Rudy Vallee

Biography: Born Hubert Vallee, he began playing the saxophone in his teens, then formed his own band in college. After graduating he formed another band, The Connecticut Yankees. He soon became popular as a singer on radio, in nightclubs, and on the stage; he became known as a "crooner," and his singing had a mysterious effect on some of the women in his audience, who were said to "swoon." He began appearing in films at the advent of the sound era; he starred in numerous light romantic films and shorts in the '30s, often seen holding his trademark, a megaphone. Later a second phase of his screen career began when he specialized in caricaturing stuffy, eccentric millionaires. From 1943-44 he was married to actress Jane Greer. He wrote two memoirs, My Time is Your Time (1962) and Let the Chips Fall (1975).