Mr. Fairbanks:
I just read your Actor's Profile on Anthony Perkins, and on the third page of your extensive and well written profile you included the following paragraph: "His terrific and amusing cameo in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean was less notable than the off-camera relationship he had with co-star Victoria Principal. At age 39, Perkins had his first sexual experience with a woman, and in the following years he would enter psychotherapy in an attempt to turn from homosexuality. Marriage to Barry Berenson and the birth of two children suggests he may have succeeded on some level." As we all know now he did NOT succeed "in [his] attempt to turn from homosexuality." Perhaps that paragraph can be updated to reflect his true sexual orientation as a gay man who, due to the pressures of society and his career, remained closeted until his death.
Thank you, Peter

_________________________

On page https://www.angelfire.com/oh2/writer/mccart ney.html where you say, "...John Lennon was naive enough to imagine a world free from greed and oppression..." that's not quite right. It is naive to believe the world is free from greed and oppressions, but not naive to envision it.
George Martin
(Legendary "fifth Beatle"; producer of every Fab Four album except "Let It Be.")

_________________________

Brian,
Thanks for the piece on a wonderful actor. Is ( Richard Widmark) still alive? I would like to send him a message of congratulations for the many years of great work he has done. I am only 32 years old but my late dad introduced me to Mr Widmark’s movies over 25 years ago. What’s funny is my dad’s nickname was Richard Widmark amongst his friends-he sort of looked like him! It's sad that not too many of my contemporaries even know about Richard Widmark.
Thanks again, Alistair

_________________________

I AM SEEKING AN IMAGE OF WILLIAM FRANKLIN FOR REPRODUCTION IN A SCHOLARLY PUBLICATION. I UNDERSTAND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND SUCH. CAN YOU HELP?
SINCERELY,
SHARON
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY PRESS

_________________________

Hi Brian, I just read your article on Richard Widmark. I have been a fan of his since my early high school days, and I am now a grandmother!!!!!!!!!! My husband heard on the News that today was Richard Widmark's birthday, so I put his name in a search engine and found your article. I would love to send a card to him to let him know he is still thought of and respected. Do you know where he lives now, or how I can send him some belated 'fan mail'? Thanks for the article!
Sincerely, Zoelle

_________________________

Dear Brian
I was pleased to find your website about Richard Widmark. I get the impression from reading it that many of his films (and most of film noir) were not especially kind to women. As a women, this intrigues me because he is my favorite actor and film noir is my favorite genre. Maybe because he was such a dynamite screen presence, I could overlook these things. (Maybe, for me, noir shows a world of urban sophistication that doesn't exist anymore. I must say, though, Richard Widmark's characters seem to be true outsiders, unlike Barbara Stanwyk and Fred MacMurray in "Double Indemnity".)
I own few films, but I own "Night and the City". I have seen "Pickup on South Street" and I just loved the tension between Richard Widmark and Jean Peters. The scene in her hospital room was the best. Skip's reaction when the Jean Peters character told him the spy shot her because she would not tell him where Skip lived is probably my favorite love scene in all movies. Maybe the contrast to all that nastiness is what pulls me in! In the last scene, they walk out of the police station together as a couple, a happy one at that. I always imagine they find happiness together, maybe after placing flowers on Moe's grave and taking care of her meager possessions.
I remember seeing a film of his on TV in the mid-sixties where he played a captain of a submarine "Come Hell And High Water". I think he had a decent scene with a female passenger. There was another where he played a Hemingway-esque character who was trying to get over a woman who had left him.
I will return to your website and see if you address whether or not Richard Widmark had or has female fans, not just Tony Uto fans who wanted to keep women in their place.
Thanks, J. Little

_________________________

Dear Sir,
Is it possible to obtain a signed picture of Mr. Garner in one of his gambler roles for my gun room signed to the Virginia Gambler? Thanks.

