Terry Gross

Former Mouseketeer, Annette Funicello. At the age of 12, she was discovered by Walt Disney at a dance recital; he was looking for kids for his new show, "The Mickey Mouse Club." Funicello became the "most popular" Mouseketeer, and went on to star in a number of Disney films: "The Shaggy Dog," "Babes in Toyland," and "The Monkey's Uncle." Before she went to star in the beach party movies for which she is also known, Disney requested that she wear a one-piece bathing suit instead of a bikini. Funicello agreed.

"Society" Pianist Peter Mintun performs many forgotten songs from the first half of this century. His new CD is "Your's for a Song: The Women of Tin Pan Alley." (Premier Recordings) Peter Mintun’s music is synonymous with San Francisco society. He has performed with symphony orchestras, entertained royalty, film and stage stars, and sometimes the composers themselves.

Blanche Wiesen Cook is the author of the new biography "Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume 2 1933-1938. (Viking) This edition covers The Great Depression, the New Deal, and the build-up to World War II. Cook a professor of history at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is author of "Eleanor Roosevelt," "Crystal Eastman on Women and Revolution," and "The Declassified Eisenhower."

Yugoslavian journalist, critic, and feminist Slavenka Drakulic (SLA-vinka DRA-coo-lich). Her new book of essays is "How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed," (published by Norton & Co.)

Indian born film maker Mira Nair. Her new movie, "Mississippi Masala," is the story of an African-American man and an African-Indian woman who come together in a little Southern town. Nair's previous film, "Salaam Bombay," got an Oscar nomination for best foreign film and won the Camera d'Or at Cannes.(REBROADCAST. This originally aired 1/28/92)

In 2013, acclaimed ballerina Wendy Whelan underwent reconstructive surgery that left her hobbled, both physically and emotionally. For Whelan, it wasn't just her career with the New York City Ballet that was at stake; it was also her artistic voice.

Tim McGraw has been one of the biggest stars in country music for years, but lately it's an acting role that's getting a lot of attention. He's currently starring with his wife, singer Faith Hill, in the Paramount+ Western TV series 1883.

Stewart's back as Jean-Luc Picard in season 2 of the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard. "I am not averse to risk-taking and I don't judge myself," he says. Originally broadcast July 2, 2020.

Terry talks by phone to Nick Caramandi, a made man in the mafia who turned witness for the government, while in the studio, Philadelphia Inquirer organized crime reporter George Anastasia will join Terry to talk about the life of the Philadelphia mobster. Anastasia has just written a book about the Philadelphia Mafia called "Blood and Honor: Inside the Scarfo Mob - The Mafia's Most Violent Family" (Morrow). Caramandi was a major player in Scarfo's organization before going into hiding under the Federal Witness Protection Program.