Terry Gross

French filmmaker Louis Malle in February 1988. Malle died last Thursday [11/23] of complications from lymphoma. He was 63. Malle was best-known for such films as "Atlantic City," "My Dinner with Andre," "Au Revoir, Les Enfants," and "Pretty Baby," the 1978 movie about child prostitution that made Brooke Shields a star. He was married to TV actress Candace Bergen for 15 years. They have a ten-year-old daughter, Chloe. (Rebroadcast of 02/19/1988)

Composer and Lyricist Ralph Blane died Monday at the age of 81 at his home in Oklahoma. He is best known for his work with Hugh Martin. Together they wrote songs for Broadway and Hollywood. They are best known for songs in the MGM classic, "Meet Me in St. Louis." That starred Judy Garland and featured the songs "The Trolley Song," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "The Boy Next Door." (Originally aired 10/31/89)

An excerpt of a 9/12/1990 interview with trumpeter Don Cherry. He died recently. He played with Ornette Coleman's free jazz revolution which began in 1959.

An excerpt from a 1985 interview with baseball legend Mickey Mantle. He died yesterday of liver cancer.

Joel Selvin, the Rock Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, talks with Fresh Air Producer Amy Salit about the life of Grateful Dead band leader Jerry Garcia. Marin County officials in California say Garcia died early this morning of apparently natural causes. He was 53.

Country singer Charlie Rich. He died, earlier this week, of a blood clot in his lung. Known as the "Silver Fox," (because of his premature gray hair) Rich got his start working with the Sun record label in the late 50s, writing tunes for Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash. From there he began making records himself. In the 70s he reached his commercial peak with his country hits, "The Most Beautiful Girl," and "Behind Closed Doors." (REBROADCAST FROM 9/3/92).

Writer May Sarton. She died of breast cancer on Sunday, July 16, 1995. For many readers, Sarton was a heroic figure for her decision to expose her lesbianism in the early 60s, long before society was tolerant of the gay life, and also for her decision to lead a life of solitude. The author of over 35 novels, books of poetry and essays, Sarton was probably best known for her journals, Recovering, and At Seventy. (REBROADCAST FROM 7/7/89).

Rome cofounded the Boston's Women's Health Collective, which published the book that became women's bible for healthcare, Our Bodies Ourselves. She talked with Terry in 1990 when the Women's Health Collective was celebrating it's 20th anniversary. Rome died of breast cancer on Saturday, June 24, 1995.

Elkin was called "one of the most entertaining stylists in contemporary American fiction." His use of metaphor, "transforms grotesque situations and the drab vulgarity of popular consumer culture into comic affirmations of human existence." (from Contemporary Literary Criticism). His novels included, The MacGuffin, The Magic Kingdom, and others. Elkin was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis twenty years ago and died of heart failure on Wednesday, May 31, 1995. We replay our 1993 interview with him. (Rebroadcast)

An excerpt of a 1990 interview with jazz guitarist Jimmy Raney. He died May 9 at the age of 67.