POP CULTURE Q&A

February 27, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Rich Heldenfels

McClatchy Newspapers

Q. Who is the young black-haired actress who plays the investigator on “The Good Wife”? What can you tell me about her?

A. Archie Punjabi plays the smart but mysterious Kalinda Sharma on the CBS drama, currently in its second season. She won an Emmy for best supporting actress in a drama for her first-season work.

According to her CBS bio, she was born in England but spent part of her childhood in Mumbai (Bombay). So she considers herself “part Bombayite, part British.” She graduated from Brunel University, England, with a degree in management studies and, when not working, lives in London.

Her other credits include the movies “East Is East,” “Traitor,” “Bend It Like Beckham,” “The Constant Gardener” and “A Mighty Heart.”

Q. Is Van Williams from “The Green Hornet” related to Anson Williams of “Happy Days”?

A. Not as far as I can determine. Williams starred in the ABC series version of “The Green Hornet,” with Bruce Lee as Kato, in 1966-67. Anson Williams, who played Potsie Weber on “Happy Days,” does have a famous relative; born Anson William Heimlich, he is reportedly a cousin of the inventor of the Heimlich maneuver.

Q. Could you tell me if there is either a DVD or VHS available of a live performance of James Whitmore in a one-man play called “Bully” about Theodore Roosevelt? I believe it was released briefly in either the late ’70s or early ’80s. I taped the show off TV at that time but the tape deteriorated over time so badly that it is no longer playable.

A. Whitmore, who starred in one-man shows about Harry Truman and Will Rogers, indeed played Theodore Roosevelt in “Bully: An Adventure With Teddy Roosevelt,” which was put on film in 1978. Unfortunately, I cannot find an authorized version of it on VHS or DVD.

Q. I was watching a movie called “Uncorked” with Julie Benz and Jobeth Williams on TV and would love to know who played the part of the chef; his name in the movie was Andrew Browning. I would like to know everything about him, he was so good in the movie.

A. That was actor Scott Elrod, who other readers may remember from the ABC series “Men in Trees,” where he played “Cash” Morrissey. Born in Germany, the military brat grew up mainly in Colorado. Other credits include guest roles on “CSI: NY,” “CSI: Miami” and “Castle,” and the movies “True Blue,” “Hellhounds” and “The Switch.” He also races cars and motorcycles.

You’re not the only one to like him; he has a fan site at www.scott-elrod.net.

Q. Is the boy who plays Max on NBC’s “Parenthood” autistic?

A. Max Braverman — played by Max Burkholder — has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. Burkholder does not. But he is carefully trained to reflect properly the behavior of a child with Asperger’s.

Parenthood executive producer Jason Katims — who has a son with Asperger’s — told the Autism Speaks blog that “a behavioral psychologist, Wayne Tashjian, who is our consultant on the show ... will read the script, then meet with Max, Max’s mom and the director of the episode to go through every scene in the script that involves Max. At that point, Max and Max’s mom will rehearse the scenes together ahead of time, and refine things with the director and other actors later. At times when there is a specifically challenging scene, we bring in an additional technical consultant to be on set, in order to make the scene as accurate as possible.”

You can learn more about Burkholder at www.maxburkholder.com.

2011, Akron Beacon Journal