LEE MARVIN was born in 1924, in New York City.   He attended St. Leo Preparatory College in St. Leo, Florida.  He left school to join the Marines, serving as a Scout Sniper, 4th Marine Division.  He was wounded in action during World War II Battle of Saipan. Most of the platoon was killed; Marvin was wounded in the buttocks from machine gun fire, severing the sciatic nerve.  He was awarded a Purple Heart medal and a medical discharge.    While working as a plumber’s assistant at a theatre in New York, he was asked to replace an actor who had become sick.  This began an amateur off-Broadway acting career.  He moved to Hollywood in 1950 and found work in supporting roles mostly in war films.  His film debut was in You’re in the Navy Now in 1951.  He appeared in several films the following year including Duel at Silver Creek, Hangman’s Knot, and Eight Iron Men.  Marvin gradually got bigger roles, starring in the 1956 film, Attack and The Missouri Traveler in 1958.  He was Frank Balinger in the TV series M Squad (1957-1960).  His performance in Cat Ballou (1965) won  an Academy Award for Best Actor for him.   Two other biggies for him were in the movies The Professionals (1966) and The Dirty Dozen (1967).   Marvin died of a heart attack on August 29, 1987.  He was 63.

WILLIAM “SMOKEY” ROBINSON was born in 1940 in Detroit, Michigan.  He is an R & B and soul singer-songwriter and record producer.  He is a major figure associated with Motown Records-second only behind founder Berry Gordy.  Robinson was an original member of The Miracles.  From 1960 through 1987 he had 37 Top 40 hits for Motown.  He was also the company’s vice president 1961-1988.  Robinson was the main songwriter for The Temptations (1963-1966), with hits such as “The Way You Do the Thins You Do”, “My Girl”, “Since I Lost My Baby”, and “Get Ready.”  He’s also written for The Four Tops.  Altogether he has over 4,000 songs to his credit.   Smokey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist – though there’s been some controversy over the fact that the other members of the original Miracles group were not inducted.

BOBBY ROGERS (born ROBERT E. ROGERS) was born in 1940, in Detroit, Michigan.  He has been a member of Motown Records’ group The Miracles since 1956.  He was born on the same day and same hospital as Smokey Robinson; however the two would not meet for 15 years.  Rogers was also a sometime songwriter and with Smokey Robinson wrote the Temptations’ hit single “The Way You Do the Things You Do”.  He also wrote Mary Wells’ hit, “My Baby”, “One More Heartache”, a Marvin Gaye Top 40 hit, and in 1964 he wrote The Miracles Top 40 hit, “That’s What Love Is Made Of,” Rogers also did co-lead vocals for the 1962 hit, “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”.  He still performs in the United States, Canada and Europe with members of The Miracles – the longest serving member of the group.  The Miracles has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.