Danny Hajek

Wimbledon 1980: Wooden Racquets, Short Shorts And The Ultimate Showdown

Danny Hajek

On July 5, 1980, the stage was set for the greatest rivalry in tennis: Iceman Björn Borg versus hothead John McEnroe. The match lasted four hours — and was one of the best in Wimbledon history.

Stephanie Izard says the Olive Garden helped to reignite a childhood passion for food. She went to Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona and later moved to Chicago where she opened up her first restaurant.

Salad Ties And Breadsticks: Star Chef Started At The Olive Garden

NPR Staff

Stephanie Izard is the chef behind Chicago's award-winning Girl and the Goat restaurant — and the first woman to win on Bravo's Top Chef. But her food career began in the land of unlimited salad.

Zayas is best known for his role as Sergeant Angel Batista on the Showtime drama <em>Dexter</em>. "The one through line of all 8 years of that character was his integrity and honesty," Zayas says.

For 'Dexter' Star David Zayas, Acting Was A Long Shot Away

NPR Staff

The Bronx native grew up in a blue-collar household; a life in show business seemed far from reality. He spent time in the Air Force and as a cop before he finally gave his childhood dream a chance.

Leland Melvin with his dogs, Jake and Scout. "I snuck them into NASA to get this picture," Melvin says.

From Touchdowns To Takeoff: Engineer-Athlete Soared To Space

NPR Staff

When Leland Melvin pulled his hamstring during practice with the Dallas Cowboys, his NFL career was over. So he did the next logical thing: He joined NASA and became an astronaut.

After moving back home, Tom Toro didn't know what to do with his life. But a stack of magazines at a used book sale gave him an idea. "There they were," Toro says. "Cartoons in among the articles."

How'd A Cartoonist Sell His First Drawing? It Only Took 610 Tries

NPR Staff

Tom Toro was a directionless 20-something film school dropout. Then, after an inspired moment at a used book sale, he started submitting drawings to The New Yorker -- and collecting rejection slips.

During a wildlife survey in Madagascar, Mayor discovered a new species of mouse lemur. "[It] weighs less than two ounces, fits in the palm of your hands," she says.

Trading Pom-Poms For Field Boots: Mireya Mayor's Big Break

NPR Staff

The explorer's life plays out like an adventure film. But before she ever went diving with great whites, she was cheering for the Miami Dolphins — until a required science course changed her plans.

Twenty-one-year-old Liu Jing sits in her apartment two stories underground in Beijing, China. Her laundry hangs above her head because there's nowhere else to put her clothes.

'A Universe Beneath Our Feet': Life In Beijing's Underground

NPR Staff

In China's capital city, even the humblest apartment can cost a fortune. But more affordable housing hides below the city's bustling streets, in tiny (and illegal) basements and bomb shelters.

Black-Market Diesel: Thieves Sell Fuel By The Truckload

Danny Hajek

Some criminals hide payment-card skimmers in gas pumps to steal credit card numbers. But that isn't the end of the story: Those stolen numbers are just the start of a highly profitable operation.

James Earl Jones was born in Mississippi and grew up in Michigan. He was adopted by his grandparents and eventually developed a stutter. "I'm still a stutterer," he says. "I just work with it."

James Earl Jones: From Stutterer To Janitor To Broadway Star

Danny Hajek

The 83-year-old was once a farm kid who didn't want to talk. Today, the unmistakable stage and screen actor (not to mention the voice of Darth Vader) still calls himself a "journeyman actor."

From Mannequin To Actor: Geena Davis' 'Ridiculous, Ridiculous' Break

Danny Hajek

Geena Davis has played unforgettable roles in movies like Beetlejuice and A League of Their Own. But before her acting debut in Tootsie, she worked at a clothing store in window displays.