Many years ago, when I was in my thirties, I'd had a couple of successes in England with The Ipcress File and Alfie. I'd always been a big fan of Hollywood movies, but I'd never been there. Then I got a call from my agent, saying Shirley MacLaine wanted me to star in a picture with her. She was a big star at the time and had a choice of leading men in her contract. She'd seen The Ipcress File and chosen me to be in Gambit. So I'm going to Hollywood - fantastic!

I arrived and was put up in the Beverly Hills hotel, in this incredible suite. For two weeks nobody called me, nobody said anything to me. I didn't know a soul. I was in this most luxurious sort of prison. I could order anything I liked. I watched TV, read books... There aren't any shops in the hotel, so to go shopping you have to take a cab to town. In those days there weren't any, there was nobody who didn't have a car. When I finally got one, it took an hour to get to Beverly Drive, to window-shop. I then saw something that's so Hollywood - Fred Astaire shopping! Carrying a brown paper bag! I was so excited I'd seen him.

I went back to the hotel and sat there for another week. I'd sit in the lobby just to see people - I was miserable, you know. Here I was, in the height of luxury, in a place I'd always wanted to go to, and it was the greatest disappointment.

There were two little bright sparks, though. Jane Russell came in one day, recognised me because she'd seen The Ipcress File, and asked: "Would you like to have lunch with me?" "Blimey!" I thought. 'This'll be exciting and sexy." It wasn't like a date, but I was amazed she'd asked me. We went through into the hotel ballroom and it turned out she was a Christian Scientist, and this was a Christian Scientist lunch. So even when my luck looked good, it didn't change.

Another day, John Wayne walked into the lobby, looking fantastic. He'd just come from the Nevada desert, I later discovered, and he had a big black cowboy hat on, and was covered in dust. He'd illegally landed a helicopter in the gardens opposite. I was gawping like a movie-star fan when he turned and said: "Are you Michael Caine?" He'd seen my movie too. We became very close friends from then onwards, and he gave me a piece of advice. He said: "You've got a great future, kid. But remember - talk low, talk slow and don't say too much." I then made a series of pictures where I never stopped talking quickly and in a high voice!

I'd seen Fred Astaire, had lunch with Jane Russell, made a sort of friendship with John Wayne. But I still ate every meal alone. Then Shirley MacLaine finally gave the party to welcome me to Hollywood. It was in the ballroom of a hotel, and as I was going in I heard someone say: "Who the f***'s Michael Caine, anyway?" Inside, Shirley's waiting to introduce me to the guests - who weren't there for me, but because it was her party - and the first person I met was Gloria Swanson, who, like the Mona Lisa, was smaller than you expected, tiny. And the second person was Frank Sinatra. I stood there fascinated. I met Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck - all these people I became friends with later.

My time in the wilderness was over. That night I also met Swifty Lazar, one of the greatest Hollywood agents. It was Bogart who called him Swifty, because he made deals so quickly. He became my guide through social Hollywood at that time. Greatest thing that ever happened to me. We became the closest of friends for 40 years until he died.

After the party, Shirley said: "You wanna come to dinner?" "Yeah," I replied. "Where are we going?" She said: "Danny Kaye's kitchen." Now Danny was a big star and, being a huge fan, I'd seen him at the London Palladium. "Is that the name of a restaurant?" I asked. She said: "No, it's the kitchen in Danny's house. He cooks the best Chinese food in Los Angeles." So off we go to Danny Kaye's mansion, into a kitchen that had ovens like you've never seen. Because the Chinese cook at tremendous heat, there were drains running around the stoves with ice-cold water to stop the things exploding. We sat at a table for five. The other two guests were Cary Grant and Prince Philip, and there was a seat for Danny, but when I asked why he wouldn't join us he said: "I hate Chinese food. I love cooking it, but I hate eating it." I sat there, not knowing what to say or do, but had this incredible evening.

As I had a driver, I took Shirley home. She lived in the Valley, and as we got to the posh part, there was this great big house - and it was on fire. I said: "Is that your house?" "Yes," she said. "But it's on fire!" I said. There was all this smoke coming out in the moonlight. And she started laughing. "It's not on fire, Michael. That's the heat from my pool making steam." 'really!" I said. And as I looked back at her house encased in smoke I'd thought was from a fire but which was steam from her swimming pool that was so hot at 2am, I thought: "I'm really in Hollywood now."

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