Terry Gross

We celebrate the centennial of Bing Crosby's birth with jazz critic and writer Gary Giddins. His biography of Bing Crosby is called Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams — The Early Years, 1903-1940. In this first volume of the biography, Giddins chronicles the rise of Crosby's career. Giddins may be best known as a jazz columnist for The Village Voice. He won the 1998 National Book Critics Circle Award for his book Visions of Jazz. He was one of the experts featured in Ken Burns' Jazz series on PBS. This interview first aired on January 24, 2001.

He's best known for his playing with Booker T & the MGs. He co-wrote such hits as "In the Midnight Hour," "Soul Man" and Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay." This interview first aired September 18, 1990.

His 1969 hit, "Only the Strong Survive," is a rhythm and blues classic. His 2000 autobiography is called: Only the Strong Survive: Memoirs of a Soul Survivor. Butler founded the vocal group The Impressions and also had a successful solo career. He's now serving his fourth term on the Cook County Board of Commissioners in Chicago.

Hayes rose to the top of the charts in the 1970s on the Stax label. He released his first solo album, Presenting Isaac Hayes, in 1968. His next album, Hot Buttered Soul, became a gold record in the [1970s]. His 1972 soundtrack to the movie Shaft, went platinum and won an Oscar for "Theme from Shaft." Hayes is also an actor, who has held roles in the movies Robin Hood: Men in Tights, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Posse. This interview first aired July 28, 1994.

He stars in the new film Seabiscuit, based on the best-selling book about the racehorse who became an unlikely champion. He plays Charles Howard, the owner of Seabiscuit. Bridges' father Lloyd Bridges was the star of the TV series Sea Hunt, and his brother is actor Beau Bridges. Jeff Bridges has starred in movies such as: Starman, The Last Picture Show, Jagged Edge, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Fisher King and The Big Lebowski. This interview first aired May 17, 1993.

She was a model before beginning her film career in the 1960s with hits such as Georgy Girl and The Damned. She may be best known for The Night Porter, a 1974 classic about a concentration camp survivor reunited with the Nazi guard who tortured her. In the 2001 film Under The Sand, she played a woman whose husband mysteriously disappears during a seaside vacation. She's currently starring in the new French film, Swimming Pool.

He stars as horse trainer Tom Smith in the new film Seabiscuit. He won an Academy Award for his performance as John Laroche in the film Adaptation. Recently he starred in the HBO film My House in Umbria, with Maggie Smith. Cooper has had roles in American Beauty, The Bourne Identity and The Horse Whisperer.

Laurents wrote the stories for the plays "Gypsy" and "West Side Story" and the screenplays for the movies "The Way We Were" and "The Turning Point." This interview first aired January 21, 1990.

She s got an upcoming HBO comedy special, Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now, premiering June 28th, 2003. It s a presentation of her recent live stand-up show of the same name. Her five-year sitcom Ellen won an Emmy for her much anticipated coming-out episode. She and her character came out at the same time. This was followed by a very public relationship with actress Anne Heche, which eventually ended. DeGeneres talks about coming out and why she resists becoming a lesbian role model. DeGeneres is the author of the book, My Point. . . And I Do Have One.

She starred in the London production of Gypsy. When she was 17 she debuted in Gaslight, and was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Ingrid Bergman s Cockney maid. Lansbury also played opposite Judy Garland in The Harvey Girls, was Elvis Presley s mother in Blue Hawaii and the manipulative mother in The Manchurian Candidate. On stage she starred in Mame and was the baker of the worst pies in London in Sweeney Todd. For twelve years she starred in the TV series, Murder, She Wrote. This interview first aired November 28, 2000.