Spike Milligan offered to do the laundry in return for a role

SPIKE Milligan offered to do the laundry and supply his "own beard and wig" in exchange for a film role in an eccentric letter to director Richard Lester, it was revealed today.

The comic, who rose to fame on The Goon Show and changed the face of British comedy with his absurd humour, said he was bored with TV and writing and "no matter how small I would like a part, preferably the lead".

Milligan, who died in 2002, reminded the film maker he had been a straight actor and added: "Have own beard and wig, on site laundry done and secret masses said for Polish Catholics."

The letter, from 1980, is part of a collection of photographs, scripts and correspondence donated by Lester to the British Film Institute's (BFI) archive.

It includes the early drafts for films called "The Beatles" and "Beatles Two" which became A Hard Day's Night and Help!, and letters from stars including Audrey Hepburn, Raquel Welch and Charlton Heston.

Lester, who was born in America, moved to England in 1956 when he worked with Milligan and fellow Goon Peter Sellers on an ITV television series A Show Called Fred.

He said: "I have a long association with the BFI going back over 40 years.

"It is a pleasure for me to be able to offer them the detritus of my working life."

After working with The Beatles, Lester went on to make A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Robin and Marian, which starred Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn, The Three Musketeers with Oliver Reed and Superman II and Superman III.