This download is the only extract the BBC has of this edition of Desertine and Disks.

The presenter was Roy Plumley.

Robert, were you born?

I was born in Liverpool, England, of Welsh parents.

Any precedent on the family for the theatre? None, whatever.

Was acting a childhood ambition of yours?

Yes. I would say that my first big acting thrill was playing Marley's ghost

at the age of about 13 in a school production.

I spent many happy weeks finding old deed boxes, chains, padlocks,

and they could drag the whole half ton of the stuff onto the stage.

And I had to go out, we did some very clever ghost stuff with mirrors and

a lot of white powder and trick lights.

And I had to go out backwards through a glass of window, apparently,

emitting piercing screams and two old ladies who carried out fainting.

So I knew once there was money in this and it's been rankling ever since.

Was acting your first job in your left school?

No, I was sent off to training ship to train for the Merchant Navy.

And I went around the world to Australia about seven times.

That was enough, it was all very wet and then I switched to the Royal Navy.

Yes, as what? I wanted to fly, see I wanted to join the fleet here on.

So they took me on. This was before the war started?

Yes, and I was qualified as Naval Observer.

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