While he was in college he toiled for the Red Arrow Bond and Messenger Service. "Also working there at that time was James Coburn and Zev Buffman, who became a successful producer on Broadway. The three of us delivered mainly teeth and movie scripts," he chuckles.

Despite other roles, it was "The Man from U.N.C.L.E" that immortalized Vaughn. He was starring in a TV series called "The Lieutenant" and shooting at Camp Pendleton when he got a message from producer Norman Felton.

"The message said: 'When you get home there will be a script for you at the main gate at MGM. I'd like you to read it and see me tomorrow morning at 9 in the office.' The script's name was 'Solo.' So I went out that night clubbing, as they say, with Gary Lockwood. We picked up a couple of girls and I got home at 5 o'clock in the morning. So I knew exactly how long it took to get to MGM so I read the script on the way during the red lights. I went to see Mr. Felton. He said, 'What do you think?' I said, 'It's wonderful. It's James Bond on television, isn't it?' He said, 'That's exactly right.' He said, 'Do you want to do it?' I said, 'Absolutely.' This is how I was cast."

Vaughn, 74, had no idea the show was a hit until he and co-star David McCallum launched publicity stops in various U.S. cities and London.

"David went to London the week before I did and there was all this stuff about thousands of girls at Heathrow Airport to greet him. I thought, 'Well, he looks younger than I am and he was called the 'blond Beatle.' So I went a week later and the plane got in at midnight on a Sunday night. I didn't expect anybody to be there. Well, there were loads of girls there and I have a series of pictures - I'm all dressed up. I got a tie on, a beautiful suede overcoat on and I'm waving. I didn't realize at that point that there were any girls there. Through the whole sequence of pictures, finally the Bobbies put me in the rest room so they could handle these girls. The last picture you see of me getting into the car, my tie is over my shoulder, my hair's a mess, my face is cut and my shirt is hanging out and I'm doing one last wave as I got out. That's when I knew something big was happening."