Jane Powell was born Suzanne Lorraine Burce in Portland, Oregon. She
began dance lessons at the age of two and appeared on the KGW radio
talent show Stars of Tomorrow at age five.She had attended Beaumont
Grade School and Grant High School in Portland. Powell signed with
Metro-Goldyn-Mayer while still in her teens. She was loaned out to
United Artists where she made her first film in 1944, a musical
comedy titled Song of the Open Road. Powell continues to act
and perform today.

Cast members Alfred Drake as Curly and Betty Garde as Aunt Eller from 
Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! is the first musical written by the team of Richard Rogers and Oscar
Hammerstein ll. The original Broadway production opened at the St. James Theater
in New York City. It ran for 2,212 performances, finally closing on May 29, 1948, a Broadway record that would not be broken until My Fair Lady in 1956. A special
Pulitzer Prize was awarded to Rodgers and Hammerstein for Oklahoma! in the
category of "Special Awards And Citations – Letters" in 1944.

The two kings of musicals, Richard Rogers and Oscar
Hammerstein ll

While Herb Alpert continues to play trumpet with group and solo performances
abound the U.S. and Europe, he also devotes time to his second career as an
abstract expressionist painter and sculptor.
.

Untitled Painting by Herb Alpert

President Lyndon Johnson, concerned that he might not live through another four- 
year term, shocked the nation when he announced at the end of a speech that he
would not run for re-election.