MANILA, Philippines?Soon after the introduction of sound in motion pictures, Hollywood produced musicals, to the delight of moviegoers.

By the mid-?30s Jeanette MacDonald was the Queen of Hollywood Musicals, having topbilled a series of successful films with Nelson Eddy. The duo was Tinseltown?s most successful singing pair?until Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae paired up in ?Oklahoma? and ?Carousel? more than 20 years later. Soon, the studios started importing opera divas like Lili Pons and Rise Stevens.

Youth market

MacDonald remained the movie musical?s queen, but competitors discovered princesses who would challenge her to win over the youth market: The most successful was the beautiful Deanna Durbin, who was discovered by a talent scout at age 14. She had an exquisite soprano voice.

Ironically, the young beauty was pitted against Judy Garland for an MGM contract in 1935. When the studio heads chose Garland over Durbin, the latter signed up with Universal and was immediately cast in ?Three Smart Girls??a film so successful at the box office that it saved its studio from bankruptcy! She became an instant sensation after she sang on Eddie Cantor?s popular radio show.

Lovely voice

Thereafter, Durbin appeared in predictable but profitable productions. She was known for her sweet demeanor and lovely voice?and was a top box-office draw in the late ?30s and early ?40s. In 1938, she and Mickey Rooney shared a Special Academy Award for ?bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth.?

In 1948, the 27-year-old Deanna was acknowledged Hollywood?s highest paid actress. Surprisingly, however, after shooting the film, ?For the Love of Mary,? the talented star retired from show biz.

Soon after, MGM pushed a vibrant blonde to replace her: Jane Powell.

Light comedies

She starred in light comedies (?Two Weeks in Love?) and musicals (?A Date with Judy,? ?Nancy Goes to Rio?). Since she sang as well as she danced, she acted with Fred Astaire in ?Royal Wedding? and Russ Tamblyn in ?Hit the Deck.?

Powell hit her peak in 1954, when she starred in the Stanley Donen classic, ?Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,? opposite Howard Keel. The production?s lively music was highlighted by the rambunctious choreography of the talented Michael Kidd.