Of six names, prime position goes to Marlene Dietrich (1901-1993) who was born in Germany and became a Hollywood star and American citizen.

She flew into Blackpool Airport on Sunday, July 17, 1955, posed for Press photos at the Pleasure Beach and starred in two concerts at the Opera House, taking the second half of each show.

On the supporting bill was Chester Harriott, the pianist father of TV chef Ainsley Harriott.

A Gazette reviewer enthused: "A Snow Queen glided across the stage in a white mist of a dress and yards of white fur."

Her voice was "a velvet caress" in songs that were indelibly hers - Lili Marlene, Lola, The Boys in the Backroom and Falling In Love Again.

Equally electric was the starring appearance of Sammy Davis Jnr in the annual CADS charity concert at the Opera House on Sunday, May 25, 1963.

The livewire performer expected to do his 80-minute cabaret act and the result was that Gerry and the Pacemakers were "bounced" off the bill even though they were chart-toppers.

The Gazette review said Sammy was "devastatingly dynamic, singing, clowning and impersonating with an almost frightening professional perfection."

And worthy of a lot of long words!

Another Davis from Hollywood was movie drama queen Bette Davis, who came on tour to Blackpool's ABC with a retrospective look at her career, on October 10, 1975. In the afternoon she was a guest of the Mayor at the Town Hall.

Her show at the ABC began with a 50-minute collection of clips from her films, including 1963's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and her Oscar-winning roles in Jezebel and All About Eve.

After the screening the grand dame answered pre-arranged questions from the audience and received a standing ovation.

In the 1950s, crooner Billy Daniels made six starring appearances in Harold Fielding's summer Sunday concerts at the Opera House.

His signature song was That Old Black Magic and he had other hits in pre-chart days with I've Got the World On a String and Tenderly.

American chart-toppers The Drifters had many more Blackpool visits. A single show in the Grand Theatre's Festival of Fun and Music in 1987 led to a 10-year span of Sunday concerts at the theatre.

Their big hits There Goes My First Love, Saturday Night at the Movies, and Save the Last Dance for Me were huge crowd-pleasers.

Going way back, American comedian Jimmy "Schnozzle" Durante headed a variety bill for a week at the old Palace Theatre in July, 1936.

A Gazette reviewer noted, ofJimmy's physical routune: "The craziest of stars of Hollywood wrecks the stage and leaves you wondering what it's all about." But the audience loved it!

Although not in our 20th Century A to Z period, Bob Dylan came to Blackpool and played three concerts at the Opera House in November, 2013.