Albert "Al" Hirschfeld (1903-2003) was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a caricaturist best known for his black-and-white portraits of celebrities and illustrations for Broadway show programs. His career in entertainment began in 1920, when he was hired as an illustrator for Selznick films in New York. He spent seven decades illustrating Broadway stage productions for the "New York Times," as well as occasionally creating artwork promoting feature films and television shows for such magazines as "TV Guide." After his daughter Nina was born in 1945, he began incorporating her name into his drawings.

Gregory Peck (1916-2003), was born Eldred Gregory Peck in La Jolla, California. His father, a pharmacist, and his mother divorced when Gregory was six years old. At the age of 10, he was enrolled in a Roman Catholic military academy in Los Angeles and later majored in English at the University of California at Berkeley. He was approached by the director of the on-campus theatre who was looking for a tall actor for an adaptation of "Moby Dick." Peck agreed to do it, but felt that his performance was poor. He then went on to perform in five more plays at the university. After graduating, Peck took a train to New York with a letter of introduction, dreaming of becoming an actor. His first job was as a barker at a concession at the World’s Fair. Later, he became a guide at Radio City Music Hall and won an audition for a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Dramatics. He made his Broadway debut as the lead in Emlyn Williams’ “Morning Star.” The play flopped, but Peck’s performance brought interest from Hollywood.

He accepted a role in the film DAYS OF GLORY (1944). Darryl Zanuck then offered him a role in THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM (1945), and soon Peck was under non-exclusive contracts to four studios. Films include: SPELLBOUND (1945), THE YEARLING (1946), DUEL IN THE SUN (1947), GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT (1947), THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO (1952), ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953), MOBY DICK (1956), THE BRAVADOS (1958), TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962), HOW THE WEST WAS WON (1963), MACARTHUR (1977), and THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978). He was nominated in the acting category for THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM, THE YEARLING, GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT, and TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH. Peck received an Academy Award for best actor for TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and the 1967 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. A life member of the Academy, he served on the Board of Governors from June 1964 to May 1974, June 1976 to May 1979, and July 1993 to 2003. He served as Academy president, 1967-1970 and first vice president, 1966-1967, 1970-1971.