Acting

Actor Martin Landau. He was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his roles in "Crimes and Misdemeanors," and "Tucker." And he's starring in the new HBO movie, "By Dawn's Early Light." He plays a President of the United States who is trying to avert a full-scale nuclear war with the Soviet Union.

Actor Peter Riegert. In "Local Hero" he co-starred with Burt Lancaster, playing a young oil executive who goes to Scotland with the intent of buying a Scottish village. And in the romantic comedy "Crossing Delancey," he played a Lower East Side pickle merchant smitten by an ambitious and literary single Manhattan woman. He's also acted in "Animal House," and "Chilly Scenes of Winter." He'll soon be appearing in the film, "A Shock to the System," with Michael Caine and Elizabeth McGovern.

A double interview today....first, Terry talks by telephone with South African musician Abdullah Ibrahim. Long an exile in this country, we find out how Ibrahim thinks this weekend's release of Nelson Mandela will change the artistic climate in South Africa.

Actress Laurie Metcalf. Metcalf plays Roseanne's sister in the hit TV series. She's appeared in several movies, such as "Uncle Buck," "Making Mr. Right," and "Desperately Seeking Susan," and she plays a cop in the new film "Internal Affairs," starring Richard Gere and Andy Garcia. Metcalf got her start at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater, which she started with John Malkovich and Terry Kinney.

Actor Tom Hulce. He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Mozart in the movie "Amadeus," and for a Golden Globe for his role as brain-damaged garbage man in "Dominick & Eugene." More recently, Hulce played the black-sheep of the family in "Parenthood." Next week, Hulce stars in "Murder in Mississippi," a made-for-TV movie about the freedom summer.

Actress Elaine Stritch. She appears this week on public television's "American Playhouse" series, starring in Richard Nelson's story of three aging friends. Elaine Stritch is an established Broadway star, who appeared on Broadway in "Company," "Pal Joey," "On Your Toes," and "Bus Stop." She currently stars on Broadway with Jason Roberts in "Love Letters," and she plays Mrs. McGee on "The Cosby Show." (Interview by Sedge Thomson)

Actress and comedienne Lily Tomlin. For years she's been doing her impressions of such characters as Ernestine, the nasal telephone operator on "Laugh-In." Now she's doing a whole cast of characters in the revival of her one-woman show, "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe."

Actor Jerry Orbach. Orbach has had a long career on Broadway, starring in shows such as "The Three Penny Opera," "Promises, Promises," and "42nd Street." More recently he's appeared on TV and in films. His latest role is in the new Woody Allen movie, "Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Actor and director Alan Arkin. Arkin began his career with Chicago's Second City improv group.

Actor and director Kenneth Branagh (rhymes with "Savanah"). Branagh has just made a new film adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry the Fifth," with himself in the title role. Branagh was born in Northern Ireland, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, spent two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as acting, managing, and directing other groups and working on several BBC productions. The new "Henry the 5th" also stars Derek Jacobi, Paul Scofield and Ian Holm.

Actor Matthew Modine. He plays an arrogant first-year medical student in the new movie, "Gross Anatomy." Modine's earlier films include "Birdy," "Full Metal Jacket," and "Married to the Mob."

Actor Raul Julia. His films include "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "Moon Over Parador," "Tango Bar" and the recent "Tequila Sunrise." His latest film, "Romero," is based on the life, and assassination, of the Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero.

The actress had her big break in John Waters' movie Hairspray, as the teen star Tracy Turnblad. Lake is larger than many of her peers, but has successfully landed roles written for skinny women. She joins Fresh Air to discuss her early influences, her post-Hairspray work, and her relationship with the late drag queen Divine.

Oliver Stone directed a film adaptation of Bogosian's play Talk Show, about a radio shock jock. Bogosian stars; he acts regularly in theater and television.

Novelist and theater and film director Elia Kazan. He directed Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront," and James Dean in "East of Eden." He was a member of the Group Theater and co-founded the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg.

Actor John Lithgow. He's currently starring in the Broadway play "M Butterfly." His film roles include "Terms of Endearment" and "The World According to Garp."

Actor and writer Austin Pendleton. Among his best-known roles is Mr. Music on the television series "St. Elsewhere." (Interview by Faith Middleton)

Actress Annie Potts. She's becoming familiar to audiences for her role in TV's "Designing Women." But before that, she was cast often as quirky, off-the-wall characters in films like "Ghostbusters" and "Pretty in Pink."

Actress Zelda Rubenstein. After being cast as one of the little people in the film "Under the Rainbow," she played the clairvoyant in "Poltergeist." She now stars in the new horror film "Anguish."

Stage and screen actor Joe Mantegna. He can be seen now in "House of Games," the first film effort by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet, with whom Mantegna has had a long association. His stage work includes the lead role in "Glengarry, Glen Ross," the Mamet play that won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize; Mantegna won a Tony Award for his performance. Mantegna revels in shady characters: gamblers, cutthroat salesman, mobsters and Hollywood hucksters.