I had the advantage of reading the book, and when the script was first submitted to me, it was just another gangster story - the east side taking over the west side and all that.

I didn't play at collecting. No cigar anywhere was safe from me.

I know I'm not much on face value, but when it comes to stage value, I'll deliver for you.

My father and uncles and all their friends turned their lungs black trying to satisfy my collector's zeal.

In those days I would go for an interview and find myself competing with this other chap who would always be younger and taller, and much handsomer than I.

Things got so bad that when I went shopping for a house, some people would refuse to open the door if they saw it was me standing there. And drunks would always want to challenge me.