Army Archerd's column in Variety, Monday, September 24, 2007:
The Hills Are Alive With The Sounds of Giving
During the day, all day Monday, it was the Beverly Hilton Grand Ballroom packed with families and their 169 children in need -- children unable to hear.
When they left, they heard, many for the first time, the sounds of joy and laughter. They ranged in age from infants to teens. The Starkey Hearing Foundation's Bill Austin, his family and staff who had flown in from Minneapolis, fitted each of the children as they paraded up to the stage for examinations and then received their hearing aids.
Among the celebs working with Austin and company was Nicolette Sheridan, who had been on another mission with Austin. Her fiance Michael Bolton, along with Paul Williams, had written the Foundation's theme, "No Greater Gift Than Giving."
Also on hand, Leslie Nielsen who portrays Bill Austin in the upcoming (Oct.26) feature, "Music Within" directed by Steven Sawalich and staring Ron Livingston, Melissa George and Michael Sheen.
Also in attendence: Marion Ross, who plays Nielsen's wife in "Super Hero" for the Zucker brothers (She's also Sally Field's mother in "Brothers & Sisters," and will costar with Paul Michael on the San Diego's Globe stage in Joe Di Pietro's "The Last Romance"). Also there, Robert Culp, who had been present at another Starkey mission for needy children.