In response to Paul Jasper (Letters, October 24), Buster Crabbe was born Clarence Linden Crabbe on Oakland, California.

Concentrating on his swimming in Hawaii, he won the 400-metre freestyle in 1932, breaking the record held by Johnny Weismuller.

He auditioned for the Tarzan role at MGM but lost out to Weismuller.

I think Mr Jasper is trying to take me back to the very early-1930s when he mentions Flash Gordon, a role Crabbe played with great enthusiasm.

As a kid, I watched with some trepidation his many battles with Ming the Merciless (when not getting an earful of "flit", which was sprayed along the rows of the cinema with great gusto).

Buster made two or three westerns for Paramount starring Randolph Scott including Thrills Of A Lifetime (Paramount, 1937), with a very young Betty Grable.

Later on Buster appeared on TV. I would stress that my forte is 1930/40s supporting actors. I hope this will please though.

* In response to Sheila Coverdale (Letters, October 25), strangely enough Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan shared the same birthday of August 28 just one year apart.

Peggy came from a large vaudeville family who were billed as the Merry Dancing Ryans. She appeared opposite Micky Rooney in All Ashore (Columbia, 1952).

She made 13 films with Donald before some TV work appearing in Hawaii Five O after running her own dance academy. Happily, I think she is still with us.

Donald was the son of an acrobat. He was a brilliant child star in Sing You Sinners (Paramount, 1938) starring Bing Crosby and Fred McMurray.

He had a hit duet with Bing called Small Fry. The Child Act forbade Donald from recording it again so Crosby did it with Johnny Mercer.

After his musicals, Donald made a series about Francis, a talking mule. The mule's voice was famous support actor Chill Wills. Donald's work in Singing In The Rain was legendary.

-Gordon Dean, Lancing