I HOPE Professor Paul Jowitt (Letters, October 7) is better informed about his own subject than he is about the cinema.

Charlton Heston appeared in El Cid, not Kirk Douglas, nor did El Cid’s supporters call his name. All this is in Spartacus, which did star Douglas. So the Professor got something right.

Ian Lyell,

9 East Park Avenue, Mauchline.