Ask Stacy -- Week of October 15 by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith on Creators.com

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Ask Stacy -- Week of October 15

DEAR STACY: I'd like to know more about the (in my opinion) underappreciated Ricardo Chavira from 'Desperate Housewives.' Can you give some background, etc? — Claudia O., Cedar Rapids, Iowa

DEAR CLAUDIA: The handsome actor, who plays Eva Longoria's husband, Carlos Solis, on 'Housewives,' was born in Austin, Texas, on September 1, 1971, and was raised in San Antonio. He's of Mexican, German and Irish descent. Chavira reportedly got interested in acting in high school as a way to meet girls. As things turned out, acting not only opened a new world to him, it helped him deal with the loss of his mother from cancer when he was just 15. (He's an active supporter of breast cancer research, and serves as San Antonio's honorary spokesman for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity in addition to other activities.)

He received his undergraduate degree from San Antonio's Incarnate Word College and then went on to get his MFA from UC-San Diego's Professional Actor Training Program before moving to Los Angeles. He and his wife, Marcea, have a son, Tomas, born in 2003, and a daughter, Belen, born in '08.

Prior to "Desperate Housewives," Chavira played Freddy Rodriguez' brother-in-law on HBO's "Six Feet Under." Other credits include guest roles on "The Division" and "24" and features including "The Alamo."

DEAR STACY: Please settle a difference of opinion regarding the Honda Pilot commercial where the kids and parents start playing a song while heading down the road. My friend says they're just playing a random song. I think they're doing "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne. Who wins? — Jim S., Escondido, Calif.

DEAR JIM: You're correct.

The spot, titled "Road Trip," has six kids and two adults in the vehicle attempting to sing "Crazy Train" a capella.

DEAR STACY: Whatever became of Karen Grassle, who played the mother in "Little House on the Prairie?" — Joan M., Secaucus, N.J.

DEAR JOAN: Still lovely at 69, Grassle has been present for "Little House" reunion events here and there. She's devoted her time to the stage, which she describes as her first love, in locales around the country, including Santa Fe, N.M., Boston; New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, where she now resides. In 2006, Grassle starred in "Driving Miss Daisy" in Winnipeg, Canada. Thrice divorced, she is close to her adopted daughter, Lily, who lives in Colorado.

DEAR STACY: Where is Shelley Hack of the old "Charlie's Angels"? You never hear her mentioned in "Angels" stories. — H.C., Chattanooga, Tenn.

DEAR H.C.: The fascinating lady retired from acting in 1997, after accumulating credits in such diverse fare as "The Stepfather" cult horror film, and Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy." She then established her international Shelley Hack Media Consultancy company, which has undertaken projects that include the transition of Bosnian state television into a public broadcasting entity.

She produced political debates abroad and provided public presentation training for politicians. She worked on a campaign for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation through print and television. Last year, she and her husband, Harry Winer, established Smash Media, which develops and produces content for films, TV and new media. They have one daughter, Rose.

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.

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