1. – Donald Houston, The Blue Lagoon, 1949. Trying to match the specified 6ft, Cooney wore lifts in his shoes on meeting director Frank Launder and swore he could swim and dive – “oh, like a fish!” Invited to shoot a test in a studio pool, he kept his shoes on “smelly feet run in my family and these special shoes keep the smell in.” His dive was lousy, hit the water with an almighty bang, lost his shoes and came up to see his lifts floating and hopes sinking. Perhaps the start of his future as a playwright of British farces. (Houston was only 5ft 7ins).
Usual occupation: Comedy PlaywrightBirth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 0