Art is that which makes life so much more than survival. Souls can be stirred with the paint brush, the pen, the camera, the guitar, and more. These selected conversations are with those who practice their craft particularly well, and have secured their place in the artistic history books.

Andrew Bergman
In this hour long program, Alan Chartock interviews Screenwriter, Director, Author and Playwright Andrew Bergman about his many accomplishments including Blazing Saddles, The Inlaws, Fletch and more...

 

Theodore Bikel
Folk singer; theater, film and television actor; radio host; president of Actors' Equity; political activist; Jewish spokesman, and author are some of the many careers to which Mr. Bikel can lay claim.

 

Alice Brock
Alice Brock is best known as the real Alice from “Alice’s Restaurant,” the classic anti-war song of the 1960’s written by Arlo Guthrie which inspired a 1969 movie of the same name, but she’s done a lot more than inspire songs and run restaurants. Today she is doing what she’s what she’s always wanted to do – living in Provincetown, Massachusetts and painting pictures.

 

Ken Burns
Celebrated documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has been directing and producing films for over 25-years.His 1990 mini-series for Public Television The Civil War became the first documentary to gross over $100-million dollars. His work has been honored with Emmy awards, Academy Award nominations and several other distinctions, and has earned him a reputation as a dynamic and pioneering filmmaker.

 

Steve Edenbo
Steve Edenbo, is with the American Historical Theatre, a non-profit organization that educates people through the use of actors who portray historical figures. Edenbo is one of those actor-slash-historians, and his role is none other than Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. Since 1999, he's been traveling the country as Jefferson, addressing audiences at historical societies, town halls, churches, corporations, colleges and schools and bringing the man to life in a way that books and monuments do not.

 

Tom Paxton
BBC nvestigative journalist Greg Palast is back to talk about the 2004 Presidential election and how he has documents to back up that this election was stolen. He also talks about the war in Iraq.

 

Matthew Penn
Matthew Penn is the former Executive Producer of “Law & Order.” He began his career as an actor and appeared in 8 films and over 30 plays. He started directing theatrically in numerous venues both off-Broadway and regionally. Matthew Penn began his television career with “Law & Order” and has directed extensively for that series and also “NYPD Blue.” He received an Emmy nomination for his work on “Law & Order” and is a member of the Director’s Guild of America.

 

Eva Marie Saint
Alan talks with one of the real treasures of the American cinema, Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint, star of movies like "On the Waterfront" and "North by Northwest." Saint's career has spanned more than five decades, beginning on the stage and expanding to include radio, film and television work. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress her very first time working in movies, acting opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan’s "On the Waterfront."

 

Earl Scruggs and Rosanne Cash
In this archive edtion of WAMC's "In Conversation with..." series, Alan first speaks with bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs. In the second half hour, Alan talk with country music star Rosanne Cash. Earl Scruggs is considered by many to be the greatest banjo player alive. A pioneer of the three finger technique on the 5 string banjo, Scruggs rose to fame as a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. Grammy winner Rosanne Cash is the daughter of the late country music great Johnny Cash. Since her appearance on the national music scene in the late 1970's, Rosanne Cash has blurred the lines between Country, Rock, Folk and Blues music.