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Waters, Ethel

(Encyclopedia) Waters, Ethel, 1896?–1977, African-American singer and actress, b. Chester, Pa. As a singer, she is noted for her sultry, sophisticated, and dramatic version of the blues, evinced in…

Queen Latifah

(Encyclopedia) Queen Latifah , 1970- , African-American rapper, songwriter, and actress, b. Newark, N.J., as Dana Elaine Owens. In a musical style…

Leachman, Cloris

(Encyclopedia) Leachman, Cloris, 1926-2021, American actress, b. Des Moines, Ia. Leachman began acting in children’s theater when she was seven, and…

Stritch, Elaine

(Encyclopedia) Stritch, Elaine, 1925–2014, American actress and singer, b. Detroit. Forthright and witty, with a commanding stage presence and a raspy singing voice, she had a long career in show…

Hanks, Tom

(Encyclopedia) Hanks, Tom, 1956–, American film actor, b. Concord, Calif., as Thomas Jeffrey Hanks. In 1980 he acted in his first film, and in 1980–82 he co-starred in a television sitcom. Hanks…

LL Cool J

(Encyclopedia) LL Cool J , 1968- , African-American rapper and actor, b. Queens, N.Y., as James Todd Smith. Smith had a tragic upbringing, with his…

Reynolds, Debbie

(Encyclopedia) Reynolds, Debbie, 1932-2016, American actress, singer, and dancer, b. El Paso, Tx., as Mary Frances Reynolds. Reynolds’ family…

Price, Vincent Leonard, Jr.

(Encyclopedia) Price, Vincent Leonard, Jr., 1911-93, American film actor, b. St. Louis, Mo., Yale Univ. (B.A., 1933). Price studied English and art…

Baryshnikov, Mikhail

(Encyclopedia) Baryshnikov, MikhailBaryshnikov, Mikhailmĭˈkhail bərĭˌshnĭkävˈ [key], 1948–, Russian-American dancer and choreographer, b. Riga, Latvia (then in the USSR). He studied in Riga and…

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the comedian who has starred in the long-running series Seinfeld (1990-98) and Veep (beginning in 2012). Julia Louis-Dreyfus got her start in big-time comedy at Chicago's…