Celluloid heroes

IN Maria Elena Hernandez’s letter faulting your excellent Hollywood Commemorative Edition [Letters, May 28], she suggests there is rampant racism in the industry because certain African American and Hispanic actors and producer/ directors were omitted. I submit the reason they were omitted is not because of their race but because of the quality of their work. Would she want Don “Red” Barry (Republic’s star and poor man’s James Cagney) on the list? How about Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy?

To say that Desi Arnaz created a studio is ludicrous. Lucille Ball was the brains behind Desilu Studios.

That said, even many of the greats were omitted: Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Wise, both Oscar winners, were not named.

As for the geographic and age bias she suggests, perhaps what she is really saying is that the editorial staff is largely young, educated and Jewish. If that’s the case, why didn’t the commemorative include Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and Andy Kaufman?

RUSSELL JONES

Rialto