EQUAL BILLING

The rambling March 3 letter written by Charlton (Chuck) Heston regarding stunt pros seemed to be nothing more than a study in name-dropping. Better yet, nickname-dropping.

Other than telling us about Yak, Willy, Dick and Joe, the letter didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. One does not need to be a genius or a “legend” to know that a mistaken stunt can cost money or a life.

Please don’t print letters simply because of star recognition.

EPHRAIM (EPH) MOXSON

Los Angeles

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What are we to make of Gore Vidal? He’s earned a respectable reputation as essayist-novelist, but now he’s determined to pass himself off as a screenwriter, particularly of “Ben-Hur.” Your piece on the portrayal of homosexuals in film demonstrates his obsession (“Opening Hollywood’s Closet,” by Eric Gutierrez, March 10).

Vidal, over the years, has made more and more extravagant claims of authorship. He was in fact imported for a trial run on a script that needed work. Over three days (recorded in my work journal) he produced a scene of several pages which Wyler rejected after a read-through with Steve Boyd and me. Vidal left the next day.

Vidal’s claim that he slipped in a scene implying a homosexual relationship between the two men insults Willy Wyler and, I have to say, irritates the hell out of me.

CHARLTON HESTON

Beverly Hills

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Gutierrez quotes filmmaker Jeffrey Friedman as saying, “Hollywood is becoming more aware, and there are filmmakers who are trying to get beyond the conventional language of stereotypes. . . . African American characters went through a similar process.”

As a gay African American actor, it would help speed things up if “Hollywood” got it into gear and began depicting more of us gay and lesbian folk of color in their “gay” movies. Heterosexual audiences need to learn about black and brown gay people too!

RONALD DENNIS

Los Angeles