Walter Steven "Wally" Ris (January 4, 1924 – December 25, 1989) is an American freestyle swimmer. He won two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. He swam collegiately for the University of Iowa where he was collegiate national champion in the 100 Yard Freestyle in 1948 and 1949.

Ris was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1966.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois and died in Mission Viejo, California.

Dame Nellie Melba GBE (19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931), born Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian Era and the early 20th century. She was the first Australian to achieve international recognition as a classical musician.

Melba studied singing in Melbourne and made a modest success in performances there. After a brief and unsuccessful marriage, she moved to Europe in search of a singing career. Failing to find engagements in London in 1886, she studied in Paris and soon made a great success there and in Brussels. Returning to London she quickly established herself as the leading lyric soprano at Covent Garden from 1888. She soon achieved further success in Paris and elsewhere in Europe, and later at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, debuting there in 1893. Her repertoire was small; in her whole career she sang no more than 25 roles and was closely identified with only ten. She was known for her performances in French and Italian opera, but sang little German opera.