Each night I retire to the west wing of my house and before going to sleep watch one of my huge collection of DVDs. I am a great fan of old movies and have just watched a 1950s thriller called Zero Hour about a disaster hitting an airliner. Dana Andrews plays the reluctant passenger who ends up having to land the aircraft with the help of a ground controller played by Stirling Hayden. If the plot seems familiar the film was remade many years later as a very funny comedy called Airplane.

Dana Andrews gained stardom in the 1940s with such classics as Laura. It has one of the most memorable title music scores in cinema history. Sadly Dana was a chronic alcoholic but always gave a good performance. He starred in a superb supernatural thriller made at Elstree called Night Of The Demon. I recommend it to readers of all ages even if you are not used to watching black and white movies. In the last years of his life he had kicked the drinking habit but sadly suffered from dementia before his death.

His co-star in Zero Hour was a 1940s glamour star Linda Darnell, but this was to be her last significant screen role. Alas, her decline from stardom came about due to her putting on weight, growing past the age of 30 ­— neither good for female stars of that era ­— and heavy drinking. By the mid 1960s Linda was broke and out of steady work. Then one night she watched one of her old films on television and retired to bed. A fire started in her house and she suffered severe burns all over her body from which she died a couple of days later. Her family had her cremated but it was 10 years before her ashes were collected and interred.

The other star of Zero Hour was Stirling Hayden, who lived a long and adventurous life off screen. I interviewed him at Elstree Studios about 40 years ago and still remember he was a great character. Film fans probably remember him best as the police chief who gets shot in The Godfather or the American colonel who goes mad in the very funny Dr Strangelove and I recommend both films.

Incidentally, during the 1970s and early 1980s I used to record my interviews on old cassette tapes, if you remember them. Somewhere I still have them featuring the likes of Edward Woodward, Trevor Howard, Donald Pleasence, Yootha Joyce and a number of others including my first recording from 1973 with the great Peter Cushing. I guess it would be nice to transfer them to something modern like a CD and make them available as a fundraiser for Elstree Screen Heritage. Another thing for my bucket list, like sorting out my extensive archives.

Finally, bless you readers who kindly leave nice comments about enjoying my weekly rambles down Memory Lane. Do not bother to leave any negative ones as my loyal retainer edits them out before I look. Seriously, it is great to have feedback as writing is a solitary occupation and it is good to feel one's efforts are rewarded. I cannot believe I started this column in 1977, when I had dark hair and a 32-inch waist. Until next time, keep wearing those masks.

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