Hollywood Stars

Thank you for your insightful listing of which Hollywood stars support George Bush, Michael Dukakis and Jesse Jackson ("Campaign '88 Gets the Star Treatment," by Nina J. Easton, June 7). Because of it, I was able to confidently cast my primary vote. I do feel, however, that a more thorough star poll would have been more beneficial to the general public. Leaving off such notables as Pee-wee Herman, Tony Dow, Rick Dees and Mike the Dog is inexcusable. Please don't make the same mistake again in November.

I encourage all of us in South County to support our new minor league baseball team in Mission Viejo. Let's face it: With the Angels jacking up their prices and with the possibility of our other local team becoming the Charlotte Dodgers (with ultramarine, violet, and pewter uniforms), Saddleback College will become the only place where the average family can afford an enjoyable day at the ballpark. Let's remember that Southern California had three minor league ballclubs, Hollywood Stars, Los Angeles Angels, and the original San Diego Padres, that provided enjoyable and affordable family entertainment in friendly, intimate ballparks.

Edward (Ted) Grenzbach, 69, traditionalist architect who created homes for Hollywood stars. Born in New York City, Grenzbach grew up in 1930s Hollywood, which gave him an appreciation of glamour that was always evident in his work. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he earned his architectural degree at UC Berkeley. Grenzbach was praised for the sense of proportion he brought to the vast homes of the rich and famous.

The late Slim Aarons, whose photographs captured the lives of Hollywood stars at home, is the subject of an exhibition that opens tomorrow and runs through Aug. 15 at Williams-Sonoma Home. More than 100 prints including images from the forthcoming outdoor coffee table book "Poolside With Slim Aarons" will be priced from $2,275 to $5,000. Subjects include Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Mick Jagger and Jacqueline Onassis along with the landscapes of Italy, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Your story on the death of Babe Herman ignored the fact he played six years with the Hollywood Stars. Babe arrived in 1939, coincidental with the opening of Gilmore Field, and became an immediate favorite of those of us of grammar school age who were just starting to follow the game. He was a genuinely friendly man who always had time for us kids. The team never finished higher than fifth or had a winning record, but each season he batted well over .300 and hit enough home runs to give us plenty of thrills.

In the latest sign that the honeymoon between Hollywood stars and Internet companies is over, entertainment site Z.com and comedian Chris Rock have filed lawsuits against one another over the collapse of a million-dollar endorsement and content deal. Z.com filed its suit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing Rock of failing to produce original programming he was supposed to create for the site, and to force him to return a $1.075-million signing bonus.

Joan Crawford's eyes were fading away. John Wayne's jeans were splashed with acid. And Marilyn Monroe's bust and forehead were frequent targets of graffiti. After 24 years of enduring harsh sunlight, smog and street vandals, these old-time movie stars and dozens of other celebrities whose famous mugs grace the "You Are the Star" mural on Wilcox Avenue at Hollywood Boulevard are finally getting a makeover.

For the young cast of "Perks of Being a Wallflower," fringe benefits were plenty Monday night in Los Angeles, where a red carpet and screening was held at the Cinerama Dome. Nestled in front of the Arclight Hollywood, star Emma Watson stunned with slicked-back hair and a nude Armani gown - a nice nod to her own evolution from 'Harry Potter" darling to grown-up star. A little, shall we say, more liberated in his look: the scene-stealing Ezra Miller rocking wild hair, drawstring pajama pants and an oversized khaki blazer.

It's shameless that some actors and actresses who are earning millions of dollars per picture are pushing the envelope even further and asking fashion designers and jewelers to compensate them for wearing their wares ["Red Carpet Revenue," Feb. 22]. It was bad enough that they were once getting all of this for free, but to prostitute themselves to the highest bidder reaches an all-time low. I used to defend the entertainment industry to those who said Hollywood was out of touch with the rest of America, but I've been proven wrong.

Re "A New Home for USC Filmmakers," by Yvonne Villarreal, March 30: As someone whose undergraduate and graduate years spanned the last time USC Cinema was building a new facility and leaving some dusty barracks behind, I feel some perspective might be helpful. Financial support for education is vital and commendable, as is upholding certain traditions. But when these start to take the focus away from the primary function of a university, which is to honor and educate its students, then the "lessons of history" George Lucas mentions have not been learned.