Performers

Julie Andrews

Julie Andrews started studying music as a child and by the age of 12 was already performing professionally. In the 1950s, while in her late teens, she appeared in plays in London's West End. Her first Broadway play, "The Boy Friend," opened in 1954, and Andrews gained the attention of critics. Two years later, she starred in "My Fair Lady" in the lead role of Eliza Doolittle, a part that led to Broadway stardom and a Tony nomination. "My Fair Lady" was followed by another Lerner and Loewe hit, "Camelot," in 1960. [read more...]

Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli was born into a show business family, inheriting her mother Judy Garland's musical talent. Her father, Vincente Minnelli, directed many movie musicals, including the Academy Award winning "Gigi." Despite her parents' successful film careers, Liza's own career was launched on New York theater stages. [read more...]

Kevin Kline

Although most movie goers probably know Kevin Kline as a dramatic film actor, he is primarily a stage actor, with his early starts in Shakespeare, classical drama and musicals. Kline's career on Broadway began in 1973 and he did not appear in a film until 1982. Since then, Kline has had successful careers both on Broadway and in films. [read more...]

Rita Moreno

Although Rita Moreno won an Academy Award for her performance in a musical ("West Side Story"), her career began primarily with dramatic performances. Her first appearance on Broadway in 1945 was in the play "Skydrift." In 1952, Moreno appeared in the musical film, "Singin' in the Rain," playing a small, non-musical part. [read more...]

Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger was one of America's great actors, yet most people probably don't remember that he sang in a movie musical early in his career. In 1955, Steiger played Judd Fry in the movie version of "Oklahoma" and, along with Gordon MacRae, he sang "Poor Judd Is Daid." [read more...]

Tommy Tune

Although Tommy Tune has become an extremely successful Broadway musical performer, director and choreographer, his first big break was in the movie musical, "Hello Dolly." Tune's role in that film showcased his exceptional dancing talent, but it took four more years for him to achieve success. In 1973, he starred in and was the associate choreographer for the Broadway musical, "Seesaw." Tune won his first of nine Tony awards for his performance in "Seesaw." [read more...]

Michael Crawford

As a child, Michael Crawford sang in a church choir and in school plays, but his professional acting career began in a non-musical role in a movie at the age of 16. His first major role on Broadway in "Black Comedy / White Lies" was also a non-musical role. However, that part led to his first major movie role as Cornelius Hackl in "Hello Dolly," a film that showcased Crawford's singing and dancing talents. [read more...]

Paul Michael Glaser

Paul Michael Glaser, best known as the Starsky half of the popular "Starsky and Hutch" TV show of the mid to late-1970s, began his professional career on Broadway in a comedy, "Butterflies Are Free" in 1969. Two years later, he had his first major film role in the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof." [read more...]

Barbra Streisand

Although Barbra Streisand is known primarily as a singer and her career started with Broadway musicals, she has appeared in only five movie musicals, three of which were her first three films. She has appeared in at least twice as many non-musical roles. [read more...]