#Middlebury
Q: I was watching the Netflix documentary “The Last Blockbuster,” and it brought back a lot of good memories. One of the actors interviewed was Eric Close. I hadn’t seen him in anything in years. Wasn’t he on a police drama? – E.M.
A: Eric Close has been a regular on several prime-time shows, but you’re probably thinking of “Without a Trace,” where he played an FBI agent. It was a CBS mystery drama that ran from 2002 to 2009 and starred Close alongside Anthony LaPaglia and Poppy Montgomery.
He next appeared as attorney Travis Tanner for four seasons on the USA Network series “Suits” and then starred opposite Connie Britton on ABC’s “Nashville.” Close most recently appeared in the Hallmark movie “A Christmas Love Story.”
“The Last Blockbuster” is about, as the title suggests, the last remaining Blockbuster Video store. It’s located in Bend, Oregon, and is run by general manager Sandi Harding, who is featured in the documentary. Other celebrities featured include comedic actors Paul Scheer (“The League”), who used to work at Blockbuster and has the pictures to prove it, and director Kevin Smith.
Q: I was watching a classic episode of “The Office” recently where Jim and Pam go to Michael and Jan’s condo for dinner. Who is the woman who played Dwight’s former babysitter, whom he brought to the party? It was driving me crazy because I know I’ve seen her in tons of movies over the years. – D.E.
A: She’s character actress Beth Grant. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, you’d surely recognize her from such critically acclaimed movies as “Rain Man,” where she memorably played the farm woman who answered the door to Tom Cruise, and later played the pageant official in “Little Miss Sunshine.” She was a regular on the TV comedy “The Mindy Project,” which starred Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly in “The Office.”
If you want to scroll through the long list of her many, many credits, go to IMDb.com and search under Beth Grant. She’s quite an accomplished actress!
Christopher Meloni (Virginia Sherwood/NBC photo)
Q: I’m so happy that Chris Meloni is returning to “Law & Order: SVU.” When will those episodes air? –B.S.
A: It’s been a decade since Meloni left the hit show after contract negotiations fell through. He recently told “People” magazine that he felt he would never return, but for reasons he says are personal, he’s had a change of heart. Meloni will now head up a new “Law & Order” franchise, “Law & Order: Organized Crime.” On April 1 on NBC, Meloni will return home to “SVU” for a special episode opposite his former co-star and friend Mariska Hargitay, followed by the premiere of “Organized Crime.”
In the newest “L&O” spinoff, Meloni will reprise his role as Elliot Stabler, who returns to the NYPD to take on the city’s most powerful organized crime syndicates. Tamara Taylor (“Bones”) and Dylan McDermott (“American Horror Story”) round out the cast.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.
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