DEAR STACY: I like Jessica Stroup of "90210." She was on "Reaper," correct? Can you give some background about her? — A.D., Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR A.D.: Yes, Stroup played the recurring role of Cady, ex-girlfriend of Sam (Bret Harrison) and possible daughter of the devil on "Reaper." The single, 21-year-old South Carolina native is a self-described "jock" who played a variety of sports in school in addition to being involved in theater arts. She started modeling when in high school, and, as she puts it, "I used the modeling platform to help me get out here" — to Hollywood. Jessica was a mere 17 years old when she arrived, and "My mom came out with me for about a month," until she was set up in an apartment with a fellow aspiring actress roommate. Soon she began to get work — guesting on Nickelodeon's "Unfabulous" in '05, then CBS's "Vampire Bats" telepic. She was in the Fox TV movie "Southern Comfort" and her credits include the big-screen "School for Scandal," "Prom Night" and "The Hills Have Eyes II." Stroup, who's been the target of complaints about overly thin actresses on "90210," has also completed the horror flick "Homecoming" with Mischa Barton.

DEAR STACY: Any chance that Robert Vaughn will guest on ex-"Man From U.N.C.L.E." partner David McCallum's show, "NCIS"? Napoleon and Illya, what a reunion that could be. — John D., Cleveland, Ohio

DEAR JOHN: It could happen, though it hasn't happened yet. Vaughn has said he'd be delighted to guest on the show.

DEAR STACY: I was saddened to hear that Jerry Reed passed away. He was a favorite. What was the cause, and when? — Paula J., Canton, Ohio

DEAR PAULA: The Grammy-winning ("When You're Hot You're Hot") country singer and actor of "Smokey and the Bandit" fame died of emphysema at age 71, on Aug. 31., in Nashville.

DEAR STACY: Will Jay Mohr be making any return appearances on "Ghost Whisperer"? — Traci A., Whiting, N.J.

DEAR TRACI: It's possible. The "Ghost Whisperer" producers have made it clear that the welcome mat remains out for Mohr, who left to do his own "Gary Unmarried" series this season — while his "Ghost Whisperer" character went "on sabbatical."

DEAR STACY: Whatever became of actor/singer/host John Davidson? — David D., West Haven, Conn.

DEAR DAVID: Still handsome with silver hair at 66, Davidson has been keeping a full calendar of concert engagements around the country. Of late, he's been busy launching a new play he wrote himself called "Father/Son and Holy Ghost," which is about to start a run at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. It's due Oct. 22-26 at the Surflight Theatre in Long Beach Island, N.J. The one-time "That's Incredible!" and "Hollywood Squares" host, who grew up the son of two Baptist ministers, drew on his own life story to pen the drama of a father and son who encounter each other as men of the same age and, as Davidson's announcement puts it, "What seems to be a discussion of religion culminates in revelations that will forever bind — and separate — them."

DEAR STACY: "Night Court" remains one of my all-time favorite classic sitcoms, but they only released the first season on DVD. What gives? — Ken E., Flushing, N.Y.

DEAR KEN: That first season release in '05 didn't fare well enough in the marketplace to inspire Warner Home Video to rush out Season Two. However, die-hards apparently continued to clamor for more, and the studio recently told TVShowsonDVD.com that the second season will be released next year.

DEAR STACY: Are Mario Peeples and Nia Peeples related? — A.D., Plainfield, Ill.

DEAR A.D.: I'm not sure who you mean by Mario Peeples, but the name Mario Van Peebles keeps coming up when I run Internet searches. He, of course, is the actor/filmmaker son of African-American filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles and German actress Maria Marx. Unless very distantly, he's not related to R&B and dance singer and actress Nia, whose roots are Filipino, German, Spanish, Scottish, Irish, English, Native American and Italian.

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 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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