Radio

Hesseman, who died Jan 29, performed in the San Francisco improv troupe The Committee in the 1960s and later played DJ Johnny Fever on WKRP from 1978 to 1982. Originally broadcast in 1988.

Conan, who died Aug. 10, worked at NPR for 36 years, as a reporter, executive producer of All Things Considered and host of Talk of the Nation. Originally broadcast in 2002.

Abumrad set out to compose film scores, but instead turned his focus to journalism. He has a new podcast miniseries called The Vanishing of Harry Pace.

Frank, who died on Monday, created the radio drama series Work in Progress and was known for his intimate on-air monologues, sketches and interviews. Originally broadcast in 1989.

The WTF host asks the Fresh Air host about her childhood, her start in radio and her record-strewn apartment. Gross says Maron's "no bulls***" style" made her feel comfortable opening up.

Franklin was a talk-show host for more than 40 years. Guests ranged from Elvis Presley, Woody Allen and Barbra Streisand. He died Jan. 24 at 88 years old. In 1988, Franklin talked with Terry Gross.

The evangelical radio host recently made national news for leading an attack against Mitt Romney's openly gay national security spokesman, who later resigned. But Fischer's viewpoints on abortion, gay marriage, education and taxes have been influencing his listeners long before this.

The Singing Cowboy was one of the country's most popular and prolific film stars during his career; he also gained fame as a radio star, producer and TV personality. Biographer Holly George-Warren traces Autry's lengthy career in Public Cowboy No. 1.

Hearts of Space began as a late night radio show out of San Francisco in 1973. Ten years later, it went national. The show has issued a series of albums to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

As host of the NPR news quiz Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, Peter Sagal spends a lot of time reading the newspaper.

Lately, though, he's also spent many an hour going to strip joints, a swingers club, a porn-movie set and casinos — among other dens of what some call iniquity.

All research, of course, for his new project, The Book of Vice. He wanted to get a perspective on the indulgences of others, and report back to the rest of us.

Peabody award-winning independent radio producer Jay Allison. His radio series include "Life Stories", "Lost and Found Sound" (with The Kitchen Sisters) and the "Sonic Memorial Project." He created Transom.org -- an online resource for newcomers to radio production. Along with producer Dan Gediman he created the "This I Believe" series, currently on NPR, modeled after the Edward R. Murrow series. Many of the essays are collected in a new book, and on CD.

Our film critic reviews A Prairie Home Companion, Robert Altman's film adaptation of Garrison Keillor's long-running public radio show.

Psychologist and family therapist Dr. Dan Gottlieb's new book Letters to Sam is a collection of lessons on life he wrote to his grandson. Two decades ago, Gottlieb became a quadriplegic in an automobile accident. His grandson is autistic, and the letters have lessons about what it's like to be different.

Crawford is co-author of the book, "Border Radio: Quacks, Yodelers, Pitchmen, Psychics, and other Amazing Broadcasters of the American Airwaves." It's about the "border blaster" stations that set up across the Mexican border to evade U.S. regulations, and beamed their broadcasting into the United States.

Andrew Kromah lives and works in Sierre Leone. The country has been rated the most dangerous country in the world for journalists. For eight years now Kromah has run an independent radio station (KISS-FM) in Freetown and has reported on the rebels and government. Each week, as Mr. Owl he investigates local corruption. Twice his building has been burned down. During the 1996 election there, Kromah and his staff were forced to broadcast from the bush to escape injury.

Rock historian Ed Ward continues his series on how country music was influenced by black and white music traditions.

All Things Considered senior producer Sean Collins will preview the upcoming yearlong NPR series on death and dying. The series will begin airing on Monday November 3rd. The series of reports is called "The End of Life: Exploring Death in America."

Film critic Leonard Maltin. His new book, "The Great American Broadcast: A Celebration of Radio's Golden Age" (Dutton) celebrates America's most popular form of entertainment in the years before television. Maltin also appears regularly on Entertainment Tonight and has written two movie guides.

Humorist and writer Garrison Keillor. In his new book, "Wobegon Boy," (Viking) Keillo transports one of his characters from Lake Wobegon to manage an upstate New York public radio station. Keillor hosts "A Prairie Home Companion" on National Public Radio on Saturday evenings, and authored "Lake Wobegon Days, Leaving Home," and "The Book of Guys."

We feature a segment from the award-winning public radio program "This American Life". In "Whoring in Radio News" reporter Scott Carrier explains why he tells everyone he works for a man known only as "The Friendly Man" and why this helps him in his job.