Question: Rags Ragland died how many years after starring in Meet the People?

 The film takes its title from a successful Los Angeles stage revue, which ran on Broadway from December 25, 1940 to May 10, 1941. Meet the People (1944) is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical comedy film made during World War II, and starring Lucille Ball and Dick Powell and featuring Virginia O'Brien, Bert Lahr, Rags Ragland and June Allyson.  Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra, Spike Jones and his City Slickers, and Virginia O'Brien were also in the original stage cast.  O'Brien sings the hit song "Say We're Sweethearts Again". <SEP> The Society of Floristry Limited was formed in 1951 to meet the growing need for professional recognition for florists. Its first major task, after forming a Council of directors composed of leading florists in the industry, was to write, run and mark examinations in floristry skills and theory, which it did successfully for almost 49 years.  It developed into an educational and standard-setting body which pioneered the concept of floristry as a profession, running regular workshops and educational seminars for florists undertaking study and continuing professional development.  The Society also ran a highly successful trade show for many years, enabling the best exponents of the craft to showcase their skills and talents, and for the support industries in the trade to launch and promote their product.  These shows were attended by thousands of florists and students over the years, raising standards and pushing back the boundaries of commercial floral design.  The cornerstone of the success of the Society was the ability of training providers to draw down Government funding for courses which supported what became the gold standard qualifications in the UK for florists, the Intermediate Certificate of the Society of Floristry (ICSF) and the National Diploma of the Society of Floristry (NDSF).  When the ability to draw this funding was removed a few years ago in an initiative to reduce the number of organisations awarding recognised qualifications, the number of florists able to afford to attend colleges and the ability of those colleges to offer courses toward the examinations was severely restricted.  As a consequence, the number coming forward to be examined dropped off significantly, and the pass rate amongst those who did fell also.  The Society did not want to see a situation develop where its standards were eroded, and entered into negotiations with NPTC City and Guilds to write recognised qualifications at Higher Education level to replace the well-recognised and valued ICSF and NDSF.  The courses came into existence during 2006 - see http://www.nptc.org.uk/qualifications/default.asp?area=130.  This had a number of advantages for candidates: Colleges were funded so courses were available and more affordable; college support for learning needs could be accessed; the standards and skills required became more transparent and accessible.  However, the result for the Society was that its reason for existing was seriously eroded.  On 28.2.10 the Society ceased trading and was acquired and absorbed into the British Florist Association. <SEP>  Ragland made his show business reputation in burlesque, where he was one of the house comics for the famed Minsky burlesque shows.  Minsky striptease star Georgia Sothern remembered him fondly in her 1971 memoir, saying she considered Ragland a close friend and the funniest comedian the Minskys had ever produced.  His longtime performing partner Phil Silvers referred to Ragland in his autobiography as "my favorite comic". Rags Ragland (born John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland, August 23, 1905 – August 20, 1946) was an American comedian and character actor. <SEP> Whistling in Dixie is a 1942 crime comedy film, the second of three starring Red Skelton as murder mystery writer and amateur crime solver Wally Benton (aka.  The Fox) and Ann Rutherford as his fiancee.  The pair are called upon to solve a crime in the American South.  The film also re-introduces Rags Ragland, playing dual roles as twins, the mostly-reformed Chester, as well as his villainous brother from the first film.  The film turns into a romantic comedy mystery, complete with death traps, corrupt politicians and lost gold, ending with a frenetic fight at the end between Wally Benton and both of Rags Ragland's characters.