Minnesota showbiz

º JUDY GARLAND, 1922-1969

Born Frances Gumm in 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minn., and moved with her family in 1926 to California, where she signed with MGM at 13. She made 32 feature films and received an Oscar in 1939 for "The Wizard of Oz." Grand Rapids is home to a museum and festival in her honor.

CHARLES NOLTE, 1926-

Born in Duluth. Stage actor, director, playwright and professor at the University of Minnesota for three decades. Broadway credits include "Billy Budd" and "The Caine Mutiny." In addition to writing 10 plays, he has directed more than 100 theater productions in and around the Twin Cities. The Charles Nolte Experimental Theatre at Rarig Center on the U campus is named for him.

JAMES ARNESS, 1923-

Born James Aurness in Minneapolis. Began career as a radio announcer in Minnesota in 1945 before moving to Hollywood. Best known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon in TV's "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975).

TYRONE GUTHRIE, 1900-1971

British stage director and playwright. In 1959, Guthrie proposed creation of a regional resident acting company. Minneapolis was selected for its vitality and community/financial support. The Guthrie Theater opened in 1963 with Guthrie serving as its artistic director from 1963 to 1966.

DUDLEY RIGGS, 1932-

A former circus aerialist, Riggs founded the Instant Theatre Company in New York City in the 1950s. The company moved to Minneapolis in 1958 and in 1961 changed its name to the Brave New Workshop. It is the longest running satirical comedy theater in the United States and is credited with the development of Louie Anderson, Al Franken and screenwriter Pat Proft.

TERRY GILLIAM, 1940-

Born in Minneapolis. Lived in Medicine Lake until age 11. Filmmaker, animator and the only American member of the British comedy troupe Monty Python. Director's credits include "Jabberwocky," "The Fisher King," "12 Monkeys," and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

GALE SONDERGAARD, 1899-1985

Actress, born Edith Sondergaard in Litchfield. Graduate of the University of Minnesota. Won an Academy Award in 1937 for "Anthony Adverse." Her career was interrupted for 20 years when she was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Was said to be the inspiration for the Wicked Queen in Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937).

JOEL AND ETHAN COEN, 1954- AND 1957-

The Coen brothers, St. Louis Park natives, are filmmakers, jointly writing, directing and producing independent films. Four-time Academy Award winners. Films include: "Fargo," "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "No Country for Old Men." "We're like anybody," Ethan said in 2007. "Where you grew up is part of your identity. That doesn't go away, even if you've been away for a long time."

JESSICA LANGE, 1949 -

Born in Cloquet. Lived in Stillwater 1995-2004. Two-time Academy Award winner for her performances in "Tootsie" and "Blue Sky." In 2008, Lange told the New York Daily News: "When we first moved to Stillwater, it still felt like a real place. It had a downtown with a hardware store, a furniture store, a clothing store. Now it's all gift shops and these terrible condominiums. ... Everything gets yuppified, I guess."

AUGUST WILSON, 1945-2005

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who chronicled the lives of 20th century blacks in 10 plays. Lived in St. Paul from 1978 until 1990, during which time the Penumbra Theatre debuted many of his works. Plays include: "Fences," "The Piano Lesson" and "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." "What the Twin Cities offered me was a place where I could hear the voices that I was carrying around," he said.