Terry Gross

Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. He stars as a drag-queen in the new movie "Flawless" which also stars Robert DeNiro. Hoffman also had parts in the films "Happiness," "Next Stop Wonderland," and "Boogie Nights."

The Manager of the New York Yankees, Joe Torre. He just clinched his third World Series as the manager of the Yankees. Torre is the author of the new book, "Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners: 12 Keys to managing Team Players, Tough Bosses, Setbacks, and Success" (Hyperion).

We remember Quentin Crisp, who died last Sunday at the age of 90. Crisp became a cult figure after the publication of his autobiography, The Naked Civil Servant. He came out of the closet in his native London in 1931, when homosexuality was very clandestine. His flamboyant and exhibitionist style often made him the object of ridicule and violence. Crisp moved to New York at the age of 72. (Rebroadcast from 1/21/1986)

The Divine Miss M, otherwise known as Bette Midler. She made a name for herself in the early 1970s at New York's Continental Baths, a club for gay men. Since then she's been nominated for two Academy Awards, and earned Emmy and Grammy awards. She's in the midst of a concert tour and will be starring in the upcoming film about novelist Jacqueline Susan entitled "Isn't She Great." (Rebroadcast from 11/18/98.)

We remember Tex-Mex rocker Doug Sahm. For many, he was best known for his stint with the Sir Douglas Quintet, a group of Texans and Mexicans who were packaged to look like a British Invasion band. Sahm had played a variety of styles since, including Tex-Mex, blues, rhythm and blues, rock. Sahm died last week. (Rebroadcast from 9/7/89)

This year marks the centennial of the birth of British actor Charles Laughton. To celebrate, we feature a 1988 interview with Laughton's biographer, Simon Callow. Laughton started in such films as the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mutiny on the Bounty. The Brooklyn Academy of Music will begin a Laughton film retrospective in December. Simon Callow is an actor in his own right. He has starred in such films as Four Weddings and a Funeral and a Room with a View. Callow has also written a biography of Orsen Welles. (REBROADCAST from 8/25/1988)

We feature a June 17, 1986 interview with Jazz pianist George Shearing.He turned 80 earlier this year. He is celebrating with an 80th birthday concert at Carnegie Hall next Tuesday. Shearing was born in London, and was blind from birth. In the 1940s he was one of England's most popular Jazz musicians. He then moved to New York, became an American citizen, and enjoyed commercial success on these shores. He now records for the Telarc label.

Rhythm and blues singer Bobby Womack. His R&B and pop hits include "It'a All Over Now," "Lookin' For A Love," and "That's The Way I Feel About Cha." Recently his recording "Across 110th Street" was used in the Quentin Tarantino film, "Jackie Brown." Womack began his career singing gospel with his brothers. They were discovered by Sam Cooke. On his new release he returns to his gospel origins, "Back To My Roots" (The Right Stuff label/EMI).

Actor Liev Schreiber. The 32-year old's film credits include "The Daytrippers," "A Walk on the Moon," and the "Scream" movies. He's currently starring in New York in the Public Theatre's new production of "Hamlet." And he plays Orson Welles in the HBO drama "RKO 281" about the clash between Welles and William Randolph Hearst over the making of Welles's masterpiece, "Citizen Kane." It premiered last night.