Entertainment

Pianist Peter Mintun talks about how Fred Astaire's movies impacted his career. Mintun is considered one of today’s leading interpreters of popular songs composed between the two world wars which he calls classic melodies that transcend time.

Film producers Dustin Hoffman and Tony Goldwyn. Their new film is "A Walk on the Moon" by Miramax. Goldwyn, who also directed the film, is the grandson of studio executive Samuel Goldwyn of MGM. . Dustin Hoffman is a veteran actor whose first big break was starring in "The Graduate." Some of the films he's starred in include: "All The President's Men," "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Rainman," and "Tootsie."

Singer Becky Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg perform music by Dorothy Fields.

Singer Becky Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg perform music by Dorothy Fields.

We remember the late lyricist Dorothy Fields in the first of an on-going series on American popular song. Born in 1905, She was the only woman in the pre-rock era to sustain major critical and popular acclaim as a songwriter. First, We feature singer Becky Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg perform music by Dorothy Fields.

Actress Nancy Marchand talks with TV critic David BIianculli. She's best known for her reoccurring roll as Mrs. Pynchon on the TV series "Lou Grant." Recently she had a role in HBO's series "The Sopranos." Marchand's film credits include "Jefferson in Paris," "The Naked Gun," and "The Bostonians."

Playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Paul Rudnick. His new play "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" looks at God and Creation from a gay perspective. (It's playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village in New York City). Rudnick also wrote the plays as "I Hate Hamlet," "The Naked Eye," and "Jeffrey." And he wrote the screenplays for "Addams Family Values" and "In & Out."

We remember jazz composer and musician Jaki Byard. ("BY-ARD") He was found dead from a gunshot wound a week ago in his house in Queens. His death was ruled a homicide. He was 76. Byard was considered a stylistic virtuoso, who moved quickly in his playing from boogie-woogie to free jazz. He played with Charles Mingus and Rahassaan Roland Kirk and the Duke Ellington orchestra. Byard was also the composer of the first Fresh Air theme. We remember him with an interview and concert that originally aired 6/5/87. Byard is joined by tuba and bass player Ralph Hamperian.

Actress Holly Hunter. Her latest film is "Living Out Loud" where she stars as a doctor's wife whose husband leaves her for a younger woman. She has starred in such films as: "Raising Arizona," "Broadcast News," "Miss Firecracker," "Always," and "The Piano." She was born in Atlanta, Georgia in March 1958 and grew up on a farm, in nearby Conyers, GA.

Actor, director, and founder of the Sundance Institute, Robert Redford. He discusses his work in films, and his work promoting independent films, with the festival he founded, the Sundance Film Festival. The Park City, Utah based festival runs Jan 21-31. Stations, This was originally broadcast before last year's festival on 1/12/98.

We remember bluesman, songwriter and pianist Charles Brown. He died yesterday from congestive heart failure. (REBROADCAST from 6/22/89)

Actor Sean Penn. He's currently starring in the new films "Hurly Burly," and "The Thin Red Line." Penn previously starred in "Dead Man Walking." Penn also wrote and directed the film "The Indian Runner" which he wrote based on a Bruce Springsteen song, and "The Crossing Guard.

Jon Voigt is one of the stars of John Boorman's new film The General. Voigt and Boorman go back a long way.Voigt co-starred in Boorman's 1972 film Deliverance. But it was Voigt's leading role in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy that made him a star. Jon Voigt won an Academy Award in 1979 for his role as a paraplegic Vietnam veteran, in Coming Home. His recent films include Mission Impossible, and The Rainmaker. He's also in the new film Enemy of
the State.

Actor David Kelly and producer Kirk Jones speak about the new film Waking Ned Devine.

Fulks has one foot in the singer/songwriter scene and one in country music. He spent three years writing songs in Nashville, but no one opted to record his songs. So he's recently come out with a new CD of his own music, "Let's Kill Saturday Night" (Geffen Records). Fulks began his career as a regular at the same fabled Greenwich Village hole in the wall where Bob Dylan made a name for himself. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his career and sing some of his songs.

A special in-studio concert and interview with Kate and Anna McGarrigle; Loudon, Rufus, and Martha Wainwright, and other. They all sing and play on the new album, "The McGarrigle Hour" (Hannibal).

Chalfant is starring in the highly acclaimed Off Broadway play "Wit," about a scholar of John Donne undergoing grueling treatments for terminal cancer. She previously found success in Tony Kushner's "Angels in America."

Pierce plays "Niles Crane" on NBC's sitcom "Frasier." He has received two Emmy Awards for this role. Pierce has also appeared in the films: "Bright Lights, Big City," "Little Man Tate," "The Fisher King," "Crossing Delancy," "Sleepless in Seattle, and "Nixon." His voice also appears in the new movie "A Bug's Life." He currently lives in Los Angeles.