She is their youngest daughter and, although many readers remember her parents well, Hargitay, 37, does not play up her family background. She certainly paid her acting dues in small movies and TV guest roles before finding SVU, which will be back with fresh episodes on Fridays come fall. Born and reared in L.A., Hargitay, who speaks French, Italian and Hungarian, was just 3 1/2 in 1967 when her mother, divorced from her father, was killed in a car crash. Hargitay, who was in the back seat, escaped unharmed.

What's up with Vanna White's flat bob-and-bangs haircut? The Wheel of Fortune letter-turner used to look more elegant.
Diane Choukalas, Maple Grove, Minn.

White changed her hair for two reasons: The look of the show is less elaborate today, and she's a mom who found that her long, wavy hair wasn't working. But White isn't the only celebrity whose hair we scrutinize. Here, Steven Cojocaru, style correspondent for "People" and NBC's "Today" show, adds his opinion on the best and worst tressed:

No. Varney left in a huff in April, but he wasn't fired. He reportedly was offended when CNN founder Ted Turner called employees who observed Ash Wednesday "Jesus freaks." Turner later apologized, but it seemed to be the last straw for Varney, who also was unhappy that "Moneyline" was giving more face time to new correspondents. His exit helped clear the way for the ballyhooed return of anchor Lou Dobbs. While Varney has had other TV offers, he now makes his money on the lecture circuit as one of the most in-demand financial speakers, according to Keppler Associates, which represents him and other high-powered political, media and entertainment types.

Why did "The West Wing" kill off one of its best characters? I'm talking about the surprising death of Mrs. Landingham, the fictional president's secretary.
Alice Bromley, New York City

That unseen car crash that killed Kathryn Joosten's character was creator Aaron Sorkin's "creative process" at work. Joosten, 61, expects she'll have an occasional ghostly presence in "Wing"'s third season come mid-September as well as a continued recurring role on ABC's "Dharma & Greg". Mrs. Landingham wasn't the only popular series regular to bite the dust in surprising season enders. The Practice's assistant DA Richard Bay (Jason Kravits) went out in a blaze of bullets. We're told creator David E. Kelley delivered the bad news to Kravits just before taping. Kravits is back on the road in a sketch comedy show with his friend Joel Jones.