In April 1956 a little boy stepped onto a big stage. It was his local rep and he had a very good role. As it was a professional company he got paid too! He went on to do five plays for that company (during school holidays) as well as a play (again paid!) in his home town of Newcastle. At the age of 16 so determined was he to be an actor, he left his north-east home and signed to an agent in London and (despite terrible homesickness) he got work touring and also two plays at Colchester rep, When he turned 17 he applied for and got into drama school. He didn’t become a star but he worked solidly as an actor and never had to take on any other job but acting. 60 years on (exactly) I salute that little boy. His determination and his passion (despite the odds – wrong background, wrong accent) to be an actor. And here I am all these years later still at it! And busier that ever! Thanks to that little boy – who was my former self.