Comparing British actor to probe chief is clearly a failure of judgement

I AM writing in reference to the item mentioned in ‘Tales from the Coffeeshop’ last Sunday, in which there was a comparison made regarding the appearance of the late actor Charles Laughton and Mr P Polyviou.

I am addressing this message to you in my capacity as the lawyer of the estate and the descendants of the late Charles Laughton.

Any comparison between the late Charles Laughton and Mr. P. Polyviou is grossly offensive to the late Mr Laughton.

It is not only that Charles Laughton was a thespian of unparalleled ability (whereas Mr Polyviou is but a humble lawyer in Cyprus), but also in terms of appearance. Indeed, those who knew Charles Laughton have taken the gravest objection to any comparison of the two.  It is quite irrelevant if Charles Laughton has a face “like the backside of an elephant”.  Mr Polyviou is more like “the elephant man himself” (if you saw the delightful play of the same name).

Therefore, in your next edition, we would like a correction and an apology  – not for Mr Polyviou who is flattered by the comparison, but for the estate, the descendants and the many admirers of Charles Laughton.

 

P G Polyviou,

Nicosia

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.