Lane died yesterday at the age of 84. His wife says he suffered a stroke. He's written the scores for several Broadway shows, including "Finian's Rainbow" and "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever." Lane collaborated with Michael Feinstein on the album, "Michael Feinstein Sings the Burton Lane Songbook", which features many of Lane's classic songs, such as "Old Devil Moon" and "How About You." This interview originally aired 11/5/90.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reporter recently traveled across the Himalayan Mountains with a group of Buddhist monks and nuns who were fleeing from persecution by the Communist Chinese government in Tibet. Some of them had been imprisoned and tortured by the Chinese. If caught, they would be sent back to prison and tortured. During their 14-day trek they experienced frost-bite, snow blindness, oxygen-thin air, pain, and hunger.
A segment from the NPR show "This American Life". It's about a family broken apart by the son's homosexuality. The program, titled "Sissies" originally aired on T.A.L. 12/13/96. "This American Life" is produced at WBEZ in Chicago.
An in-studio concert and interview with singer/songwriter, guitarist Richard Thompson. He first became known for his work with "Fairport Convention." He's since gone solo and is known for his dark songs which blend elements of British folk ballads and the blues.
Theologian and author Rev. Peter J. Gomes. He has written the new book "The Good Book: Reading The Bible with Mind and Heart." Gomes is black and gay, and brings a unique and sometimes controversial interpretation to the Bible. He has been a minister at Harvard University's Memorial Church since 1974. Time Magazine called him "one of the seven best preachers in America."
Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews one of his favorite albums of the year, "Odelay" by Beck. Tucker says it took him repeated listens to truly appreciate the artist's craft.
Forman talks about his life, filmmaking career and his latest project, directing "The People vs. Larry Flynt." Among his film credits: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next," "Hair," and "Ragtime." Forman won an Academy Award for Best Director for the film "Amadeus." Forman was born in Caslav, Czechoslovakia and became an American citizen in 1975. He lives in New York.
Astronomer and Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sagan died today at the age of 62. A spokesman for the Cancer Research Center says Sagan died from pneumonia after suffering from bone marrow disease for two years.
Brooks' latest film is a comedy called "Mother," starring Debbie Reynolds. He joins Fresh Air to talk about humor, writing movies, acting, and his relationship with his own mother.
An excerpt from a recent panel discussion in Philadelphia on the future on the Internet. It was moderated by Terry Gross and took place November 1, 1996 at the University of Pennsylvania. The guests include James Gleick, who writes about technology for the New York Times Sunday Magazine; Paul Ginsparg, a theoretical physicist in Los Alamos; Sherry Turkle, author of "Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet"; and Paul Evan Peters, the Executive Director of the Coalition for Networked Information. Peters died a few days after participating in this panel.
Phillips is the project leader of the Yellowstone National Park Wolf Restoration Program. Last year, 14 gray wolves were transported from the Canadian wilderness to Wyoming. It marked the beginning of the project to restore wolves to an area from where they had been absent for nearly 100 years. Phillips provides an update on the program. Phillips has co-authored a book with Douglas Smith titled "The Wolves of Yellowstone."
Joyce Dixson co-founded "Sons and Daughters of the Incarcerated" a group which helps children whose parents are in prison. Dixson served seventeen years in prison after being convicted of shooting her husband. She left two children behind when she went to prison in 1976. She later became the first woman to earn an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan while incarcerated. Dixson's sentence was reduced, and she was released from prison in 1993. She went directly to the University of Michigan and earned a master's degree in social work.
Book critic Maureen Corrigan recommends her favorite children's books of the year: "The Christmas Tree," "Sam and the Tigers," "Little Black Sambo" (revised edition) "The Complete Adventures of Curious George" "The Golden Compass."
Chaim Herzog was President of Israel 1983-1993. He served as Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations in the 1970's. He has been involved and present for almost all of the great and tragic events in Israeli history. In addition to being President, he has been, a soldier, a journalist and an author. Herzog was born in Ireland in 1918, where his father was the Chief Rabbi. He has written a memoir documenting his experiences in Israel and dealing with Arab, Israeli, and American leaders, called "Living History."
