THE identity of the High Wycombe legend who starred with Marilyn Monroe in a movie was none other than crooner Frankie Vaughan.

I asked this question in last week’s column and had several calls from knowledgeable readers in response after I offered a prize for the first to contact us.

This turned out to be Ernie Williamson who I will send a suitable useless Backchat gift, in the customary fashion of this column.

Meanwhile, for those who don’t know, the late Frankie played the role of Tony, a revue singer, in the 1960 film Let’s Make Love.

Marilyn and Yves Montand took the leading roles in the 20th Century Fox production.

Frankie, as many of you will recall, was a popular figure around High Wycombe where he lived, and I had the privilege of meeting him a couple of times.

I even recall asking him the name of the Monroe film after being dared to do so by the late councillor David Fieldhouse at a function we all attended.

However, last week’s question left Bill Potts stumped.

Bill, a former Bucks Free Press columnist, had been the subject of the main article when he recalled how he met another Hollywood icon, Jane Russell.

So he wrote to me to give various potty theories as to the answer.

He said: “Marilyn did make one film in England – The Prince and the Showgirl – with Laurence Olivier in 1957. However, Olivier hailed from Dorking, Surrey, so that eliminates him.”

Next he pondered about Colin Baker, High Wycombe’s resident Doctor Who actor.

Bill said: “I don’t think he starred opposite Marilyn because, according to his biographical notes, he didn’t really start acting until he was about 26-27, and by that time Marilyn was dead – unless Colin is lying about his age. After all, he was a Time Lord.”

Then he added, quite bizarrely: “So I’m afraid that leaves only ex-Mayor Jim Tanner, who seems to have met most of the people listed in Who’s Who. He’s the only one who’s old enough and he celebrates his 81st birthday tomorrow (last Wednesday).”

Well happy birthday Jim, but I could find no reference to him in the internet movie database. The only Tanner I could find on the web was Elsie, from Coronation Street.

Nevertheless, I can’t take the mickey out of Bill too much over all this because he also pointed out the schoolboy error I made in last week’s column when I said Jane Russell appeared with Marilyn in Some Like it Hot. The film in which both Jane and Marilyn appeared was, of course, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.