Terry Gross

Filmmaker Mike Hodges. He directed “Croupier.” Hodges’ debut work, the 1971 “Get Carter,” was hailed as the greatest British thriller ever. It starred Michael Caine. “Croupier” revisits some of the same themes as “Get Carter.” The new film has been getting rave reviews in the UK. Hodges’ film career has been spotty. Some of his other films include “Flash Gordon,” “Terminal Man,” and “Morons from Outer Space.”

Screenwriter Paul Mayersberg (MY-urz-burg). He penned the film “Croupier,” directed by Mike Hodges, whom we’ll hear from later in the show. “Croupier” is a thriller about a novelist who moonlights at a London casino, although he doesn’t gamble himself. He lives to watch others’ defeat. Mayersberg wrote the 1976 classic “The Man who Fell to Earth,” starring David Bowie. In addition to writing, he’s also directed several films, including “The Last Samurai.”

Writer Keith Fleming talks about his first book, a memoir, The Boy with the Thorn in His Side (William Morrow.) When Fleming was a teenager, he was living in Chicago, depressed, and was committed to a string of mental institutions. Then his mother sent him to New York to live with his young, gay uncle, the critically acclaimed novelist and biographer Edmund White. The move and his uncle’s influence transformed his life. Keith Fleming is a freelance editor and writer living in Providence, RI (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

Rudy Behlmer (BELL-mur) is the editor of “Memo from David O. Selznick,” (Modern Library) a new collection of the producer’s private letters, telegrams and memos. The making of “Gone With the Wind” and other film classics are documented in this revealing look at the movie business in its early years. This book is part of a series of film books being reprinted by Martin Scorsese. Also in the “Modern Library: The Movies” series are “The Making of 2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Agee on Film” by James Agee, and “The Art of the Moving Picture,” by Vachel Lindsay.

This week marks Fresh Air’s 13th year as a national show. We celebrate by featuring an in-studio interview and concert with composer and musician Joel Forrester. Forrester composed Fresh Air’s theme music, as well as other music we use on the show. He is also co-founder of the Microscopic Septet. (Rebroadcast of May 3, 1990)

Country music singer Ray Price. He was a close friend and protege of Hank Williams. Price's hits include "Talk to Your Heart," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "I'll be There," "Crazy Arms," "For the Good Times," and more. In 1996 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Price’s new CD called Prisoner of Love (Justice Records) will be released next week. (REBROADCAST FROM 1/19/99)

We continue our celebration of Fresh Air’s 13th birthday by talking to a three comedians about bar mitzvahs-- Mel Brooks(Originally broadcast 7/30/91), Richard Lewis (Originally broadcast 6/16/88),and Richard Belzer (Originally broadcast 12/31/87).

South African journalist and anti-rape activist Charlene Smith. Last year, she was raped, and feared the man who raped her could have given her HIV/AIDS. Smith had a hard time obtaining the drugs that could lessen the potential of her getting HIV. Smith then wrote about her experience and helped spread awareness about rape and HIV in South Africa. Statistics say every 26 seconds, a woman is raped in South Africa-- the country with the fastest growing HIV rate. Smith continues to speak about her experience and is pushing for legal and medical reforms in South Africa.

We talk more about HIV and AIDS in South Africa with journalist Phillip Van Niekerk (fawn-KNEE-kirk). Recently, the president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki (TAH-boh mm-BEK-eh) has become very involved in the AIDs policy in his country. Mr. Mbeki is focusing on a medical theory that states that the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, does not cause AIDS. Many leading scientists have criticized MR. Mbeki for wasting his time on what they see as a discredited theory about AIDS. The International AIDS conference is scheduled to be held in South Africa this summer.

Journalist Orville Schell talks about his new book Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-La from the Himalayas to Hollywood (Metropolitan Books). For centuries now, the mountainous and remote nation of Tibet has been the object of Western fascination. Today, Tibet is the subject of movies and Hollywood celebrities have taken on Tibetan Freedom as their cause. Schell talks about Tibet, real and imagined, and takes us through the history of the West’s infatuation. Schell has covered China and Tibet for many years.