INTERVIEWING acting legends can always make for a nerve-wracking experience, and George Cole

certainly proved no exception.

Conscious of the fact the 79-year-old's career has spanned for more than 60 years (he started out aged 14), from radio sitcoms to Hollywood block-busters, the last thing I wanted to do was ask the veteran the same questions journalists across the globe have asked a million times over.

Cole, to star at Malvern Theatres from Monday in the comedy Party Piece, is probably most widely remembered for his 15-years of playing second-hand car salesman Arthur Daley in the long-running hit television series Minder.

With this in mind, I was keen to quiz him on why the character became so well-loved that there's even international fan clubs in Australia, Canada and Germany.

But going by past experience, bringing up hits that have made other actors famous, has often met with disastrous consequences.

So, you can imagine I was gob-smacked when the man himself brought up the subject within seconds of me calling him at his home in the middle of his five-acre beech wood estate in Henley-on-Thames.

Asking him what his favourite role has been to date, Cole had no hesitation in replying: "Arthur Daley, without a doubt.

"You can't make nine series of something and not have it stand out in your mind as being something marvellous.

"I thought he was a wonderful character (pictured right) and playing him wasn't like work, it was such fun."

He remains good friends with Minder co-star Dennis Waterman (who went to watch him in Party Piece last week in Windsor), so I wondered whether he was tempted to do an Arthur Daley come-back?

"No, think it's had its day now and I don't think it would work," he said.

But that doesn't stop the public's passion for the character - with people often approaching him in the street offering him the Daley trademark Havana cigar or even writing and enquiring whether he has any used cars for sale.

"It's fun to still get the reaction," he said.

But of course Arthur Daley is not the only character that has made Cole a household name.

His biography includes the Flash Harry role he created and repeated five times in the St Trinian films and the movie Mary Reilly in which he co-starred with Julia Roberts.

So what is the key to his long-running success? "I've been very lucky, I've managed to go from age to age," he said.

He counts his favourite co-stars to include Elizabeth Taylor and "mentor" Alastair Sim, who spotted him in his first film Cottage to Let and went on to star alongside him in 11 movies.

And now Cole is looking forward to making his debut at Malvern Theatres where he plays the "grumpy old man" neighbour of a middle class couple who throw a garden party to show-off their extensively improved house.

"My character hates his son's new wife and hates everybody in fact," says Cole.

"If I ever met anyone like him in real life I'd take an immediate dislike to him!

"It's a very funny play and is actually the first time I've played someone my own age."

But age is not something Cole is going to let get in his way. Despite his impending 80th birthday, he says he has no intention of quitting his thespian ways.

"I'm loving doing this tour, the fact I get to go to a different theatre each week still gives me a thrill and keeps me going," he said.

And he's keen on keeping romance alive too. Married to actress Penny Morrell he said the only downside of being in Malvern next week means he'll miss out on spending Valentine's Day with his wife.

"I'll be sending a big bouquet of flowers to make up for it though," he giggled.

Party Piece runs from Monday until Saturday, February 19. Tickets, which cost between £18 and £22, from Malvern Theatres box office on 01684 892277.