Actors

British actress Brenda Blethyn (like “Beth” – ‘BLETH-in’). She’s starring in the new comedy “Saving Grace” about a middle aged widow whose irresponsible husband left her in huge debt. She decides to start growing marijuana in her greenhouse instead of orchids. Blethyn’s other films include Mike Leigh’s “Secrets and Lies” (she was nominated for an Oscar) and “Little Voice.”

Actor, singer and drag queen Ru Paul. The six-foot seven entertainer is even taller in heels and has fashioned for himself a supermodel persona. He attributes his mainstream appeal to his non-threatening sexuality and his “non-bitchy” drag queen personality. Ru Paul is appearing out of drag in the new comedy “But I’m A Cheerleader.” He plays an ex-gay rehab counselor. Ru Paul’s other films include “Crooklyn,” “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and “Wigstock the Movie.” (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

We remember British actor Sir Alec Guinness who died Saturday at the age of 86. He’s known to older audiences for his roles in films like “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” and to younger audiences as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. (REBROADCAST from 2/27/1986)

Actor Christopher Walken. He got his start in the business as a tap-dancing kid and went on to play some of the most menacingly evil characters around. His films include “At Close Range,” “The Comfort of Strangers,” “King of New York,” “The Dead Zone,” and “Annie Hall” (in which he played Annie’s creepy brother who had an impulse to drive his car into oncoming traffic.) His new film is “The Opportunists.”

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.

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.

We remember actress Nancy Marchand who died Sunday at the age of 71. Most recently she was best-known for playing the bitter mother of Tony Soprano in the HBO series “The Sopranos.” During the 1970s she played the newspaper publisher on the “Lou Grant” show. (interview with TV critic David Bianculli rebroadcast from 3/18/99)

Australian actress Toni Collette She stars as Queenie, a vaudeville dancer, in “The Wild Party.” Collette is best known for her offbeat role as Muriel in the film “Muriel’s Wedding.” She also had a role in “Velvet Goldmine.” This year she received an academy award nomination for her portrayal of the boy’s mother in “The Sixth Sense.”

Actor Sidney Poitier. He is the leading African-American actor of his generation. He was the first, and so far, the only African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor which he did in 1963 for his performance in “Lilies of the Field.” His other films include, “The Defiant Ones,” “A Patch of Blue,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” and “To Sir, With Love.” He’s written a new autobiography, “The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography” (Harper).

Actor Om Puri is a star of Bombay's film industry, known as Bollywood. In his two decades of acting he's worked with every major Indian film director including Satjayit Ray. In western films he had roles in "Ghandi" and "City of Joy," and in the TV series "The Jewel in the Crown." Recently he's had starring parts in two British films "My Son the Fanatic," and the new film "East is East."