_________________________

I have liked James Garner since I was a little girl and watched Maverick. I would like to know how I can send a letter to Mr. Garner telling him that I think he is a great star and a down to earth person. I am a policewomen in Florida, and just wanted to let him know that I have seen almost if not everything he has done on T.V. and in the Movies. I want to thank him for being able to entertain people of all ages. He is truly a Super Star. Thank you in advance for your help.

_________________________

IT'S GREAT TO SEE A WEBSITE ABOUT THE LEGENDARY WIDMARK. Yes he was an outstanding actor and an instant success. However I'm glad that he got rid of the sneery gangster roles, not because it didn't suit him, but because it would never have made him a star. There were several other great actors that never became fully pledged STARS because they were too good-a-villians (Robert Ryan was a classic example). But Widmark did escape to be become a star. I agree with you that he never really received his 'just deserts' because to me he was up there with the greats. However I must disagree with you on one aspect. I feel that Richard Widmark will always be remembered mostly as a Western Hero more than anything else. Throughout the 50's he co-starred with the best actors in Hollywood and in my mind he out-acted them all. He stole the film from Gregory Peck in YELLOW SKY (1948), from Spencer Tracy in BROKEN LANCE (1954) (just look how he astonishes even Tracy in the back garden scene when Widmark faces up to his father-Magnificent). He was equally impressive as Gary Cooper in Garden Of Evil (1954) and Brilliantly matched with fellow friend Robert Taylor in the classic The Law And Jake Wade (1958). Infact no-one had as many classic Westerns in the 50's than Richard Widmark and that came mostly from being a 'good-guy'. RICHARD WIDMARK IS A TRUE LIVING LEGEND
Laurence

_________________________

Yes, its TRUE, that in the summer of '79, the late billionaire founder of McDonalds and owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team, offered myself and 3 Hells Angels, $100,000 apiece, to retrieve and deliver the dead body of Elvis Presley. You see, back then Graceland wasn't the busy tourist mecca that it is today, security was lax, what with The King being in the ground only 2 years and no atrocities having been perpetrated on the site yet. Well, as Tiny, one of the Angels said, "@#%* Baby! For THAT kind o' bread I'll bring ya back his *&%$#@^ WIDOW!" (which is another story, but..). As luck would have it however, we had to come away empty handed, as somebody dropped the ball on that one as will inevitably happen when there’s that many people and that much money involved. Didn't even get our U-Haul deposit back. Of course, the next day, all the major newspapers were hawking headlines of "Desecration of Presley Tomb botched/foiled...blah blah blah." Some mention of teenage hi-jinks I think I recall. Sure coulda used that hundred-large,though.
Sincerely, Jim
P.S.-Nice '96 Sinatra piece. He's buried in Palm Springs,right?

_________________________

Hi Brian.
Nice write-up on Dino. He certainly was a unique person. You've said some nice things about him, and it seems pretty clear to me, that you're one of the few who saw through that smile and the couldn't care less style of Dean's. He was clever at disguising it, but one only has to take a look at his accomplishments to realise that Dean was truly a very talented entertainer who succeeded in all aspects of show-buisness.I've followed his life and career for many years, and was even lucky enough to meet Dean when he came to London in 1987. I miss him.
Best regards,
Graham.

_________________________

Subject: You Are Awfully Cool
So, did that subject title sidle past your spam filter? Probably not, and I'm talking to myself again. Anyway, I know, it was a little smarmy, sorry, but I do mean it.
If my slightly smarmy subject line did make it past the virtual gate of Judgement, and you actually are reading my email, let me quickly thank you for the Hollywood Animal/Joe Esterhaus review you delightfully wrote and posted at Amazon...After reading the other two or three favorable (if not downright glowing) reviews of the book, I was almost ready to push the "used" button when yours caught my eye. Read, laughed, knew you were right, had to write and thank you as you saved me from one more book I didn't need (I have thousands). You're lovely! I wish I knew more about you. Maybe you have a website. I'll go check.
Have a wonderful day, wonderful man.
Thanks again,
RL

_________________________