Subsequent parts included that of chaperone to Barbara Stanwyck in John Farrow's epic western California (1946) and mother roles in John Huston's We Were Strangers (1949) and Jean Yarborough's Holiday in Havana (1949). She had an active career as a supporting player in Europe and South America before going to the United States in 1937, where she was given a contract by MGM to dub the voices of such stars as Norma Shearer and Jeanette MacDonald for the Italian prints of their films.She made her screen d?t with a fleeting part as a casino customer in Gilda (1946), a classic film noir, but later the same year she was given her first speaking role in It's a Wonderful Life. In The Caddy, the Martin and Lewis comedy, she was the mother of Dean Martin, who sang the film's hit song, "That's Amore", in her dining room, waltzing her around as he sang.She was born in Buenos Aires in 1907, the daughter of Mimi Aguglia, an actress who eloped from Sicily aged 18 with Vincenzo Ferrau, who became her producer. Argentina made her stage d?t at the age of three with a walk-on part in a production of Cavalleria Rusticana. The character actress Argentina Brunetti appeared in over 150 films and television shows, but is probably best known for her role in the perennial favourite Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946), in which she plays the Italian immigrant Mrs Martini. He joined the BBC in 1956 and it was there that he worked for most of his distinguished career, for many years as Assistant Head of Drama to the remarkable Martin Esslin. He remembered with particular affection his own six-part adaptation of Fielding's Tom Jones and recalled with wry regret that, like so much good radio, it vanished without trace.Fortunately Hallam's own Tennyson comments and his readings of some of his great-grandfather's poems have already been recorded for posterity for a Tennyson Society DVD, which will in 2009 mark the 200th anniversary of Alfred Tennyson's birth.Ann Thwaite.

Argentina Ferrau, actress: born Buenos Aires 31 August 1907; married Miro Brunetti (died 1967; one son); died Rome 20 December 2005. She wants to address the causes of women entering prostitution. Suppliers are not punished.Let us welcome Sweden's initiative and also Turkey's encouragement to men to identify trafficked women. Let us welcome Fiona MacTaggart's denial of the view that nothing can be done to reduce prostitution. Since January 1999, purchasing sexual services in Sweden has constituted a criminal offence, punishable by fines or up to six months' imprisonment. Most prostitutes come from extremely poor or abusive backgrounds, many are drug addicts Many are trafficked from other countries.

These wretched women and girls are selling a basic commodity in order to stay alive.Wherever women's financial and social status and independence are advanced, involuntary prostitution declines. Some countries have begun to shake off outmoded moralities regarding sexual responsibilities, and to understand that gender equality means both sexes accepting their equal share.Sweden is highly advanced in this understanding. We might try to make a start at a long, slow change of culture to make this, if not a high status "profession", at least a service that doesn't taint everybody who is associated with it.MICHAEL CULEHIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRESir: Joan Smith points out that most prostitutes experience dreadful pay and conditions for their "sex work" and run huge health risks. It can be performed at hours to suit the worker, carried out from home and is not subject to tax or complex regulations.We might try, just this once, to think about the limits of the power of law. Where the job is despised and persecuted by the law, shoved into corners and left to suffer under the yoke of thugs and pimps of course only the desperate will give it a try.Prostitution continues because it is easy to do and profitable.

All physiologically normal women have the necessary equipment and men are uncritical enough consumers that women can start in the business without training. I would argue that this is a product of the illegality rather than the excuse for it.Where there is no legal, regulated trade in anything desirable then criminals will seek profit and not care who is destroyed in the process. Most importantly however they owe sincere apologies and words of respect fore the hunt sabs - especially those they injured. I think everyone should appreciate just what the sabs did in this campaign. They were out in all weathers, being ridden at, horsewhipped; their cars were smashed and they were attacked by the hunt heavies.

They were the most dedicated people I have ever known.If the Tories think that a promise to bring back hunting will be a vote-winner they are sadly mistaken.BILL BEANPOOLE, DORSET Sir: Joan Smith wonders why so many prostitutes are either desperate or forced into the trade and uses this as an argument to continue the illegal status of the occupation (Comment, 30 December). Because drag hunting is controlled there will be no hounds killed on the railways, no holdups on the roads, no horses lamed or killed traversing dangerous ground or jumps, no trespassing in gardens and playgrounds, no pets or livestock terrified and no wildlife threatened. In fact the hunts could now be respected by the public instead of being seen as countryside vandals.When you weigh it up, the hunting fraternity owe us a vote of thanks. We also stated that no hounds would be put down, no employees would be sacked, no saddle makers or farriers would be bankrupted and no horses would be redundant, which the hunts claimed would happen.Another of our predictions is now being proved.