Ask American Profile 5/17/2009

Restless Heart, Donna Douglas, Paul Marcarelli, Emily Procter

Q Whatever happened to the country band Restless Heart from the 1980s?
—Marsha Wright, Longview, Texas

The group's original members have been touring together again since 2002. "It's easier than ever before," says lead singer Larry Stewart. "We've been through so much." The band has released a live album, 25 and Live, which celebrates its 25th anniversary and includes the group's six No. 1 country hits, such as "Wheels," "That Rock Won't Roll" and "Why Does It Have To Be (Wrong or Right)."  "I feel like we're singing and playing together better than we ever have," Stewart says.


Q While watching Elly May with all of her "critters" on The Beverly Hillbillies, we've always wondered how she was able to handle such wild animals.
—Joe Stout, Palmyra, Ill.

Actress Donna Douglas worked with more than 500 "pets" as tomboy Elly May Clampett, including chimps, skunks, opossums and even a hippo. "I'm like Elly May in that I'm genuinely fond of all animals. I think even the most skittish ones sense this and therefore will at least tolerate handling by me," Douglas, 75, once said about her critter co-stars. Practically all of the "varmints," as Granny called them, were trained by the
great animal trainer Frank Inn and his staff.


Q What can you tell us about the Verizon Guy in those "Can you hear me now?" commercials?  
—Alan Halsband, Warwick R.I.

The "Test Man" is Paul Marcarelli, a native of New Haven, Conn., who wears his own horn-rimmed glasses in the hundreds of Verizon commercials he has made since late 2001. He has worked for many years on stage in New York City, where he formed Mobius Group, a small nonprofit theater company, with several friends.  "Although my busy commercial work schedule precludes the active pursuit of other acting work, I continue to study, write, and I recently have partnered up with some friends to begin producing films," says Marcarelli, who has a twin brother, Matthew, a firefighter. Paul and Matt turn 39 on May 24.


Q I am a big fan of Emily Procter, who plays Calleigh Duquesne on CSI: Miami. What can you tell me about her that might surprise me?
—Robert Sanger, Durham, N.C.

You might be surprised to know that Procter, 40, worked as a weather reporter before she became an actress. And you might not know that she was training at the time to be an on-air reporter covering the police beat. She quit because she felt the job was too gory—funny, considering how down-and-dirty her character has to get to solve crimes on CSI! The Raleigh, N.C., native also doesn't mind getting covered in dust when she gets involved in one of her favorite projects, home remodeling. She's been known to swing a pretty mean sledgehammer. And she plays a sly game of poker!

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