Terry Gross

Washington Post reporter Leon Dash won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for his eight part series "Rosa Lee's Story." He has turned that into the new book ,"Rosa Lee: A Mother and Her Family in Urban America." It shows Lee's day to day life in one of Washington D.C.'s poorest neighborhoods.

Film critic Lisa Schwarzbaum reviews "First Wives Club." It's a comedy based on a 1993 book of the same name.

Miller appeared in 35 of Roger Corman's films, including the original "Little Shop of Horrors" which was filmed in one night. It helped propel his career into the mainstream; he's been in more than 90 movies like "Pulp Fiction," "Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight," and "The Happy Hooker Goes to Hollywood." (Rebroadcast)

Film producer/director/actor Roger Corman is known as "King of the B movies." Many of today's actors and directors got their start in Corman's low budget films. He has produced or directed more than 225 films. This month, the American Museum of the Moving Image is showing a series of films by directors who worked under Corman. Some of those who work will be featured in the New York show include Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and Joe Dante. The series is called "Corman's Children." (Originally aired pt 1. 8/2/90 pt 2. 8/3/90)

Film director/actor Joe Dante. He started out making trailers for Roger Corman movies and has since gone on to make movies such as "Gremlins," "The Burbs," and "Matinee." A trademark of Dante is always casting actor Dick Miller in a cameo or supporting role. Miller and Dante worked together during their Roger Corman years. (Originally aired 2/15/89)

Writer and former prosecutor Jeffrey Toobin talks to Terry about new revelations related to the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, which ended last October. Simpson now faces a civil trial. Toobin says O.J. failed a lie detector test and was told what the verdict was before it was announced. Toobin's new book is "The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson."

Former caseworker in New York City's Emergency Children's Services, Marc Parent. It was Parent's job to investigate cases of abused children during the evening and nighttime hours. He's written a new memoir about his experiences, called "Turning Stones: My Days and Nights with Children at Risk." Kirkus Reviews writes, "At once heart-wrenching and heart-lifting is this record of four years spent riding to the rescue of abused and neglected children."

Former Reagan advisor and Bush budget director, Richard Darman has written the book "Who's In Control?: Polar Politics and the Sensible Center," from Simon and Schuster. As Budget Director under President Bush, Darman pressured Bush to approve a tax increase. This broke Bush's promise "Read My Lips, No New Taxes." Terry talks to Darman about the tax increase, this year's Presidential elections, and about why Darmen thinks both parties are too polarized today to be effective.

Merald "Bubba" Knight is a founding member of Gladys Knight and the Pips. He is Gladys' brother. Terry talked with Bubba about his years as one of the Pips -- one of the longest established soul vocal groups, spanning four decades.