But today, I feel the genuine warmth, the affection, and although I may joke about it, I am touched.

I worked with the world's greatest talents and then went home to the world's greatest woman. It was, and is, a great life.

That I can't relate to today's music or morals doesn't make either necessarily bad. Just different. I leave the judgements to others.

But we do have a golf course near by and I play fairly regularly.

For the amount of talent I had - and I couldn't dance, act, or tell a joke - I enjoyed a tremendous career.

In many ways, that affection is the real reward for 56 years in the business. Although the money ain't exactly bad either.

My only regret in life is that I didn't spend as much time with my kids as I now wish I had.

The business has changed greatly since my day.

We also own a little boat and I'm like a kid with it. I take off early in the morning, fishing rod in tow, and just drift about the ocean all day.

Acting coaches in Hollywood were always telling me to use my hands and body more. But that was never me. I just breathe and sometimes it doesn't look as if I'm doing that.

Actually, I would love to make a music video. Maybe it would finally put to rest those persistent rumours that have followed me throughout my career - particularly when I was on camera performing - that I had died.

Although I managed my schedule to be home by late afternoon most days, basically, Roselle raised our children alone. And so I missed out on a lot of wonderful moments, missed watching my kids grow into the wonderful people they are today.

But when they needed love or help or had a problem of any kind, they could always go to Roselle because she was always there for them. That was not always the case with me.

I had 13 weeks off and I would pack up the family and drive to some mountain retreat where we could be together and fish all day. I loved it. I needed it.

Just the other day, it seems, the kids were running through the house, slamming doors, breaking glass, making noise. Time goes by so quickly. Sometimes everything seems so fleeting.

People have always thought that I wasn't ambitious. They judged by appearances and were fooled. I was competitive. I wanted success and was willing to work for it.