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Paul Guilfoyle, Bruce Feiler, Paul Winfield

There is an actor in the TV series CSI named Paul Guilfoyle. Is he related to an actor of the same name who used to appear in the movies in the late 1930s and early 1940s?
—Mary G., Pennsylvania

Paul Guilfoyle, who plays Lt. Brass on the hit show CSI, is the son of character actor Paul Guilfoyle. The senior Guilfoyle made more than 100 movies, usually playing gangsters, and passed away in 1961. Born in Boston, the younger Guilfoyle studied economics at Yale University before he followed his father’s lead by studying at the prestigious Actors’ Studio. He started out on Broadway, with roles in Glengarry Glen Ross, Richard III and The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, among others. His first film was the less-than-prestigious Howard The Duck, but he soon went on to establish himself as a fine character actor. He’s appeared in more than 70 films, including Wall Street, Ransom, Amistad and L.A. Confidential. Guilfoyle lives in New York City with his wife, choreographer Lisa Giobbi, and their daughter, Snowden.

What is author Bruce Feiler working on now?
—Andrew J., California

Feiler, the author of six books, is currently in the Middle East researching his next book, a Biblical trek through Israel, Iraq and Iran. He’s also very involved with the activities surrounding his last book, Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths. “I was in New York on Sept. 11 and watched the Towers fall,” he says, explaining how he got the idea for the book Abraham. “I knew that Jews, Christians and Muslims had a shared father in Abraham. Could he be a source of reconciliation?” After the book’s release, communities across the country began having “salon” interfaith discussions about Abraham. Each discussion is led by a local moderator who follows a professional study guide. The discussions have been held in homes, bookstores, churches, synagogues, mosques and libraries. “I wanted to get 50 of these conversations going on around the country, but 5,000 people have started these dialogues, so it’s really quite boomed,” says Feiler, 39. “It’s a way to sit down and have an easy and safe interfaith discussion.” Feiler has done little sitting himself as he’s traveled to more than 60 countries on five continents, immersing himself in different cultures and experiences. His first book described his experiences teaching in a small Japanese town and his third depicted the year he was a circus clown. The Yale graduate also has written books on country music and his year at Cambridge University. He’s now working on a documentary based on his best-selling book, Walking The Bible: A Journey By Land Through the Five Books of Moses. He returned to his hometown of Savannah, Ga., in July to marry Linda Rottenberg. Feiler, who lives in New York City, enjoys reading, juggling and collecting masks from around the world.

Who narrates City Confidential on A&E? He has such a distinctive voice.
—Susan H., Louisiana

The distinguished voice belongs to Paul Winfield, an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor. Winfield, a Los Angeles native, was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for Sounder in 1972. He won a 1995 Emmy for outstanding guest actor for Picket Fences. The 60-something actor has made use of his voice in several projects, including the Ken Burns documentary Baseball, the PBS children’s series The Magic School Bus and the animated program Gargoyles. He got the attention of television audiences by co-starring with Diahann Carroll in the series Julia from 1968 to 1971. His movie credits include Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Terminator and Presumed Innocent. He also co-starred in the miniseries Roots: The Next Generation, Alex Haley’s Queen and Scarlett.

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