THIS year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of a film shot at a holiday camp in Prestatyn, and readers have shared their memories from the time.
Holiday on the Buses, starring Reg Varney and Doris Hare, was filmed at the Pontins holiday camp in the town; the third and final spin-off of the ITV sitcom On the Buses.
Personal appearance agent Richard Coghill is putting together a “behind the scenes” book about the film to mark its 50th birthday, and hopes to organise a reunion event in Prestatyn this year, too.
To get in touch with Richard and share some memories to contribute to his book, email: holidayonthebusesbook@outlook.com.
He said: “The film is a huge part of my life. I’ve become very good friends with people in Prestatyn who were in the film. The film started careers for so many people, it’s beyond belief.
“One lady, I think, is in the film as an extra 38 times, and I honestly believe that may be worth going in the Guinness World Records – I don’t know anyone who’s been in the background of a film as much as her!”
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Eddie Forshaw, who was a pupil of Prestatyn High School at the time, admitted he used to “bunk off” as a 12-year-old and spotted him as an extra in the film.
He said: “I suppose it was (worth bunking off). I pushed the bike around – you can see me quite clearly!
“I’ve got the film, and have stopped it (at that point) 1,000 times so everyone can see me. I say to people at work that I was in the film, and they just laugh at me!
“The inspector was absolutely lovely. He had a broken leg in real life at the time, so I used to talk to him a lot.
“We knew Mrs Kay, one of the ladies in it, who lived on South Avenue – she was the carnival lady; that’s why she ended up dancing in the film!”
Phil Micheu, who was working as a freelance press photographer at the time, recalled: “They were shooting a sequence in the restaurant, where I believe Blakey (played by Stephen Lewis) had his foot in plaster.
"During filming, he had actually injured his foot, and they worked that into the script – it wasn’t in the script originally!
“I’ve got a picture of him with his foot up on a chair, and Stan the bus driver had a saw and was cutting his leg off, laughing like hell!”
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