Ask American Profile

I enjoy Courtney Thorne-Smith’s performance on ABC’s According to Jim and remember her from Ally McBeal. Where is she from, and how did she get her start in show business?
—Kay M., Ohio

Courtney Thorne-Smith was discovered while in high school when 20th Century Fox was looking for a new talent to play Charlie Sheen’s girlfriend in the film Lucas. The Mill Valley, Calif., native then decided to pursue acting as a career, canceled her plans to attend Pennsylvania’s Allegheny College, and moved to Los Angeles. Thorne-Smith, 35, has been successful in picking television series. Besides According to Jim and Ally McBeal, she starred in Melrose Place for five seasons. She also starred in the short-lived series Day By Day. Her movies credits include Summer School and Revenge of the Nerds II. Thorne-Smith has starred in several plays. She lives in Los Angeles and enjoys relaxing with her dogs. She likes to read, work out, and spend time with friends in her spare time. And she has taken up writing. She has had features in SELF magazine and is now a contributing editor to that publication. She’s also written for InStyle and Allure.

My son says Dick Clark is in his 80s. I say no way. How old is he? What’s he up to now?
—Ethel G., Tennessee

Dick Clark, known as “America’s oldest living teenager,” is 73 years old and working harder than ever. He’s a whirlwind both behind the camera and in front of it. Check out any number of awards shows throughout the year and chances are his company, dick clark productions, has put it together: The American Music Awards, The Daytime Emmy Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, and The Academy of Country Music Awards are produced by his company. In fact, he shows up on camera to interview nominees and winners on a number of the shows. He still produces and hosts the Bloopers specials and welcomes in the New Year with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. His company also produces the new NBC series, American Dreams. Since one of the major plot lines follows a teenage girl who dances on American Bandstand, he appears on that show, too, though it’s in footage from the original show.

Is author James Clavell still alive? I don’t see new books by him anymore.
—Carmen K., California

James Clavell, best known for his sprawling 1975 novel Shogun, died in 1994. He was 69 years old. Born in Sydney, Australia, Clavell spent his childhood traveling all over the world, including time spent living in Hong Kong. His father, like his grandfather, was in the British Royal Navy, and they used to tell young James about all the exotic places they’d seen. When he came of age, Clavell also went into the military. He was a POW for three years during World War II. When the war ended, he went to college, where he met his wife, an aspiring ballerina. Her work led him to visit a movie set, and that changed the course of his life. His first screenplay was for the film The Fly, starring Vincent Price. His first novel, published in 1962, was King Rat, which went on to become a movie. Clavell became a U.S. citizen in 1963 and had a thriving career as a writer, producer, and director, with films such as The Great Escape and To Sir, With Love among his works. He was survived by his wife and their two children.

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