| PALLO | Jackie ?, wrestler-actor; author of 1985 autobiography You Grunt, I"ll Groan (5) |
| HOGAN | Hulk ?, wrestler-actor who played Thunderlips in 1982 film drama Rocky III (5) |
| SMOOTHIE | Starting with small animal grunt, I tuck into the fruit cocktail (8) |
| NIVEN | Late British actor, author of The Moon's A Balloon, and Bring on the Empty Horses (5,5) |
| DAVID | Late British actor, author of The Moon's A Balloon, and Bring on the Empty Horses (5,5) |
| HAWKE | Ethan ___, US actor; author of novels Ash Wednesday and The Hottest State (5) |
| SAGAN | Carl ___, American astronomer; author of 1985 novel Contact (5) |
| MASON | Jackie ?, US stand-up comedian whose show won a Tony Special Award in 1987 (5) |
| SAYLE | Alexei _ actor, author and alternative comedian (5) |
| GIANT | Andre the ___ (wrestler/actor in The Princess Bride) |
| ANDRE | Wrestler/actor ___ the Giant |
| HAGEN | "A Challenge for the Actor" author |
| CAVE | Nick ___, singer-actor; author of 2009 novel The Death of Bunny Munro (4) |
| ADDISON | Chris ___, comedian-actor; author of 2006 poetry volume Cautionary Tales for Grown-Ups (7) |
| HUGHLAURIE | English actor; author of 1996 novel The Gun Seller (4,6) |
| FIERSTEIN | Harvey ?, actor; author of 1981 stage play Torch Song Trilogy |
| CAPOTE | Truman _, US writer and actor; author of 1958 novella Breakfast At Tiffany's (6) |
| LIFE | He told his own story: If you like a good autobiography, you might want to read "The ___ and Times of Frederick Douglass" |
| PORKFISH | Having the flesh of animal and cod and gar will make you grunt (4-4) |
| SEANHUGHES | Stand-up comedian and actor, author of novels It's What He Would've Wanted and The Detainees, who died in 2017 (4,6) |
