You have been cast in several Croft, Perry, Lloyd Shows, did you have to audition for every role or was it automatic casting?
I was very lucky back in 1975 to be asked to audition for Perry and Croft by Roger Redfarn with whom I had done so much work at The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. This was to be for a stage production for the West End with most of the original TV cast of "Dad's Army". Roger was responsible for the overall staging of the production although the fine tuning of the directing was down to Jimmy and David. There is a separate story of this fateful day elsewhere in this website so suffice it to say that I got the job! That led on to me taking over the role of the spiv Pte Walker for the national tour that followed the West End run and by then Croft and Perry had got to know me and my capabilities. The guest roles that I played later in episodes of "Ain't Half Hot Mum" and "Are You Being Served?" were given unconditionally as they were small parts but when it came to "Hi De Hi" they asked me to come in and read with several actors who were up for the part of Ted Bovis. This was a very necessary thing because of the relationship between Spike and Ted. So much so that when Paul Shane and I met for the first time, we both felt that we had met before but we certainly had not! That was when the spark was lit! The rest of our TV career together was riding on that previous winning formula!
Of all the David Croft and Jimmy Perry shows you've appeared in, do you have a favourite?
My personal favourite Croft and Perry show is You Rang M’Lord. The production standards were so much higher and the role of James for me was an absolute gift. It was like playing the only straight role in the piece amongst the comedy of the situation. The sets and costumes were so authentic and it was like working in a real house.
Where was Hi De Hi filmed and How do you learn your lines?
Hi de Hi was filmed on location at Warners Holiday Camp at Dovercourt, Harwich and the surrounding area.
Every actor has their own way of learning lines. It is something that we do because we have to! Perhaps we engage a part of the brain that people in other walks of life do not need! I find that I learn my lines in rehearsal as I familiarise myself with the physical movements required so that words and moves go together.