Lou Waters was one of the original anchors of Cable News Network an American cable news station when it first aired in the summer of 1980. He remained one of the network's primary anchors until September 2001, adding to a journalism career spanning nearly 40 years. For much of his tenure with the network, Waters anchored CNN Today with Natalie Allen. Additionally, he co-anchored Early Prime and hosted special editions, including Coming of Age, a series on aging in American society. Waters spoke to expert scientists and people of all ages about their views on aging for this series.

Waters was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota School of Architecture. Before joining CNN, Waters was a disc jockey and newscaster in Tucson, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Buffalo and New York City. After his career at CNN, Waters became managing editor and host of NewsProNet's "Investing in America" consumer money reports, seen on more than 80 television stations across the U.S.

James F. Hawkins (born November 13, 1941), known as Jimmy Hawkins, and later, Jim Hawkins, is an American actor and film producer whose career began as a child actor to such Hollywood stars as Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, and Donna Reed. His acting career spans the time frame from 1944–1974, after which he devoted his energies to the production of films and later to his construction/contracting business. Hawkins had starring roles in several television series: The Ruggles (1949–1952), Annie Oakley (1954–1957, syndicated), The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966, ABC), and Petticoat Junction (CBS, the first four seasons, 1963–1967). He also had recurring roles as (1) a friend of the Nelson brothers on ABC’s The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and (2) as Jonathan Baylor on CBS's Ichabod and Me sitcom with Robert Sterling and George Chandler in the 1961-1962 season. He guest starred in many other programs during his childhood and young adult years.

Hawkins was born in Los Angeles to Thomas J. Hawkins (1913–1993) and Bette C. Hawkins (born ca. 1916). His first roles—as a two-year-old—were uncredited – Spencer Tracy’s The Seventh Cross and Lana Turner’s Marriage Is A Private Affair at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. His mother was the force behind his early childhood acting. He graduated from the Roman Catholic-affiliated Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.

Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American blues, jazz and gospel vocalist and actress. She frequently performed jazz, big band, and pop music, on the Broadway stage and in concerts, although she began her career in the 1920s singing blues.

Her best-known recordings includes, "Dinah", "Stormy Weather", "Taking a Chance on Love", "Heat Wave", "Supper Time", "Am I Blue?", and "Cabin in the Sky", as well as her version of the spiritual "His Eye Is on the Sparrow". Waters was the second African American, after Hattie McDaniel, to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Ethel Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania on October 31, 1896, as a result of the rape of her teenaged mother, Louise Anderson (believed to have been thirteen years old at the time, although some sources indicate she may have been slightly older) by John Waters, a pianist and family acquaintance from a mixed-race middle-class background, who played no role in raising Ethel. Ethel Waters was raised in poverty and never lived in the same place for more than 15 months. She said of her difficult childhood, "I never was a child. I never was cuddled, or liked, or understood by my family."^{[citation needed]} Waters grew tall, standing 5'9½" in her teens. According to women-in-jazz historian and archivist Rosetta Reitz, Waters' birth in the North and her peripatetic life exposed her to many cultures.

Lou Santiago (b. 1963) is a retired U. S. Navy Seabee, an automotive builder and fabricator, and television host/personality.

Lou was born in Bronx, New York to Raul and Lily Santiago. His family later relocated to Hempstead, (Long Island) New York where he graduated from Uniondale High School. While attending Uniondale, Lou earned a two-year trade certificate in diesel mechanics from the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). Lou's love of car building began with the help of his life-long friend, Wayne Swanson and his 1968 Dodge Dart.

Lou joined the U.S. Navy in 1981 as a Seabee mechanic supporting Navy Seal Team Eight. As a Seabee, Lou was responsible for maintaining heavy equipment that was vital to the safety and support of Team Eight. His fabrication abilities were an asset, as parts were sparse and conditions intense. After a decorated career, Lou took an early retirement in 1997 to care for his wife.

After retiring, Lou earned an Associate's Degree in Human Behavior from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC. He began working as a Behavior Management Technician at a school for children with behavior challenges. To supplement his income, he began to teach himself how to build transmissions, brackets, roll cages and chassis.

Bryan Fuller (born July 27, 1969) is an American screenwriter and television producer.

As a contributing writer, Fuller's work has been featured on several shows, including Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, earning twenty-two episode writing credits for the Star Trek franchise. He co-executive-produced and wrote for the first season of the NBC series Heroes. TV Guide named an episode of Heroes which Fuller wrote ("Company Man") one of the 100 greatest in television history.

Fuller is himself a fan of science fiction, and in an interview said that his favorite Star Trek series were the 1960s original, followed by Deep Space Nine, The Next Generation and Voyager. DS9 is his favorite spinoff as "there were lots of new and innovative things going on during Deep Space Nine and that's why it's my favorite of the new series'. It was much more character-based". Fuller worked on the DS9 episodes "The Darkness and the Light" and "Empok Nor".

Fuller has also created several shows. He created the series Dead Like Me and co-created Wonderfalls with Todd Holland. He also wrote the teleplay for the TV adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie, and created the pilot for the animated The Amazing Screw-On Head.