Since I was last in contact with you I have attended two more indoor concerts and thoroughly enjoy live music after all this time. As usual I was surrounded by pensioners who are still young at heart out to have a good time. We all love the sounds of the sixties but I can't imagine the pensioners of tomorrow attending concerts of rap singers, shed and grunge music but that is the music of their youth so why not? Do you find your music tastes are usually formed during your youth?

I just wish I could still do the dance moves, rather than daddy dancing - basically standing on the spot. I was the twist champion of my road 60 years ago, not to mention the ace of hopscotch players.

I have recently been in touch with Sir Tommy Steele recalling the days when he filmed the Flash Bang Wallop song and dance routine from the film Half A Sixpence at Elstree Studios in the 1960s. It was on stage 5, which was the base of The Avengers television series and later played the garage in the On The Buses films.

Watford Observer:

Pat McNee, who starred in The Avengers, once told me he had to surrender his dressing room when Liz Taylor came to Elstree to make a film. She insisted it was painted a certain, and in his mind awful, colour and the management refused to have it repainted afterwards just to please a television star!

When Steven Spielberg came to Elstree for Raiders Of The Lost Ark the management ripped out the toilet that would serve him so it would be new. In those days Elstree Studios knew how to spoil visiting bigwigs, although I doubt Steven would have cared. No doubt there is a joke in here somewhere but I rise above toilet humour and wipe it from my memory.

Over several decades I have met hundreds of actors and am often, at least twice a year, asked by readers were any of them not very nice. Well of course there were but the vast majority were great to me. I did not like Oliver Reed when he had a drink but then again it was appropriate he died in a bar. Trevor Howard could probably have drunk him under the table but he was always a gent in my company. Leo McKern once told me off for addressing him as Leo when meeting for the first time. Another famous actress who is still alive told 'her people' she objected to me addressing her by her first name rather than Dame then first name. My previous experience was with actors who never worried about their title. My old friend and comedy legend the late Liz Fraser could be a handful, but I learned how to flatter her and it worked, so she attended my events.

Billy Connolly is a great chap. 20 years ago I took an old pal Sean to see his show in London. Sean was and is a great fan. After the show Billy invited us into his dressing room and was fun and I guarantee my mate will remember that 20 minute encounter for the rest of his life. Now that is what I expect and before I kick the bucket I will name names who have not measured up but you may have to wait a while.

  • Paul Welsh MBE is a Borehamwood writer and historian of Elstree Studios