Terry Gross

Pizzarelli's new album, "My Blue Heaven," features his interpretations of some great songs from the swing era. He is the son of noted jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and often performs in the New York cabaret scene.

Magnuson starred in the movies, "Making Mister Right," and "A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon," and on the TV series, "Anything But Love." She's had numerous one woman monologue shows in Manhattan. She joins Fresh Air for an interview, and shares an excerpt of one of her life performances, about groupies following Doors' frontman Jim Morrison.

Writer Frank White's book "The SETI Factor," looks at the ongoing search for extraterrestrial intelligence. In 1992, NASA will begin a comprehensive scan of the heavens for radio signals from other solar systems. White says, as a result of that search, it's quite likely that within the next 25 years we'll finally know if we're alone in the universe.

Film critic Stephen Schiff review the new film, in which the muscled actor plays a cop who goes undercover as a teacher to capture a drug kingpin. Schiff says the movie tries to be all things to all people, but it somehow works.

Misrach has been photographing the American West since the mid-70s. His new collection, "Bravo 20," is a photo essay on a region of the Nevada desert that has been illegally used as a bombing range by the Navy for the past 30 years. He hopes that the site can eventually be turned into a national park.

Film historian Kevin Brownlow is best known as the man who reconstructed the silent movie masterpiece Napoleon. His new book, Behind the Mask of Innocence, is an examination of how pre-World War One filmmakers, contrary to popular belief, addressed social issues of the day.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews what he says is Coppola's best movie since the last Godfather. He says it's not perfect, but it's better than anything else in theaters right now.

Fresh Air producer Amy Salit interviews filmmaker Stephen Frears about his new film "The Grifters," based on the novel by writer Jim Thompson. Frears earlier films include "My Beautiful Laundrette," "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid," "Prick Up Your Ears," and "Dangerous Liaisons."

The photographer is known for both her freelance work and portraits of famous and ordinary people in her home city. Aperture Press has recently released a new book of her photos.

Political cartoonist Mark Alan Stamaty writes the comic strip "Washingtoon," which lampoons the news of the day. Stamaty joins Fresh Air to share his perspective on the events of the past year.