Letter: Writer's cure for fear of showering

Sir: For many years, I had the privilege of being a friend of the late Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, and your story ("Why Janet eschews the shower scene", 4 August) about Janet Leigh becoming afraid of taking a shower after acting in the Hitchcock film reminds me of Bloch's superb wittiness.

Like many writers of horror, he was gentle, kindly and very courteous. He gave many interviews about his work and always managed to raise a smile when the reporter quipped that she had been unable to have a shower for months after seeing the movie.

Finally, however, Bloch's legendary patience failed and when a TV interviewer came out with the same line - for perhaps the thousandth time in his experience - he said: "It was lucky for you I didn't have her killed sitting on the toilet."

Yours faithfully,

Bob Shaw

Warrington,

Cheshire

5 August