hat.

Given name: Sonia Kalish. Russian-born stage personality of immense popularity during the early 20th Century. Later in her career she billed herself as "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas." Torch song: "Some of These Days." Most of her career was on Broadway and in cabaret, but she appeared in a few films.

Dancer / actress. Worked as MGM stock company dancer for some years, though she had the talent to move up. She was very pretty and a great dancer. She did move up, slowly, but never made it to stardom. Shown here (right) with Cyd Charisse (left) in a publicity still for Words and Music ("On Your Toes"), 1948.

Given name: Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner; born in Wallace, Idaho. Contracted by MGM while still in high school, Lana made her screen debut in a bit part in the 1937 film A Star Is Born (though her scenes ended up on the cutting room floor). By 1941 she was a star. She continued making movies until 1976. She was one of the major glamour stars of the 1940s and 1950s. She also did some television work later in her life.

Given name: Anna Mae Bullock; born in Tennessee. Beautiful and sexy rock singer formerly with Ike Turner (as Ike and Tina Turner) until their breakup in 1976. She has since become one of the most popular and influential women in the entertainment business. Her driving force and energy onstage is unparalleled, and she is a major star all around the world.

Dancer / actress at MGM during the 1940s.