The Internet has brought all sorts of information about celebrities into our homes. But the key to using Web resources is understanding that fan sites often "borrow" biographical writeups from other sites, perpetuating misinformation. For that reason, I usually start my celebrity research with these reliable resources:

Biography.com
Visit this site for short biographies on a variety of celebrities, not just actors and actresses.

E! Online
The online version of the celebrity-gossip television network offers biographical information for actors and actresses.

Find A Grave
Search this massive database for burial information on the famous and infamous.

Hollywood Underground
Find information about the final resting places of famous people buried in and around Los Angeles. This is a good site if you're thinking about visiting the cemetery in person.

The Internet Movie Database
Look here for details about anyone in the motion-picture and television industries, not just actors and actresses.

Variety.com
Search for articles about the motion- picture and television industries. Subscribe to read the full stories.

Read more tips for researching your famous ancestors in the October 2003 issue of Family Tree Magazine.