Made in 1961, The Young Ones was the first film that Cliff Richard (now Sir Cliff Richard) made for A.B.P.C. at Elstree Studios. In the cast was one Richard O'Sullivan who, having played a pupil in Carry On Teacher in 1959, joined the cast which also included Melvyn Hayes.

Playing an office clerk at a London-based solicitor’s, O'Sullivan also had the chance to display his talent for both singing and dancing in the film.

Two years later in 1963, Richard returned to Elstree to appear in last third and final film which Cliff made for A.B.P.C. - Wonderful Life. This was a film which included location work on the island of Gran Canaria.

As with The Young Ones, O'Sullivan's scenes with Melvyn Hayes remain a joy to watch. And I feel that it is a pity that they never were given their own sitcom together.

By 1973, Richard was starting to establish himself in the world of sitcom. O'Sullivan's flat-sharing sitcom, Man About the House, was proving a huge success. In-time the sitcom would also go on to spawn two spin-off sitcoms, George & Mildred (for Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce) and Robin's Nest (for Richard).

The year 1974 saw Hammer Films, already enjoying success with the sitcom Big Screen spin-offs: On the Buses, Mutiny On the Buses, Holiday On the Buses and Love Thy Neighbour, produce a Big Screen spin-off version of Man About the House.

The film, which co-starred Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce, still remains one of my favourite comedy films of the Seventies.

Still regularly receiving various TV broadcasts, the film version of Man About the House also shows the viewer much of Elstree Studios as it was at the time; as several scenes in the film were set in a TV studios . As a result we can easily spot the old EMI bar (still used at the studios today) in what is now known as the Andrew Mitchell Building and corridors in the since-demolished stage block which was situated on land which is now part of the Tescos car park.

The old white admin building also appeared in the film playing the base of a rather dodgy MP!

There were many cameo appearances in the film version of Man About the House including those from Spike Milligan (who played himself) and Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker from Love Thy Neighbour.

Milligan’s appearance included an adlibbed raspberry by the comedian right at the end of the scene which resulted in laughs from the crew who, if you listen very carefully, can just be heard laughing in the background!

Smethurst and Walker’s memorable appearance in the film saw them drinking in the bar and getting on like a house on fire. This, of course, was a direct opposite to their on-screen characters in both the film and TV versions of Love Thy Neighbour.

And, oh yes, O'Sullivan was reunited with his pal from the Cliff Richard film days - Melvyn Hayes.

Many of the scenes for the film version of Man About the House were shot in Stage 9 at Elstree Studios, now the home of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? And at the time, in the next studio, Richard’s old mate, Robin Askwith, was making the first of four Confessions... films.

O’Sullivan went on to have huge success with the sitcoms Robin's Nest and Me & My Girl, made for Thames TV and LWT respectively. He also enjoyed success playing Dick Turpin in a series for LWT.

Richard was later to return to Elstree Studios in the late Nineties with former co-star Sally Thomsett to attend a plaque unveiling to commemorate a host of sitcom spin-off films made at the studios. These included, of course, Man About the House.

In 1997 I was lucky enough to meet O’Sullivan when we both appeared on an edition of the Channel 4 show, Light Lunch. And, as a life-long fan of the actor and his work, it was great fun to meet him and to discuss his work when I as interviewed by Mel Giedroyc on the show.

More recently Richard took part in a commentary for a DVD release of Carry On Teacher. And regular repeats of The Young Ones, Wonderful Life, Man About the House and Robin's Nest (the latter two have had whole days dedicated to them on the satellite TV channel, Paramount Comedy 2!) continue to win the actor new fans.

And finally, should these lines ever been read by the actor in question, then I wish him my very best wishes and offer him my sincere thanks for the continued pleasure I get from watching his work - especially his Elstree credits!