'LA is like a giant filmset

THIS WEEK'S COLUMNIST Actor Nigel Havers

- JORDAN PARAMOR

I owe my entire acting career to my grandfather, a high court judge and a very lovely man. When I was about 17 or 18, I decided I wanted to go to LA to do some acting, but I didn't have enough money, so I thought, 'Who can I ask to borrow some money from?' I went to visit my grandpa, and I remember very clearly that he was smoking a pipe, and he also had a cigarette and a cigar on the go at the same time. He was a proper smoker.

We sat down, and before I'd even said anything, he said, 'How much do you want to borrow?' £250 would have paid for a flight there and back, but £400 came out of my mouth instead. When I told him my plans, he said, 'That's brilliant, all actors should go to LA. You can pay me back a pound a month. Write me some letters and tell me what you're up to.