It’s a mystery why this Sherlock was omitted

As someone who has researched and written about Sherlock Holmes for decades, I was delighted to read Rosemary McClure’s excellent article [“On the Holmes Case,” Nov. 4].

However, I was mystified (and that is the appropriate word) at her omission of the late Jeremy Brett, an actor who many Sherlockians, including myself, feel was the most authentic Holmes. Brett hauntingly portrayed the great detective in all 41 episodes of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories in the BBC’s Granada TV series, which spanned 1984 through 1994.

I first met Brett during one of his London stage performances as Holmes and we became friends. He once told me Sherlock Holmes was the only character he had ever played who threatened to take over his entire persona, “but we finally met, shook hands and became friends,” he confided one day.

Such are the combined powers of a character who never existed and a talented thespian who portrayed him so accurately.

Richard Carleton Hacker — Sherman Oaks

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Immigration checkpoints need to anticipate arrivals

Re: “Skip the Line in VIP Style,” by George Hobica, Oct. 14: Travelers deserve better than waiting in long lines at immigration.

With about 300 other passengers, we arrived in New York on Oct. 22 from London on a Virgin Atlantic flight.

After a long walk to the immigration checkpoint, we stood in line and waited 20 minutes for the kiosks to open.

There were about 20 kiosks, but immigration opened only two of them, and then a few minutes later a third. The line moved very slowly.

After a six-hour flight, passengers are tired. Certainly immigration officials are aware of flights arriving, and they must know how many passengers need to be cleared to enter the country.

It appears there is little immigration officials have no regard for the comfort of travelers. Aren’t they working for us?

They should have opened six to eight kiosks (or more) to accommodate weary travelers.

And they should have had those kiosks open and ready for passengers when we arrived.

There were families with small children, elderly passengers with canes.

Hobica’s article about “Skip the Lines” was interesting. But most travelers don’t have the funds to pay for a service that needs to become a real service for all passengers:

Open enough kiosks to accommodate all passengers and be available when passengers arrive. Sounds like basic, sensible service, doesn’t it?

Carole Ozanian — Canoga Park

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