Looking at the Person Behind the Story

I understand the intent of Brian Lowry’s column about the death of David Strickland but found I was disturbed by the tone: a certain literary callousness that sent a chill through me (“Actor’s Death Raises a Disturbing Clamor,” March 30).

Yes, it was David’s tragic death that captured the attention of the media and gave them their obnoxious 6 o’clock sound bite that they hoped would pull in an audience. But Lowry seemed to minimize David’s accomplishments and dismiss his importance and value. I’m sure he didn’t mean it to sound that way, but it did.

What Lowry couldn’t address was the person who was David. To his friends, his co-workers and his family, he was a warm, loving, bright, sensitive and extremely talented young man. I am proud that I knew him, thrilled that I got to work with him and deeply saddened that he will never get to fulfill his enormous potential as an actor and a wonderful man and therefore receive the attention he truly deserved.

GARY DONTZIG

Executive producer,

“Suddenly Susan”

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Why is it necessary to justify interest in the man? Maybe it’s true that his career was not that astounding (although there are thousands of actors who will never reach even a tenth of a career such as Strickland’s). But the suicide of a young man, any young man, who seemed to have everything isn’t all that mundane. Any time a young person dies, it is only right and fitting that society take a look at that life. Maybe by asking questions will come answers to his tragic story. Maybe it made his family feel better to see the outpouring of interest from the media and the public. It’s just possible that he never knew how many people valued him.

I think it would have been more of a crime to not recognize the man at all. Whether he was famous or not, his life was not lived in vain. He was obviously loved by the people who worked with and knew him. Maybe the flowers will come too late. He still deserves them.

BRIAN NEFSKY

Sherman Oaks

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I congratulate Brian Lowry on his story about the media’s over-fascination with “celebrity” death, particularly that of David Strickland.

In the U.K., we tend to patronizingly call this type of coverage “American” or even “Hollywood-style,” and yet the British tabloids are world-renowned for the depths to which they plummet.

To see it being tackled in the U.S. press is good; to see it coming from the heart of Hollywoodland is even more encouraging.

STUART GOODACRE

Lincoln, United Kingdom