Actor David McCallum (1933-2023) in the role of Illya Kuryakin in 1965

• I WAS very sad to learn of the death of one-time Hampstead resident, the actor David McCallum, Illya Kuryakin in The Man from U.N.C.L.E television series in the 1960s.

He used to live in Bracknell Gardens after he won a scholarship to University College School – “an amazing place” he called it when he spoke about his experience there to The Daily Mail.

“The headmaster used to walk around with a Sudanese spear, and as it was a Classics school, everything was in Latin. Learning Latin and Greek for eight years was wonderful, but it meant we studied history and geography less than is usual.”

There’s also an amusing story he tells about his professional musician mum who got him to stand in for her one time at Free Church Hall, Hampstead Garden Suburb when she was ill.

He rearranged the piece he was supposed to play and blew the gig before running out of the hall.

He really was a hero to a whole generation of baby boomer kids growing up at that time.

MIKE BAESS
Address supplied