Actors

Ted Demme died Sunday at the age of 38 from a heart attack. He was playing basketball when he died. Early in his career he produced Yo! MTV Raps. He won an Emmy in 1999 for co-producing the civil-rights TV movie, A Lesson Before Dying. Demme film credits include Who the Man, The Ref, Snitch, and Blow. Ted Demme was the nephew of film maker Jonathan Demme.

Actor, director, screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton. The 1996 film Sling Blade which he wrote, directed and starred in put him on the map and earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted screenplay. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1998 film A Simple Plan. Last year he directed the film All the Pretty Horses. He currently starring in four films, the Coen Brothers The Man Who Wasn There, Bandits with Bruce Willis, and Monster Ball. Last fall he released a CD on which he sings his own songs, Private Radio.

Will Smith is starring in the new film Ali as fighter Muhammad Ali. The film begins in 1964, the year that Cassius Clay became world heavyweight champion, announced his conversion to Islam, and took on the name Muhammad Ali. The film is directed and co-written by Michael Mann who also made The Insider. Smith also starred in the films The Legend of Bagger Vance, Men In Black, Independence Day, and Six Degrees of Separation. Smith got his start as a rapper, making his first record in high school.

Actor Patrick Warburton is best known for his recurring role on Seinfeld as Elaine laconic boyfriend, Puddy. Though he only appeared in nine episodes, he became one of the show favorite characters. Warburton currently stars in the new FOX show The Tick. He could also be heard as the voice of Joe on Fox animated series The Family Guy and has been in commercials for American Express, Cadillac and M&M's. He starred in the movie The Woman Chaser which was critically acclaimed at the New York Film Festival and The Sundance Film Festival, and he was in the Australian film, The Dish.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the film West Side Story, we speak with cast members. The film is a screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical about New York City gangs circa 1960. It won ten Oscars. First, George Chakiris, who played Bernardo in the movie. He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the role. Chakiris was born in 1935 and made his acting debut at the age of 12. Hes been in many films, TV shows and plays. He got the West Side Story film role after playing the role of Biff in the London theater production of West Side Story.

Actor Dominic Chianese plays Uncle Junior on the hit HBO series The Sopranos. He been nominated for an Emmy. He had roles in TV shows such as Kojak, Law and Order, and films including Dog Day Afternoon, and The Godfather Part II. At the age of 70, he is now launching a singing career. His new album is called Hits (Madacy Entertainment Group). He brings his guitar to the studio.

Actor Laurence Fishburne was 15 when he played a young G.I. in Apocalpyse Now. He was also Cowboy Curtis on Pee-wee's Playhouse. His films include Boyz N the Hood, Deep Cover, Searching for Bobby Fisher, What Love Got to Do With It, and The Matrix.

John Lithgow is one of the stars of the animated hit movie, Shrek. His comedy TV series Third Rock From the Sun just finished its run on NBC. Lithgow also writes children's books. He's just published the book Marsupial Sue (Simon and Schuster), and he has released a new CD of music for children called Farkle and Friends (Watershed Records). Lithgow is currently performing his children's material live in concert.

Stage and screen actor Jonathan Pryce plays Gustav Mahler in the new film Bride of the Wind. Pryce has won many acting awards, including two Tonys, first for The Comedians, and later for his role in the hit musical Miss Saigon. Hes also appeared in many films including Brazil, Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies, and Glengarry Glenn Ross.

He plays Josh Lyman, the Deputy Whitehouse Chief of Staff on the NBC drama The West Wing. The show's season finale airs Wednesday, May 16th. Whitford began his acting career on the stage. He has also appeared in many films including Scent of a Woman, Philadelphia, A Perfect World, Revenge of the Nerds II, and Billy Madison. He'll talk about his role on the West Wing, and what it's like playing a high-ranking staff member in a fictitious White House.