First up, composer George Frederick Root (1825) made a career writing the “hits” of the Civil War. He wrote the first, THE FIRST SHOT IS FIRED, only two days after Ft. Sumter. He also wrote TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP!, and JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE, MOTHER. One of his songs, BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM, was sung by both sides with different lyrics. It also was played in Virginia’s film, THE GREAT MAN VOTES (1939).  

Writer George Marion Jr.(1899) was the son of actor George F. Marion. He was a titles writer for most of his career, but like what seems to be every writer in Hollywood, he contributed to the treatment of THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936.

Conrad Salinger (1901) was once called by Andre Previn, “the greatest arranger who ever worked in the movies."  Many say that his style WAS the MGM musical as we came to know it. Yet when he died he was almost forgotten, his obituary emphasizing his work on the BACHELOR FATHER TV series. He came to MGM in 1940, didn’t start working for Leo exclusively until 1943 and was involved in two of the three musicals Virginia was cast in, BABES ON BROADWAY (1941) and BEST FOOT FORWARD (1943). 

Fred MacMurray (1908) was truly a star of stage, screen, and television. He conquered one and moved on to the next as easily as he delivered a line. IMDb actually identifies his "best known” film correctly, listing it as DOUBLE INDEMNITY. I wouldn’t have been angry if they had listed MY THREE SONS, either, for that’s how he is best remembered by my generation. He starred in two films Ginny appeared in, MAID OF SALEM (1937) and MEN WITH WINGS (1938).  I don’t know the name of the dog in the photo.