You took me in your arms, kissed me, and said, "I love you." It was the first time.

On this day in 1776, we the people of the United States of America adopted the Declaration of Independence. The official severance of America from British rule came about on July 2nd of the same year.
 
Thank you to the revolutionaries who fought and died for a dream they so strongly believed in. I pray and hope we come to that same vision again one day where all citizens here are created equal with certain unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. God bless! And also God bless the French who assisted the US in gaining independence.

Ruby Dee:
 
Born October 1924 in Ohio USA
 
Along with her siblings Ruby spent time learning to read from poets such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. She did write poetry as well and found it a good form of expression for her shyness.
 
Both her and her husband have been elected to the Kennedy Center Honors.
 
Her acting career began in the 1940s and is still going strong today. Her latest production - called 1982 is slated to come out in 2013.
 
She is the second oldest actress to receive an oscar nomination.
 
On acting, "I didn't have the kind of talent or personality that kept me dreaming about Hollywood. They don't hire little colored girls to do this or that."
 
She did help to break boundaries.

Classic Hollywood movie starlet Zsa Zsa is better known for her profitable divorces, but she was once a movie siren. Mostly assigned B Movie parts, she worked through the 50s, 60s, 70s, and even into the 90s. She also had the chance to work as a Batman TV series villain. She was born in 1917, the year is somewhat disputed, but most think in that time in Budapest. She married 9 times. In 1952 she earned the starring role in Moulin Rouge. She is still alive today 7/2012.

Some time ago I made a set featuring Veronica Lake. She is one of my all time favorite actresses.

Date of Birth
8 August 1910, Bronx, New York, USA
 
Date of Death
1 July 1999, New York City, New York, USA (throat cancer)
 
She had parents that supported her desire to pursue acting. At the age of 15, she became a stage performer. After several good performances, she drew the attention of film producers, and obtained a role in the film Broadway Nights. Paramount became a regular for her movies as she acted in The Different Eyes, Five Minutes from the Station, and City Streets. That movie made her a star.
 
Later she had roles in 1935’s Fugitive, Accent on Youth, and in 1938, she did You and Me.
 
In her later years Sylvia had roles in Beetlejuice and Mars Attacks, which was her last film.
 
She wrote two books on needlepoint, had 1 son, and married three times.
 
In addition to starring in sad roles or dramatic pictures, Sylvia also worked with Hitchcock on the movie Sabotage.
 
Pursuing an acting career not only fulfilled her dreams, it also mattered that her roles were in quality productions.
 
Credit - IMDB

Getting into those warm days.

Ann Sothern
 
Born January 22 1909
Died March 15 2001
 
She started out as an extra, worked on Broadway, and then signed a contract with Columbia Pictures for Let’s Fall in Love. After a series of B movies Ann worked on Trade Winds and was signed with MGM.
Some of the most popular films were Maisie and several sequels, Brother Orchid, Cry Havoc, and a starring role in the series Private Secretary.
She sang with Artie Shaw, recorded two albums, and was the granddaughter of of Simon Lake who invented the modern submarine.
 
“Hollywood sold its stars on good looks and personality build-ups. We weren't really actresses in the true sense. We were just big names--the products of a good publicity department. Today's crop of actresses and actors have real talent. Good looks are no longer an essential part of the business.” Ann Sothern quote.

Ava Gardner was born December 24 1922 and died January 25 1990.
 
During her career most of the movies she acted within through a contract at MGM, earned her nothing more than bit parts. Her best roles were during the times MGM loaned her out to other studios. Such titles as The Killers, Mogambo, and The Night of the Iguana were considered some of her best works. While she did not consider herself to be a good actress, Ava received many parts based on her beauty. Though, she did have some opportunity in showing real skill. She was married and divorced from Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney, and Artie Shaw – all three famous men in their own right.
When Ava met Bette Davis she is quoted as saying, “Maybe I just didn't have the temperament for stardom. I'll never forget seeing Bette Davis at the Hilton in Madrid. I went up to her and said, "Miss Davis, I'm Ava Gardner and I'm a great fan of yours." And do you know, she behaved exactly as I wanted her to behave. "Of course you are, my dear," she said. "Of course you are." And she swept on. Now that's a star.”
Ava Gardner and J.R.R. Tolkien met and neither knew why the other was famous.
 
She had little confidence in her acting, didn’t like the profession, but also considered it a good way to earn a living, because she lacked education. Ava felt her actions were unimportant.
 
It is said her temper and swearing abilities were legendary.
 
“Nobody ever called it an intellectual profession.” Ava Gardner