Ask American Profile 4/27/2008

The Turtles, Karen Lynn Gorney, Charisma Carpenter, Dick Tufied

Q I used to love the 1960s group the Turtles. Do they still exist today?
—Judy Stevenson, Sioux City, Iowa

Group founders Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan continue to perform occasionally as the Turtles, which captivated listeners with the hits “Eleanor” and “Happy Together.” The two met in high school and have been partners in music for 45 years. After the Turtles disbanded in 1970, Volman and Kaylan joined Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and then formed the duo Flo and Eddie. Volman lives in Nashville, Tenn., where he teaches at Belmont University’s School of Music, and Kaylan resides in Seattle.

Q What has Karen Lynn Gorney, who played John Travolta’s love interest in Saturday Night Fever, been doing since that movie?
—Frances Shahan, Huntington, W.Va.

Gorney, 62, is a classically trained actress and has appeared in a variety of post-Saturday Night Fever movies, including Ripe, Creating Karma and Searching for Bobby D, and on television in Law & Order, The Sopranos and Six Degrees. She also performed extensively in the theater and recorded three musical CDs. She lives in New York City with her husband, pianist Mark Toback, and made numerous personal appearances last year to commemorate Saturday Night Fever’s 30th-anniversary release on DVD.

Q What can you tell me about Charisma Carpenter from Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Surely such a talented actress doesn’t have much trouble finding TV and movie work!
—Jan Vega, Lake City, Fla.

You’re right. Carpenter, 37, named Charisma after a fragrance, has worked steadily since her character, Cordelia, died on the 100th episode of Angel. She’s had recurring roles on Charmed, Veronica Mars, and, most recently, the ABC network series Big Shots. Of Cherokee, Irish, Scottish, Spanish, French and German descent, Carpenter was born in Las Vegas and worked as a cheerleader for the San Diego Chargers before moving to Hollywood and launching her acting career. She’s married and has a 9-year-old son.

Q Who was the voice of the robot on the TV show Lost in Space?
—Phil Candillo, Minden, La.

The voice of “Robot,” known for the phrase “Danger, Will Robinson!” on Lost in Space, was provided by Los Angeles-born Dick Tufeld, who spent most of his Hollywood career being heard but not seen. He was the announcer or narrator for several other TV shows of the 1960s, including Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Surfside 6 and The Time Tunnel. Most recently, you may have heard his familiar-sounding voice in two episodes of The Simpsons—as a robot, naturally!

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