Terry Gross

Roth has been in many recent films such as "Tom and Viv" and "Pulp Fiction." He is currently in the new release "Rob Roy."

Terry Gross talks with the Croatian writer about her book Have a Nice Day: From the Balkan War to the American Dream. Part memoir, part short story collection, the book chronicles the writer's transplanted life as a lecturer in Middletown, Connecticut, a world away from the brutal Balkan war.

Lumet has directed 40 films, which have received over 50 Academy Award Nominations. His films include "Network," "Fail-Safe," "Dog Day Afternoon," and "The Prince of the City." He details his craft in his new book Making Movies. We'll feature an interview with Lumet recorded in 1988. (Rebroadcast)

Biographer Tad Szulc has a new book called Pope John Paul II: The Biography. It details the Pope's early years in Poland through his climb to the papacy after being elevated to archbishop in 1963. Szulc traveled with the Pope extensively, had access to many of his private papers and interviewed many of the Pope's old schoolmates, friends and fellow priests. Szulc is a former New York Times bureau chief.

Simms is the creator of the new NBC sit-com "News Radio." He previously worked as writer for both the "The Larry Sanders Show," and "Late Night with David Letterman."

Bernstein has composed the scores for almost 80 films, including "The Man With the Golden Arm" and "The Magnificent Seven." In this rebroadcast, he talks about writing music for "The Ten Commandments." (Rebroadcast)

Actor Kirk Douglas produced the epic "Spartacus," about a leader of slaves revolting against Republican Rome. He talks about the experience in this 1988 interview (Rebroadcast).

Heston was a consistent lead in the biblical epics of the 1950's and 1960's. In this rebroadcast, Terry speaks to him about his roles in The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur. (Rebroadcast)

In this excerpt from a 1993 interview, the director talks about some of unusual problems he faced while making the controversial film. (Rebroadcast)

A restored version of the film was released in 1991 that includes previously cut scenes, including one where Lawrence Olivier --as a general-- tries to seduce his slave, played by Curtis. (Rebroadcast)