Fresh Air recognizes the release of a new special edition DVD of the film West Side Story by airing archival interviews with cast members George Chakiris, Rita Moreno, and Marni Nixon. The film, which is a screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical about New York City gangs circa 1960, won ten Oscars.

George Chakiris played Bernardo in the movie, and won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the role. Chakiris was born in 1935 and made his acting debut at the age of 12. He's been in many films, TV shows, and plays. He got the West Side Story film role after playing the role of Biff in the London theater production of the play.

Actress Rita Moreno won an Oscar for her role as Anita in West Side Story. She's been in dozens of films and TV shows. Many baby boomers will remember her from the kids' PBS series The Electric Company. She played a starlet in Singin' in the Rain. Moreno is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as being the first performer to win an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, and a Grammy (however, the entry is inaccurate; Barbara Streisand won all four by 1970).

Marni Nixon is the singing voice of Maria (played by Natalie Wood) in West Side Story. She also did voiceovers for Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. More recently, she did voiceover work for the animated film Mulan. (Original Broadcast Date: October 25, 2001)