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And Talent? Do you have any idea the people that have come from New Jersey and into the Hearts of America and the World through entertainment?

• Abbott and Costello: Bud Abbot was born in Asbury Park, NJ and Lou Costello was born in Paterson, NJ. So who's on First?
• Frank Sinatra - born in Hoboken, NJ
• Jerry Lewis - born Joseph Levitch in Newark, NJ
• Charles Addams - created The Addams Family - Westfield NJ
• Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin - First man to walk in space - Second to walk on the moon - Montclair, New Jersey
• Whitney Houston - Newark, New Jersey
• Jack Nicholson - Neptune New Jersey
• Grover Cleveland - 22nd and 24th President of the United States of America - Caldwell, NJ
• Paul Simon - of Simon & Garfunkle
• John Travolta - Englewood, NJ
• Aaron Burr - shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel
• Jon Bon Jovi - another rock star - Perth Amboy, NJ
• Stephen Crane - author of Red Badge of Courage and many other stories & poems - Newark, NJ
• Richard Bandler - Co-developer of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) - Teaneck, NJ
• Joe Pesci, performer, actor - Newark, NJ
• Joey Dee & the Starliters - Passaic, NJ
• Meryl Streep, actress- Summit, NJ
• Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Rock Band - Freehold, NJ
• Queen Latifah, performer, songwriter, TV host, producer, actress (Dana Owens) - Newark NJ
• Martha Stewart, diva of household things & cooking - Nutley, NJ
• Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court Justice - Trenton, NJ
• Allen Ginsberg, author, poet Newark, NJ
• Connie Francis, born Concetta Franconero, singer, actress- Newark, NJ
• Kirsten Dunst , actress - Point Pleasant, NJ
• Eva Marie Saint, actress- Newark, NJ
• Ray Liotta, actor- Newark, NJ
• Shaquille (Shaq) O'Neal, NBA Basketball Player & actor - Newark, NJ
• Kevin Spacey, actor - South Orange, NJ
• Count Basie, pianist - Red Bank, NJ
• William J. (Joseph), Jr. Brennan, Supreme Court Justice - Newark, NJ
• Kelly Ripa, actress, TV host - Stratford, NJ
• Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, prizefighter, Clifton, NJ
• Clint Black, country singer - Long Branch, NJ
• Robert Blake, born Michael Gubitosi, child actor (Our Gang), actor - Nutley, NJ
• Ed Harris, actor - Tenafly, NJ
• The Young Rascals, Rock Band - Jersey City, NJ & Garfield, NJ
• Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Newark, NJ
• Gloria Gaynor - Newark, NJ

In all fairness to The Soprano's, who have made a most significant contribution to New Jersey's recent brightening image, we'll give the current cast their own due here:

• James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano of The Soprano's hit Series on HBO - Westwood, NJ
• Edie Falco - Carmela Soprano, Tony's wife - The First Lady of New Jersey, so to speak- Brooklyn, NY
• Lorraine Bracco - Dr. Jennifer Melfi - was born in Brooklyn, NY
• Michael Imperioli - Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's nephew, Brewer, NY
• Dominic Chianese - Uncle Junior - Bronx, NYC
• Steven Van Zandt - Silvio Dante - if you recognize him, he also was known as Little Steven Van Zandt who played rock and roll with with: Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - Boston, MA
• Tony Sirico - Paulie Walnuts - Brooklyn, NY
• Joe Pantoliano - Ralph Cifaretto - Hoboken, NJ
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler - Meadow Soprano, the daughter - Long Island, NY
• Robert Iler - AJ Soprano, the son - New York City, NY
• Aida Turturro - Janice Soprano, Tony's sister - Brooklyn, NY
• Drea De Matteo - Adriana La Cerva, Chris' girlfriend - Queens, NY
• Federico Castelluccio - Furio Giunta - Naples, Italy
• Vincent Pastore - Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero - Bronx, NY
• Nancy Marchand -Livia Pollio Soprano,the mother - Buffalo, NY
• John Ventimiglia - Artie Bucco, the restauranteur - No bio info
• Katherine Narducci - Charmaine Bucco, Artie Bucco's wife
• Steve Schirripa - Robert Baccilieri, Jr., AKA "Bobby Bacala", - Brooklyn, NY
• Vincent Curatola - John "Johhny Sack" Sacramoni- Englewood, NJ
• Annabella Sciorra - Gloria Trillo, one of Tony's goomara (a.k.a. hoochie mama) - Wethersfield, CT