Question: My favorite TV show was "I'll Fly Away" starring Regina Taylor. What has she been doing since that show? -- G.F., Seattle, Wash.
Answer: Taylor has continued working in both film and television since her role as housekeeper Lily Harperin the critically praised "I'll Fly Away." She reprised the role in a 1993 sequel for PBS.
Most recently, Taylor has appeared in the feature films "The Negotiator" with Samuel L. Jackson and "Courage Under Fire" with Meg Ryan. In 1997, she starred in "Feds," a short-lived legal drama from "Law & Order" producer Dick Wolf. Earlier this year, she completed the TV movie "Strange Justice." The actress is a graduate of SMU's Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas.
Question: Do you have any background information on Mary Wickes? She was the housekeeper on "Father Dowling Mysteries," played Sister Mary Lazarus in the "Sister Act" movies and was in numerous other TV shows. It seemed like she always played the housekeeper/maid role. Did she ever star in a TV show of her own? -- C.M., Cincinnati
Answer: During her long career in film and television, Wickes was the perennial character actress. She appeared mostly in TV sitcoms, usually playing a busybody neighbor or sharp-tongued housekeeper. Early in her career, she was the original Mary Poppins in a 1949 Studio One presentation with E.G. Marshall.
While she never had her own TV show, Wickes co-starred in countless sitcoms over the years. She was Lloyd Nolan's wife on "Julia," Miss Esther on "Dennis the Menace" and housekeeper Marie Gillespie on "Father Dowling." She was the voice of Lauren in the animated "Hunchback of Notre Dame" and of Grandma in the "Life With Louie" cartoon series. Wickes died in October 1995.
Question: I would like to know whether Della Reese has a recording of the song she sings on "Touched by an Angel." I think the name of it is "I Walk With You." -- K.C., Sacramento, Calif.
Answer: "I Walk With You," by Reese and the Verity All-Stars, is one of the cuts on the "Touched by an Angel" soundtrack, which features a variety of artists and songs that have been featured on the CBS show. It's available on the Sony label.
Question: What is Patrick Duffy up to these days? All I have seen him in lately are reruns of "Dallas" and "Step by Step." -- M.E.S., Philadelphia
Answer: Besides the two "Dallas" sequels in 1996 and 1998, the former Bobby Ewing has appeared in just a few TV movies since his "Dallas" and "Step by Step" days. In his latest TV outing, he teams with Pam Dawber in the thriller "Don't Look Behind You." There's no air date on that one yet. Duffy also has completed a yet-to-be-released feature film called "Perfect Game." He celebrated his 50th birthday on March 17.
Question: Please tell me what happened to Giselle Fernandez from "Access Hollywood." I miss seeing her and never heard why she left the show. -- S.D., Diamond Bar, Calif.
Answer: The Mexican-born broadcaster's contract with "Access Hollywood" ended in January, and Fernandez decided not to re-sign. She has her own production company and has just inked a deal with Si TV to bring her "Cafe Ole" interview show, originally seen on Galavision, to the new Latino-themed cable network when it debuts next year. Meanwhile, she says she'll continue to conduct interviews for publication on her Casa Giselle Web site www.wa3key.com/giselle.html.
Question: Please tell me who sings the title song and the song at the end of the show "The Sopranos," the new series on HBO. My sister and I really like the song and we are curious about who sings it. -- V.L.H.
Answer: The HBO series opens with the instrumental "Green Onions" by Booker T and the MGs. The show's theme song is "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3. The various songs heard in the weekly episodes go uncredited but generate a lot of buzz in the HBO/Soprano on-line chat room. Some of the selections have included "The Beast in Me" by Nick Lowe, "Battle Flag" by Pigeonhed, "Look on Down From the Bridge" by Mazzy Star and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, Opus. 11. "The Sopranos" ends its highly has been renewed for a second season that will begin later in the year.
Sorry, no personal replies. Send your questions about TV to: TV Week, The Dallas Morning News, Communications Center,P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265. E-mail: tvq&a@dallasnews.com