Film historian David J. Skal. He's an expert on the horror film genre. His books include Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen (W.W. Norton) and The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror (Penguin, paperback). His newest book (written in collaboration with Elias Savada) is Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning, Hollywood's Master of the Macabre (Anchor Books).
Novelist Elmore Leonard. He's 70 years old and has been called "the greatest living writer of crime fiction" (New York Times). Though he'd been writing for decades, critics didn't take notice of him until the 1980s. Now his work is known for it tight prose, "ear-perfect" dialogue and depiction of lower class life. Leonard's written thirty-two novels, including the bestsellers Pronto, Maximum Bob, and Get Shorty which has been made into a film, starring John Travolta and Gene Hackman.
Rock historian Ed Ward continues his series on cities and rock and roll. Today's city is New Orleans. Artists discussed include Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino, Lloyd Price, Little Richard, Allen Toussaint, Lee Dorsey, Dr. John (Mac Rebennack), The Meters, The Neville Brothers,
Actress Mary Tyler Moore. She starred in the Emmy award television show "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and the film "Ordinary People." She is now starring in a new CBS series "New York News," a drama about life at a fictional New York newspaper, and has recently written her autobiography, "After All," (Putnam's Sons).
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new CD of early recordings by Mary Martin, "Mary Martin--The Decca Years 1938-1946" (Koch label). It includes songs by Cole Porter, the Gershwin's, Frank Loesser, and others.
Rock historian Ed Ward begins a special series on the contribution of various cities to rock and roll. He begins with Los Angeles. Artists discussed Roy Milton, Johnny Otis, Esther Phillips, Richie Valens, Eddie Cochran, Beach Boys, Phil Spector, The Ronettes, and The Byrds.
Actress Mary Tyler Moore. She starred in the Emmy award television show "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and the film "Ordinary People." She is now starring in a new CBS series "New York News," a drama about life at a fictional New York newspaper, and has recently written her autobiography, "After All," (Putnam's Sons).
Former press secretary for Reagan and Bush, Marlin Fitzwater. He spent 17 years as a government flak before being appointed to his position in the Reagan White House. In his new memoir, Call the Briefing! Reagan and Bush, Sam and Helen: A Decade with Presidents and the Press (Times Books). Fitzwater writes about the relationship between the press secretary, the White House, and the press.
Robert Carter is a clinical social worker with Project RAP (Reduce Abuse Program) part of the Family Service of Philadelphia. He counsels men who are abusive with their partners and family. Carter is also a group facilitator working with adolescent fathers, and he meets with pre-teen and teen groups in a prevention to violence program. (Family Service of Philadelphia, 215-875-3300).
Psychologist Donald Dutton is a pioneer in the study and treatment of abusive men. He is a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, and the director of the Assaultive Husbands Program in Vancouver, Canada. Recently Dutton was an expert witness for the prosecution in the pretrial of O.J. Simpson. His new book (co-authored with Susan Golant) is The Batterer: A Psychological Profile (Basic Books). (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES through THE HALF HOUR).
Journalist Robert Krulwich. He's correspondent for the PBS series Frontline. His documentary "High Stakes in Cyberspace" airs Tuesday, Oct. 31 (at 9 PM). Krulwich explores the growing industry of advertising in cyberspace, and its social and cultural impacts. He interviews software designers who are creating the new programs used by advertisers, and also the advertisers themselves, who are counting on the information superhighway as an arena where they can keep track of the buyers' behavior, and where they can also successfully market their products.
Composer and jazz musician Ornette Coleman and his son, producer Denardo Coleman. They've just collaborated on a new album, "Ornette Coleman & Prime Time: Tone Dialing." It's on a new label that Coleman has founded: Harmolodic (a division of Verve Records). In 1959 Coleman he started the era of "free jazz." Since then Coleman has been one of jazz's most innovative and controversial composers. In 1994 Coleman was a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship Award
An excerpt of a 9/12/1990 interview with trumpeter Don Cherry. He died recently. He played with Ornette Coleman's free jazz revolution which began in 1959.
Journalist Evan Thomas. He is Assistant Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief at Newsweek. His new book is The Very Best Men: Four Who Dared: The Early Years of the CIA (Simon & Schuster). In the book he tells about the men who ran the CIA's covert operations during the worst of the cold war years. Thomas had access to the CIA's own records about their operations, and he interviewed many of the men involved. Thomas was the only person to have such access to the CIA's archives. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).
