MR. VERSATILITY

I read your recent profile of actor Alan Arkin with interest and no small amount of pride (“Who Says You Have to Be a Star?” by Kristine McKenna, Jan. 25).

As the director of “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,” I have long considered Alan’s performance in the film one of the best of his long and distinguished career.

Before “Heart,” as your article points out, Alan was known primarily as a comic actor, and indeed had been nominated for an Oscar for “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!” In “Heart,” he showed us another side of his remarkable talent; however, for the record, your article failed to mention that Alan was Oscar nominated for best actor for that performance.

Alan Arkin continues to amaze me to this day with his versatility.

ROBERT ELLIS MILLER

Hollywood