people and celebrities

As it does with the death of a Jedi, the Force only grew stronger with Elvis Presley after his untimely passing on Aug. 16, 1977.

Kyra Sedgwick is learning from her character on "The Closer.""I love the way she is full of power, and she is unapologetic about it," says Sedgwick, who is into her fourth season of playing the confident and empathetic detective, Brenda Johnson, on the hit series (9 p.m. EDT Mondays, TNT).

At first, Claire Forlani was puzzled at being asked to play the girlfriend in a movie from the "Cannonball Run" school of comedy.The script for "Beer for My Horses" was funny, but the actors were unfamiliar. "I said, 'I haven't heard of any of these actors. What have they done?' "

Probably her greatest role was that of wife to Hollywood's legendary producer and director, Stanley Kramer, who made such classics as "High Noon," "Ship of Fools" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

With the sour national economy, this isn't the optimum time to open a luxury hotel.Or is it?As an immigrant, Emilio Estefan feels a sense of obligation to do his part."That's exactly what you have to do," he said. "When the economy is bad, we need to give back ... We want to be sure that we support this country."

His name might not be familiar at first. But John Ratzenberger can't walk down any street in the United States without someone recognizing him as Cliff, the know-it-all mailman who sat at the bar where everyone knows your name for 11 years on the hit TV series "Cheers."

When you call Fred "The Hammer" Williamson on his cell phone, if you're lucky, he won't answer. Because if he doesn't answer, you'll get to hear a phone message that is (a) kind of awe-inspiring, and (b) a reality check that reminds you of your status as a person who has not and never will be able to refer to himself, without irony, as "The Hammer."

Hayley Atwell was "minus 1" when the landmark miniseries "Brideshead Revisited" debuted on British television and turned Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews and Diana Quick into stars, but ever since she auditioned for the role of Julia Flyte in a new film version of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel, she's found herself connected to the 1981 series.

At 93, the father of the modern fitness movement, Jack LaLanne, is still on message and advocating exercise and healthy eating habits. He opened the first modern health club in 1936. His latest vehicle is a book he co-wrote with Matthew J. Rettick. "Fiscal Fitness: 8 Steps to Wealth & Health," is about attaining physical and fiscal fitness at any age.

Back in the late '50s, when he was a teen-ager, Taj Mahal was torn between a career in music and a life on the farm.With his passion and intelligence, he would have been successful at either one, but his fans can be thankful that he chose the guitar over the plow.