Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

DEAR STACY: We haven't heard from Roseanne Barr for a while. What is she up to? — Dawn D., Elmhurst, N.Y.

DEAR DAWN: Barr is slated to appear on Showtime's six-part comedy/discussion series, "Behind the Green Door," debuting next year. Hosted and executive produced by comedian Paul Provenza (director of "The Aristocrats"), the series will have four comedians join him in each episode. Others who've signed up include Eddie Izzard, Jonathan Winters, Drew Carey, Robert Klein, Penn Jillette, Martin Mull, Tommy Smothers, Bob Saget, Sandra Bernhard and Andy Dick. Meanwhile, Barr's been heard co-hosting "Beneath the Surface," a one-hour talk show on Southern California progressive talk radio station KPFK. And she's been working on developing a new sitcom.

DEAR STACY: Whatever happened to Clinton Spilsbury, the actor who played The Lone Ranger in the back in the '80s? — Sandy G., Manchester, Conn.

DEAR SANDY: That's Klinton Spilsbury, with a K. He faced rejection of epic proportions on 1981's "The Legend of the Lone Ranger." His voice was overdubbed by James Keach for the entire film. The film was boycotted by outraged fans of beloved TV Lone Ranger Clayton Moore — who'd been hit with an injunction to stop playing The Lone Ranger at county fairs and such. And it bombed with critics and moviegoers alike. Handsome Spilsbury, now 58, never made another movie. Through the years, he's been reported as being in Europe trying to revive his modeling career, and living in Los Angeles working as a soundman. On the crew list as sound designer for the 2001 movie "Lethal Force," Spilsbury's capsule bio says he "divides his time creating audio soundscapes for subliminal self-improvement CDs and spending romantic evenings with his longtime companion of over ten years, Frank Prather."

DEAR STACY: How did Arturo Gatti die? I liked him. — Jocelyn, Bronx, N.Y.

DEAR JOCELYN: Although family and friends of the late Canadian boxing champ disputed it and cried foul play, his death was ruled as a suicide by hanging by judges both in Canada and Brazil, where he died in July.

DEAR STACY: I would like to know some details about Josh Groban, such as: Is he single? Where is he from? Age? How did he get started as a singer? — Mary R., Cedar Rapids, Iowa

DEAR MARY: At age 28, L.A. native Groban has sold nearly 20 million albums. He drummed in a teen rock band and studied keyboards, but when his voice changed at age 13 or 14, he began to realize his potential.

In 1997 and 1998, Groban attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, majoring in music theatre. In 1999, producer/arranger/writer David Foster started working with Groban as a rehearsal singer. It was at former California Gov. Gray Davis' inaugural ball that David E. Kelly witnessed the reaction to Groban's singing and so he wrote him into an "Ally McBeal" episode. Two weeks later, Foster called wanting Groban to come to the Grammy Awards rehearsals the next morning to substitute for Andrea Bocelli, singing "The Prayer" with Celine Dion. The MC for the Grammys that year, Rosie O'Donnell, heard his performance and invited Josh to appear on her show. Groban, who has also trained as an opera singer, was, for a short time, a student at Carnegie Mellon University before leaving to promote his first album full time. The 6-foot-1/2-inch-tall singer, who had a three-year relationship with actress January Jones ("Mad Men"), is single.

DEAR STACY: What is Moira Kelly doing now? She was in "The Cutting Edge" (early 1990s), the first year of "The West Wing" and of late, "One Tree Hill." — Dave A., Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR DAVE: Seen as Department of Homeland Security Agent Abby Collins on "Heroes" last season, she now has an independent feature called "City of Shoulders and Noses" in the pipeline. It's a comedy murder mystery involving an Italian heiress with Kim Coates, Nicholas Turturro, Robert Carradine, Ruth Buzzi, Lou Ferrigno and John Saxon also in the cast.

DEAR STACY: The actor who plays Mike on "The Middle" looks familiar. What other shows has he been on? — C.B., Cedar Rapids, Iowa

DEAR C.B.: Neil Flynn is familiar to "Scrubs" fans as The Janitor, which he's played throughout the run of the show. He also has a long — long — list of episodic TV guest roles, in series ranging from "CSI" to "The Drew Carey Show," and roles in features including "Mean Girls" and "Magnolia." His voice work ranges from the "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" cartoon series to the recent big screen "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs."

DEAR STACY: Regarding the "Hazel" TV series: what are Don DeFore, Whitney Blake and Bobby Buntrock doing now? Is Whitney Blake the mother of Meredith Baxter? — Debbie W., East Brunswick, N.J.

DEAR DEBBIE: DeFore died of a heart attack in 1993 and Blake died of cancer in 2002, at ages 80 and 76, respectively. Buntrock was killed in a car accident at the age of 21, in 1974. Blake had three children, including Meredith Baxter.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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