Karl Malden Letter

I recently found a letter my father sent to actor Karl Malden.
----------------
Mr. Karl Malden
"Streets of San Francisco"
ABC-TV
October 15, 1973

Dear Karl:
"Warden Harvey Shoemaker returned home to Alcatraz for a few minutes and once again, doing his duty unflinchingly, he brought the bad guys to submission, this time as Mike Stone!"

That's the way I'd report the action on last week's "Streets of San Francisco." Even with the great number of cops/dectives stories on TV, I think "Streets..." is a stand out, thanks to good scripts, lots of action, and of course to you and Michael Douglas.

But what a change in character Mike Stone is for you! In Birdman, you were more"uncompromising" than "mean," but Robert Stroud, even though a two-time killer, prompted so much sympathy, that I don't think anyone could like hardworking Harvey! We all hated you in Parrish (how could anyone be mean to Claudette Colgert?!)...and you were downright viscious in One-Eyed Jacks (when you whipped Marlon Brando, I squeezed the arm of my seat in agony, and then when you were brought down the butt of a rifle across his hand, I almost screamed in pain!).

So, after so many years of being so mean, so many times, and not to have everyone rooting for you each week, just shows what a super-actor Karl Malden is!

Your truely,
Don Altobell

PS As you chased Tom Bosley around Alcatrax last week, I could almost hear Telly Savals say, "Hey, Stroud...my bird don't sing!"
----------------
Here's Karl Malden's reply: