Welcome once again to our ramble down Memory Lane, via Dead Men's Gulch and Young Lovers' Point. I hope you are all ok and while still obeying the rules can now venture out into this strange new world. No doubt in a couple of years time they will make a movie about this very strange era and word on the grapevine is Zac Efron wants to play me! Look him up and you will see we could be doubles.

Alas I had a fall the other day, landing on and smashing a 1960s glass topped wooden table in my lounge. Luckily the glass shards flattened rather than went into my body and I did not hit my head. I take this as a sign from the grim reaper that he enjoys this column.

I have just been reading a book about the late actor Peter Wyngarde, who those of you of a certain age or like cult television will remember starring in Jason King and Dept S, which were shot at Elstree Studios. He was certainly a larger than life character but a great actor. Overall his stage work was probably more impressive than his screen appearances, but sadly that vanishes with the generation that saw it. For instance I never saw Laurence Olivier on stage. He is described as the greatest actor of the last century. It is very hard to decide from his screen appearances. I wish I could have met him.

I was invited to his memorial service to represent Elstree Studios at, I think, Westminster Abbey with the Studio Managing Director the late great Andrew Mitchell. We were given 'front row seats' facing the aisle the great and the good would process down. If you don't believe me I still have a BBC video that shows us, which I must get transferred to that new fangled device called a DVD. It was the hottest ticket in town and everybody was there, from the widow of Boris Karloff to a young Ken Branagh, who was stupidly called the new Olivier. Who the hell wants to be labelled a new anybody?

I have told this story before but there are always new readers so go with me. Once the service was over it was a bit of a scramble for the exit. Our car was waiting out front so there was no choice. We shuffled down the aisle. In front of us was Joan Collins, prepared for the photographers, and a slightly hunched old chap who turned and smiled at me saying something I don't remember. It was Jack Lemmon. Behind us, Michael Caine diverted Douglas Fairbanks Jr to another exit.

I have digressed again from Peter. I met him twice in the late 1990s at Elstree Studios. He was among the guests I organised for the reopening of Elstree Studios in 1996 along with Liz Fraser, Nigel Hawthorne, Christopher Lee, Sylvia Syms, Ron Moody, Pat Coombs, William Lucas and others. He then asked for a private meeting at the studio. Well that is a story for another day. I thought he was was a great actor and a nice chap.

Well, until next time take care until we next walk down Memory Lane.

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