Robert Preston (June 8, 1918 – March 21, 1987)

Robert Preston was a stage and film actor best remembered
for originating the role of Harold Hill in the 1957 musical The
Music Man and the subsequent film adaptation in 1962.

Sammy at 6 years old 

Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1989

“I Gotta Be Me” was a surprise hit for Davis, peaking at #11
on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1969, and remaining
in the Top 40 for 11 weeks. It was Davis’ third highest
charting single on the Hot 100 chart.

From left: Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Frank Sinatra (the “Rat Pack”) 

South Pacific is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein ll. The
production is based on the James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book
Tales of the South Pacific. It opened at the Majestic Theater, moving later to the 
Broadway Theater in June 1953. 

It is considered to be one of the greatest Broadway musicals, winning ten Tony
Awards, including Best musical, Best Score, Best Libretto, Best Director and
four acting awards.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein ll

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

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s The King and I is a stage musical
based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. The
production premiered at Broadway’s St. James Theater. It was an immediate hit,
winning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actress for Gertrude Lawrence and
Best Featured Actor for Yul Brynner. Lawrence died of cancer a year and a half
after the opening, and the role of Anna was played by other actresses during
the remainder of the Broadway run of over three years, 1,246 performances.

From left: Gertrude Lawrence (Anna Leonowens), Robin Craven (Sir Edward Ramsey) and Yul Brynner (The King)