Allan Franklin

This time, Allan Franklin and Sidney Penchansky say, they really mean it. If they can't turn their North Hollywood textile business around in the next few months, the brothers-in-law vow to sell out, ending three generations of family ownership. "We can't go on at this rate," said Franklin, who with Penchansky is vice president of Levine Bros. Inc.

This time, Allan Franklin and Sidney Penchansky say, they really mean it. If they can't turn their North Hollywood textile business around in the next few months, the brothers-in-law vow to sell out, ending three generations of family ownership. "We can't go on at this rate," said Franklin, who with Penchansky is vice president of Levine Bros. Inc.

As the wise, dryly humorous psychiatrist caring for shellshocked surgeons and troops in the hit television series "MASH," actor Allan Arbus was so convincing that at least one colleague assumed he had expertise in the medical specialty. In 1973, the first season of the long-running CBS show about a mobile Army hospital during the Korean War, series star Alan Alda would often sit with Arbus between takes, questioning him about psychiatric theories. Alda, who played Capt. "Hawkeye" Pierce, said in an interview Tuesday, "He was so authentic in the role it was hard to believe that he wasn't that person.

I was outraged by Mrs. F.M. Snowden's comments on "Rain Man's" alleged "non-supporting performance of the year" (Letters, March 26). Proceeds from the film's benefit premiere went to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, an organization for children with cancer and other severe handicaps. It's amazing Mrs. Snowden didn't complain there were no benefits for "tourists in need of a good travel book," "women seduced in the French Revolution" or "working girls who couldn't get out of the typing pool."

This time, Allan Franklin and Sidney Penchansky really mean it. The brothers-in-law say if they can't turn around their family textile business in the next few months, they will give up and sell, ending three generations of family ownership. "We can't go on at this rate," said Franklin, who with Penchansky is vice president of Levine Bros. Inc. Battered by burglaries, a fire, the Los Angeles riots, the recession and the earthquake, Levine Bros.'

For upscale fashion plates or accomplished seamstresses and tailors, Levine Bros. Woolens & Tailoring Supplies is a treasure. These are the same Levine Bros. that had been in Downtown Los Angeles for more than 50 years, relocating last year to North Hollywood. The inventory consists of everything the advanced sewer who wants the best might need to make a suit--and fabric at wholesale prices. "This fabric has a real good hand," said Allan Franklin, Levine Bros.

Little particle called the electron is celebrating its 100th birthday this week, and scientists are spinning out lectures, TV shows, special issues of magazines, web pages, symposia, colloquia--a regular cornucopia of electrifying stuff. "The electron is a very big deal this year," said physicist Allan D. Franklin of the University of Colorado, who's already given his talk, "Are There Really Electrons?" five times in four different countries.

A little particle called the electron is celebrating its 100th birthday this week, and scientists are spinning out lectures, TV shows, special issues of magazines, Web pages, symposiums, colloquia--a regular cornucopia of electrifying stuff. "The electron is a very big deal this year," said physicist Allan D. Franklin of the University of Colorado, who has already given his talk, "Are There Really Electrons?" five times in four different countries.