Some Observations on the Role of Acting

Susan King’s excellent report on casting against type (“Typecasting--Not,” July 24), touched off by Tom Hanks’ tommy-gun-toting assassin in “Road to Perdition,” might also have included some of the roles Tom Cruise--that all-American boy-next-door--has limned that are counter to his image in the bulk of his filmography.

Over the last few years, he has appeared in “Magnolia” as a smarmy self-help guru, a turn that earned him an Oscar nomination, his third; in “Interview With the Vampire” as a sexually ambivalent blood sucker; and in Stanley Kubrick’s ill-conceived valedictory, “Eyes Wide Shut,” as a sexually adventurous hedonist and husband of Nicole Kidman’s character.

All this in a career that has included enacting the protagonist in a wide range of mainstream films--”Top Gun,” “Risky Business,” “Far and Away,” “Mission: Impossible” (both of them), “Jerry Maguire,” “Born on the Fourth of July” and the current “Minority Report,” among many others.

JIM PINKSTON

Los Angeles

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Anne Valdespino’s article thoroughly articulated the challenge faced by filmmakers when it comes to the decision whether to employ foreign accents (“Acting in the Thick of Accents,” July 23). It seems with “K-19,” Hollywood has once again underestimated the intelligence and tolerance of moviegoers.

As an audience, we have to suspend our disbelief enough as it is. Now we are asked to overlook Harrison Ford’s odd-sounding Russian accent? He’s not supposed to have an accent when speaking to his own people. He’s Russian!

CHRISTOPHER JOYCE

North Hollywood

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When Samuel L. Jackson says it’s not his job to assist rap artists to become screen performers (Morning Report, July 23), he has my sympathies in spades, but his comments raise two bothersome issues.

In objecting to granting these amateurs status on the level with established actors, he cites as examples himself alongside Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne and Forest Whitaker. So I have to wonder why it is he identifies so exclusively in terms of color. He might have included Ben Kingsley, Kevin Spacey and Bruce Willis. It’s unfortunate that he restricts his comparisons so tightly when his talent runs far beyond such boundaries for many, if not most, of his fans.

Secondly, my agreement with his thesis would elicit more encouragement if it included sports heroes. Rare is the case when a good actor comes to the screen from a football field, a wrestling ring or a weight room.

JULES BRENNER

Hollywood

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In your recap of posthumous Emmy winners (“Director Wouldn’t Be the First to Win Posthumously,” by Susan King, July 19), you failed to mention character actress Alice Pearce. Pearce played the Stephens’ nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz on “Bewitched” for two years and died of cancer just a few months before winning the Emmy for best supporting actress in 1966.

She pretty much set the standard for portraying the neighborhood busybody, and to this day whenever I know someone who thrives on gossip or loves to snoop, I refer to them as being just like Gladys Kravitz.

GEORGE GALLUCCI

Los Angeles