When ‘Kismet’ Opened

Dan Sullivan wrote that “when ‘Kismet’ opened on Broadway in 1953, the critics didn’t like it but there was a newspaper strike on at the time, “so nobody could tell” (“Suburban ‘Kismet’ at Pasadena Civic,” June 20). He went on to state that “the same thing happened in London. And you say there is no Allah.”

Both these statements are untrue. For one thing, the London newspaper strike ended the day “Kismet” opened and the papers, with reviews, came out precisely on time. And they carried absolute dream notices.

The reviews in New York came out a mere six days after the show opened at the Ziegfeld Theater, and they were superb:

Headline: “Kismet Soars Along as Gay Magic Carpet” (N.Y. World-Telegram). “Kismet Is a Hit, Drake Is Magnificent” (N.Y. Daily Mirror). John Chapman in the N.Y. Daily News wrote “It has been too long a time since this town had a new musical, and last Thursday evening we got a big and beautiful one called ‘Kismet’ at the big and beautiful Ziegfeld Theater.” Headline in N.Y. Journal American: “Lavish Musical Gay and Terrific.”

It’s really beneath Sullivan and The Times to pass on a flat-out untruth, and it’s damaging to the show and the authors. I feel sure you’ll want to purge yourself and right your wrong.

LUTHER DAVIS

New York City