Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Ask Ameri^M Profile ■ L We laughed until we cried at the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Can you tell us a bit about Nia Vardalos, who wrote the script and starred in the film? We heard that Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, dis covered her. —Tony G., Maryland Nia Vardalos, the woman behind the sleeper hit movie of the year, grew up in Winnipeg, Canada. Yes, she is Greek, from a very traditional family. She got her start working in the box office of the Toronto company of Chicago's famous Second City group. When one of the cast members had to be rushed to the hospital 10 minutes before curtain time, she told the producers she knew the show inside out, and they put her on. Impressed with her performance, the producers asked her to join the group. She eventually moved on to the Chicago Second City troupe, where she met and married fel low performer lan Gomez. Far years, the actress and writer enter tained her friends with hilarious stories about her family, until one of them said she should turn it into a show. That’s exactly what she did, and the one-woman show became a hit. Rica Wilson, also of Greek descent, brought her mother to see the show and loved it. She visited Vardalos backstage, then later sent husband Tom Hanks to see the show with the idea that it should be turned into a movie. Two months later, Hanks’ production company offered to make the movie, with Vardalos keeping the lead role. Vardalos’ other credits include The Drew Carey Show and Boy Meets World and the features Men Seeking Women and Meet Prince Charming. Q Please tell me about Mario Lanza, my favorite tenor. Where was he bom? How did he die? —Alice C., Indiana Lanza was bom Alfred Arnold Cocozza in Philadelphia in 1921 to Italian immigrant parents. He started singing along to Enrico Caruso’s opera records when he was still a child. At 16, he declared his intention to become a professional singer. His mother, bom You can make a bid to SAVE OUR HISTORY: SAVE OUR SOUNDS! THE SAVE OUR HISTORY auction for the benefit of SAVE OUR SOUNDS will launch on eßay December 2nd, 2002 and run for four weeks through December 31 st, 2002. An esteemed group of celebrities have joined together to support the Save Our Sounds Project by lending their signature to one-of-a-kind Gibson guitars. Log on to www.eßay.com/saveourhistory or www.historychannel.com/saveourhistory to submit bids. Funds raised on eßay will go directly to Save Our Sounds initiative to restore and preserve historic recordings. See more information on page 13 in this week’s issue! * 1 Her little movie was a “big fat” Hit. Maria Lanza, had once dreamed of a singing career and encouraged her talented son to pur sue his dream. After years of singing lessons and a scholarship to Berkshire Music School, he made his operatic debut in a production of The Merry Wties of Windsor in 1942, chang ing his name to Mario Lanza in honor of his mother. His career was put on hold when he entered the service during World War H. Dur ing his time in the Army, he sang in shows to entertain the troops and got married soon after leaving the service. He picked up his opera career and was discovered by Hollywood. Appearances in films throughout the 19505, and the popularity of the song Be My Love from one of those films, gave him worldwide fame. He suffered a massive, fetal heart attack in 1959- He and his wife had four children. Q Can you tell me about Steve Harris, who co stars in the ABC series The Practice ? Which role does he play? —Waunera T., Kansas The Practice’s Steve Harris in an off-Broadway production of Heliotrope Bouquet , gamering crit ical acclaim. Other theater credits include Macbeth and Julius Cae sar. Besides The Practice, his other television credits include Law & Order, Murder One, and Chicago Hope. His movie credits include The Rock and Minority Report. He is single and lives in Los Angeles. * Cover photo by Randy Janoski ■ Would you like to know more about your favorite celebrity or public figure? Send your questions to: Ask American Profile, 341 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin.TN 37067 or e-mail us at askus@timericonproifik.coni. The volume of mail received prohibits us from giving personal replies—through e-mail or other means. Steve Harris plays attorney Eugene Young on the ABC series and has earned two Viewers for Quality Tele vision Awards and two Emmy nomi nations for best supporting actor for his work. The Chicago native has a bachelor’s degree in theater arts from Northern Illinois University and a graduate degree in theater from the University of Delaware. He performed Celebrating Hometown Life CEO and EDITOR IN CHIEF L Daniel Hammond mesoENT Richard G ftfrtEr VICE PRESIDENT7EXECUTIVE EDITOR PmrFoaai VICE PRESIOENT7CREATIVE ft PRODUCTION Chart* Cox ftadonti Edhor Carol Davis Regional Edtors Seuart Englert, Richard Matthews Aroodatz Edfcor: Joyce Caruthers Proofreader; Jane Srygley Ait Director: Brenan Sharp Director of Photograph: Randy Janosk] Production Manager. Sam Payne Pubfication Deaignen Jessica Foftdns Pfuuo Cocrtirumr Cherne Teachtxit tfrufoi erf Internet Contant Matt Johnston Production Aeiltmv Kelsi Holman Hangar of Printing Distribution Kristie Anderson ADVERTISING SALES VkuProridant of Adrovtiting: Tracey Ahman New York 1-800-7166271 Los Angeles 1-866-357-3510 Chicago 1-800-706-5669 Detroit 1-866-773-0388 Nashvfte 1-800-720-6323 CIRCULATION SALES Nashvtie 1-800-720-6323 CORPORATE AMD EDITORIAL OFFICES Nadwile 615-8686000 PUBLISHING GROUP OF AMERICA Chop-man, Pi asidone and CEO: I rVenuJ I liivunni-irl l. uante nammona Senior VP and Chief financial Officer: Stephen C Duggan Senior VP of Salon: Steve Young Senior VP of PubftsNng: Richard G Porter VP of Strategic PvwlopfTw nr Joe DondanviNe Controiar Greg Coble Human Resourced Admin. Director Stephanie Jameson NatwockAitiritiw aoi James Tinsley www.americanprofile.com PUBLISHING GROUP OP AMERICA American Profile is published by Publishing Group of America. 341 Cool Spring* Boulevard Suite 400, Franklin. Tennessee 37067 Phone: 1-800-720-6323. Mail editorial queries and contributions to Editor. American Profile. 341 Cod Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franldin. TN 37067. Group of America. Inc w* not be responsible for unsolicited materials, and cannot guarantee the return of any materials submitted to it. ©2002 Publishing Group of America, Inc American Profite™ is a trademark of Pubfishing Group of America. Inc Al rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any article, photograph, or other portion of this magazine without the express written permission of Publishing Group of America. Inc is prohibited.