REAL PEOPLE

Thank God for the likes of Leonard Maltin, as quoted in David Kronke’s article (“The Warts Have It,” Dec. 11).

Without Maltin, Kronke would have been short of copy for you and the excellent screenwriter Larry Karaszewski would still be in the dark. Not that the latter needs a light! Kronke’s piece was ill-served by all-too-familiar Hollywood introspection.

He need only have had looked to European filmmakers for balance. Amazing that Kronke felt there was no place in his article for mention nor examination of such bio-pics as “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Becket,” “Gandhi,” “Chariots of Fire,” to name a few.

PETER SANDS

Sherman Oaks

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Kronke rewrites (or ignores) movie history. His thesis (as expressed by Ron Shelton) is that “we’ve come a long way from ‘The Glenn Miller Story’ ” in 1954.

While figures like Benny Goodman and Eddy Duchin received similar admiring, treacly treatment in their bios during that period, just one year after Miller’s beatification came “Love Me or Leave Me,” with Doris Day depicting Ruth Etting’s ruthless ambition and mild dipsomania, followed closely by the serious alcoholism of Lillian Roth (Susan Hayward) in “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” and the manic antics of Jim Piersall (Anthony Perkins) in “Fear Strikes Out.”

We didn’t have to wait until 1974 and “Lenny” to see unflattering movie biographies.

ROBERT B. CLARK

Chula Vista