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Can you give me some details about John M. Jackson, who plays the admiral on the CBS series JAG? He’s great in the role. Was he ever in the military?
—Julia A., Colorado

Although John M. Jackson, 50, plays the role of Adm. A.J. Chegwidden so convincingly, he never served in the military. He was born in Baton Rouge, La., and grew up in Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas, he became a high school social studies teacher in Austin, Texas. Jackson caught the acting bug in his late 20s while performing in community theater. His television credits include guest-starring roles in Northern Exposure, Sisters, and Party of Five. His television movies include Memory of Evil, The Deception, and Adam. His movie credits include The Glimmer Man, The Spitfire Grill, and A Few Good Men. Jackson lives with his wife and children in Los Angeles. An avid baseball fan, he coaches a Pony League team in his spare time.

What happened to Spencer Christian, who was the weatherman on Good Morning America?
—Fritz D., Tennessee

Spencer Christian, a native of Charles City, Va., moved from the East Coast to the West Coast when he joined KGO-TV in San Francisco in 1999 after almost 13 years with Good Morning America. Now, instead of waking before 4 a.m. and finishing his workday at noon, he reports to the office around 3 p.m., predicts the weather on three evening newscasts, and leaves at midnight. On weekends, Christian, a wine connoisseur, visits Napa and Sonoma, Calif., for wine tastings. He hosted Spencer Christian’s Wine Cellar on the Food Network until 1999 and is talking with cable outlets about renewing the show. “I miss my friends at Good Morning America,” he says, “Charlie Gibson and all the people I used to work with. But I have a great life here, and I want people to know I am happy.”

My husband and I saw a program on PBS with Peter, Paul, & Mary. When did they start performing together?
—Iva P., Florida

The group formed in New York City in 1961 and consists of Peter Yarrow, 62, Paul Stookey, 64, and Mary Travers, 64. After graduating from Michigan State University, Stookey moved to New York to pursue his musical dreams—paying bills by working at a chemical company and performing stand-up routines in Greenwich Village clubs. He met Travers, who was born in Louisville, Ky., but raised in New York City, at such a club, where she performed nights and on weekends. As a teen, Travers sang in folk groups and even performed at Carnegie Hall twice. The duo became a trio when New York-born Yarrow, a Cornell University graduate, joined the group. They signed a record deal with Warner Bros. in 1962 and released their debut record that same year. That album contained the hits If I Had a Hammer and Lemon Tree. Other hits include Puff (the Magic Dragon), Stew Ball, This Land Is Your Land, and Blowin’ in the Wind. The group broke up in 1970 and reunited in 1978.

I’m a big fan of Doris Roberts. Besides Everybody Loves Raymond, she played in Remington Steele. I would like to know about her.
—Jeanne K., Indiana

Doris Roberts, 75, was born in St. Louis and now lives in Los Angeles. In 1956, she made her Broadway debut at 31 in Desk Set. She’s appeared in more than 20 movies and several popular television shows, earning an Emmy nomination and two Viewers for Quality Education Awards for her role as Marie Barone, the opinionated mother of Raymond who offers unsolicited “cooking advice” to her daughter-in-law. She won an Emmy for a guest-starring role on St. Elsewhere and also was nominated for her regular role in Remington Steele. Roberts has starred on Broadway in The Death of Bessie Smith and Bad Habits, for which she won the Outer Critics Circle Award. Her movie credits include The Rose, The Heartbreak Kid, and My Giant. She can be seen in the upcoming CBS movie One True Love.

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