In 1991 the LA Times mislabeled a photo of Neil Travis as John Barry. This month, the LA Times repeated the error, running the photo of Travis with Barry's obituary. (Credit: LA Times)

The Los Angeles Times readers’ representative, Deirdre Edgar, reported that the LA Times corrected a mislabeled photo this month.  The photo, of film editor Neil Travis, was incorrectly labeled as a photo of John Barry, and was published on LATExtra’s cover with an obituary for Barry.   Barry was a “five-time Academy Award-winning composer of movies such as ‘Born Free’ and ‘Out of Africa.'”

The photo was first incorrectly published March 26,1991. Edgar reported that Cary Schneider, “who oversees The Times’ library,” explained how the error happened.

“The individual hard copy print was then filed, and it has a typed label on the back identifying the photographer by name and the person in the photo as John Barry,” Schneider is quoted as saying.  “We even glued a copy of the actual printed photo caption to the back of the photo, with the misleading information, as well.”

It appears The Times never corrected the 1991 photo, though.  StinkyJournalism has written to Edgar asking about this.  We will update with any response.