Former NBA star Charles Barkley. The colorful, outspoken ex-player has a new book, I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It (Random House). Barkley is considered one of the greatest players of the game. He was on 11 All-Star teams, and with Wilt Chamberlain was one of the two players in NBA history with more than 23,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets. He is currently a studio analyst for TNT's Inside the NBA.
Professor Raymond McNally, an expert on the many portrayals of vampires in folklore and film, died Oct. 2 at the age of 71. McNally traced the origins of the Dracula story in Transylvania. He wrote the book In Search of Dracula and taught at Boston College, specializing in Russian intellectual life.
Saxophonist Branford Marsalis. He's just released "Footsteps of Our Fathers," the debut release on the artist's own Marsalis Music label. In the nearly two decades that he has released solo albums, he's won two Grammy Awards and was nominated for a third in 1995. He was the first band leader for Jay Leno's "The Tonight Show" and appeared on the show from 1992-1995. In addition to the solo and ensemble records he's released, Marsalis has participated in various film scores as both composer and featured soloist.
Musicians Joe Hunter and Jack Ashford were part of the group of musicians known as the Funk Brothers whose sound defined Motown in the 1960s and 70s. They worked with such legendary performers as Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles and many more. The Funk Brothers are the subject of the new documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
We remember Israel's first ambassador to the United Nations and the United States, Abba Eban. He died yesterday in Israel at the age of 87. This interview first aired Dec. 2, 1992
Journalist Bill Keller is a columnist for The New York Times and senior writer for the magazine section. He just returned from a trip to Russia. Hell discuss Russias position on Iraq
Actress Lupe Ontiveros stars in the new film Real Women Have Curves as a mother at odds with her two teenage daughters. She recently starred in the independent film Chuck and Buck. Her other films include Todd Solontzs Storytelling. and James Brooks As Good as it Gets. In 1983 she had a major role in the movie El Norte. Ontiveros is a founding member of LAs Latino Theatre Company.
Music Critic Milo Miles reviews the reissue of Michael Hurley's 1965 debut album, First Songs. It's been reissued under the title Blueberry Wine (Locust Label).
Shes currently starring in the new sitcom Life with Bonnie, playing a TV morning show host, doctors wife and harried mother. It airs on ABC, Tuesday nights at 9 PM. Its Hunts third sitcom. Hunt came out of the Second City Comedy Troupe.
The Cuban Missile Crisis took place 40 years ago this week. We talk with historian and former Kennedy aide Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. and Peter Kornbluh who directs the National Security Archive's Cuba Project. The organization obtained newly declassified documents about the Crisis. They've published the information in the new book The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962. The National Security Archive also helped organize the historic 40th anniversary conference held in Cuba last week.
Filmmaker Burr Steers is making his feature film debut with Igby Goes Down which he wrote and directed. It's about a disaffected teenager from a well-heeled but financially strapped family.
Jazz bassist Ron Carter has more than 2,000 recordings to his credit. From 1963-1968 he was part of the Miles Davis Quintet with Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Wayne Shorter. Over the years he's played with Randy Weston, Herbie Mann, Betty Carter, Eric Dolphy, Sony Rollins, McCoy Tyner and others. Carter's new CD is Stardust.
Writer and director Paul Schrader directed the new film Autofocus, about the life of actor Bob Crane. Schrader wrote the screenplays for a number of classic films, including Taxi Driver and Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese directed). Films he directed include Affliction, The Comfort of Strangers and American Gigolo.
We remember historian Stephen Ambrose who died Sunday at the age of 66. A college professor, Ambrose became a best-selling author late in life with his book D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. He wrote several military history volumes including Citizen Soldiers. He was consultant for the film Saving Private Ryan and his book Band of Brothers was the basis of the 2001 HBO mini-series. Ambrose also wrote Undaunted Courage about the Lewis and Clark exploration to the West. This interview first aired Aug. 15, 2001.
Film critic John Powers reviews Punch Drunk Love, the new film from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson's previous films include Magnolia and Boogie Nights.
T.V. critic David Bianculli reviews two made-for-TV movies airing this Sunday: Gleason, on CBS, about the life of comic Jackie Gleason, and Showtimes Bang, Bang, Youre Dead, a one-act play that recalls the dramatic programming of TVs early days.
