A REAL GEM

What a great piece on Salome Jens (“She’s Salome, Queen of L.A.’s Smaller Stages,” by Daryl H. Miller, Feb. 22).

I always thought there was something special about Jens’ performances and now I know it was her spiritual quality. It was particularly telling of her character that she bought a home and lived with her mother there for the last 18 years of her mother’s life. That her mother suffered from Alzheimer’s disease did not seem to be a burden for her. Rather, she was “honored” that her mother wanted to be with her.

What a great actress--and person. I was glad to hear she is still thriving.

EDITH WOOD HARVATH

Buena Park

*

Miller’s long-overdue appreciation of Salome Jens as an actress and seminal drama teacher errs in the parenthetical attribution “. . . in Paul Wendkos’ Southern gothic tale ‘Angel Baby.’ ”

The final screen credits of the Allied Artists release were shared by Orin Borsten, who adapted the screenplay from a novel by Elsie Oates Barber, and Paul Mason and Samuel Roeca. Paul Wendkos was the director of the film, which introduced Salome Jens and starred George Hamilton, Mercedes McCambridge, Joan Blondell and Henry Jones.

ORIN BORSTEN

Studio City