Voice artist and animation historian Keith Scott has written the new book “The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose” (St. Martin’s Press) The book is about the creator (Jay Ward) and writer (Bill Scott) of the popular Rocky & Bullwinkle TV cartoon show of the late 1950s, early 60s. The new film “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle” is based on the characters and stars Robert Deniro, Rene Russo, and Jason Alexander. Scott also is the voice of Bullwinkle in the film.
Guest film critic Henry Sheehan reviews “The Perfect Storm” starring George Clooney and Mark Whalberg. Sheehan is the film critic for the Orange County Register.
Senior vice president and editorial director of VH1, Bill Flanagan. He’s the author of “A&R” (Random House) a satirical novel about the music industry. Prior to this, Flanagan wrote extensively about the business for “Vanity Fair,” “Rolling Stone,” “Esquire,” and “Spy.” He’s also the author of “Written in My Soul” a collection of conversations with songwriters.
Associate curator at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Russell Ferguson He curated the exhibit “In Memory of My Feelings: Frank O’Hara and American Art,” (there’s also a companion book). Frank O’Hara was part of a small group of poets in New York City in the 1950s and 60s, influenced by the Abstract Expressionist painters of that time, including Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. O’Hara died in 1966 after being struck by a jeep. Also, poet David Lehman (“LEE-man”), author of “the Last Avant-Garde: The Making of the New York School of Poets” (Anchor Books)
Actor Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson stars in the new film Shaft, a sequel/update of the 1970s blaxploitation films starring Richard Roundtree. Jackson’s performance in Pulp Fiction (1994) earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. His other films include Rules of Engagement, Star Wars: Episode One- The Phantom Menace, The Negotiator, Jackie Brown, Eve’s Bayou, A Time to Kill, Die Hard With a Vengeance, and a number of movies by Spike Lee.
Chinese independent film producer and native New Yorker Peter Loehr. He became China’s first independent film producer. His film “Spicy Love Soup” in 1998 was the second only to “The Titanic” in box office receipts in China. Loehr’s third feature “Shower” is currently a hit in China, and is due in the U.S. next month. Loehr founded the company Imar to produce and distribute his films.
Editor Tom Kuntz and reporter Phil Kuntz. Their new book “The Sinatra Files: The Life of an American Icon Under Government Surveillance” (Three Rivers Press) excerpts and analyzes portions of the FBI’s massive file on Frank Sinatra. The file is 1,275 pages long and was begun in the mid 1940s and lasted until 1972. Tom Kuntz is the editor of “Word for Word,” a column in The New York Times Week in Review section. Phil Kuntz is a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal.
Guest film critic Henry Sheehan reviews the new Farrelly Brothers comedy “Me, Myself & Irene,” starring Jim Carrey and Renee Zellweger. Sheehan is the film critic for the Orange County Register.
Creator and executive producer of the HBO hit series “The Sopranos,” David Chase. The show has just completed its second season and experienced the death of one of its cast members, Nancy Marchand.
The 1946 Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer musical St. Louis Woman is being revived at the Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia. (thru June 25th) The musical – which was written for and features an African-American cast –features the songs “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “I Had Myself a True Love,” and “Anywhere I Hang My Hat is Home.” We talk with two individuals, first: Larry Maslon who rewrote the libretto for the show. Maslon is professor of theatre at New York University.
