Terry Gross

Late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien. He took over David Letterman's spot in 1993. Previous to that, O'Brien was a writer for Saturday Night Live. His sketches included "Mr. Short Term Memory" and "The Girl Watchers." He was also a writer/producer for "The Simpsons." (REBROADCAST from 10/30/96)

Radio and television writer Sherwood Schwartz. Schwartz began writing for radio on the Bob Hope Show in 1939. When television came along, Schwartz wrote for such comedy hit shows as "The Red Skelton Show," and "My Favorite Martian." He won an Emmy Award for his comedy writing from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 1963 Sherwood created, wrote and produced the hit series "Gilligan's Island." He was also responsible for “The Brady Bunch.” (REBROADCAST FROM 8/26/88)

Actress Patty Duke. At the time of her 1962 film "The Miracle Worker," Duke was the youngest actress to win an Oscar, for her role as Helen Keller. At 16, she was the youngest actress in television to have a prime-time series built around her. The success, however, masked personal misery which included depressions that led to suicide attempts and a string of failed marriages. Duke has written an autobiography titled Call Me Anna. (REBROADCAST FROM 5/26/88)

Director and Actor Ron Howard. As a child he played Opie on the Andy Griffith show, and later Richie on Happy Days. He made his directorial debut in 1978 with Grand Theft Auto, he's also become one of the most prominent film directors in Hollywood.....with movies like Splash, Cocoon, Parenthood, Far And Away and The Paper and Apollo 13. (REBROADCAST FROM 6/29/95)

We begin TV week with a show devoted to sitcoms. Many people will remember Sheila James Kuehl as Zelda Gilroy on the old T-V show "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis." Her T-V career ended when rumors began to circulate that she was a lesbian -- and those rumors were true. She became a prominent lesbian activist and women's rights lawyer in Los Angeles. In November 1994, she became the first openly gay or lesbian person to be elected to the California State Assembly. (REBROADCAST FROM 3/26/92)

Rapper and actor ICE-T...one of the original "gangsta" rappers. He’s got a new CD,”Greatest Hits: The Evidence” (Atomic Pop). Greg Knot of The Chicago Tribune has written that "ICE-T is that rare gangster rapper who leads with his brain instead of his gun or his crotch." ICE-T's 1992 song "Cop Killer" landed him at the center of a controversy about gansta rap--is it a legitimate form of expression or is it incendiary hate-mongering? In addition to his singing career, ICE-T is an actor.

Film Director Arthur Penn. At the age of 77, he’s just been hired as executive producer of the T-V show “Law and Order.” The appointment is seen as a breakthrough for the elderly in Hollywood. Penn’s films include "Bonnie and Clyde," "Little Big Man," "The Miracle Worker," "Alice's Restaurant," and "The Missouri Breaks." His film career lost steam in the 80s, and he went to Broadway. His shows included “Two for the Seesaw” and “The Miracle Worker.” He’s also made several T-V films.(Originally aired 9.29.89)

Working cop and writer Richard Rosenthal. For 20 years, Rosenthal was a detective for the New York Police Department where he dealt with homicide, narcotics, and armed robbery. Now he is the chief of Police in a small village on Cape Cod. He’ll talk about the differences between the two kinds of police work. Rosenthal is the author of two books about police work called Sky Cops and K-9 Cops. He also wrote a novel called The Murder of Old Comrades. His new book, Rookie Cop(Leapfrog Press), is a memoir about his time undercover in the Jewish Defense League.

Jazz saxophonist James Carter. He has just released two new CDs— “Chasin’ the Gypsy” and “Layin’ in the Cut” (Atlantic Records). The 31-year-old New York based musician was discovered at the age of 17 by Wynton Marsalis. He’s played with Marsalis, the late Lester Bowie and Kathleen Battle. He has been praised by jazz musicians and critics alike; Richard Harrington of the Washington Post once wrote, “To hear saxophonist James Carter is to be blown away.”

Writer Samuel Freedman. He’s just written a book about the state of the American Jewish Community called “Jew vs. Jew: The Struggle for the soul of American Jewry." (Simon & Schuster) Freedman believes that three fundamental questions are rending the American Jewish community today: "What is the definition of Jewish identity? Who decides what is authentic and legitimate Judaism? And what is the Jewish compact with America?" We talk with Freedman following the recent nomination of the first Jewish vice presidential candidate, Democrat Joe Lieberman.