Shot in Kyrenia, Cyprus in 1974 whilst Peter Sellers & Spike Milligan were filming 'Ghost in the Noonday Sun'.

The plot of the commercial was simple enough. Pete, Spike and a cohort, played by James Villiers, were supposed to be breaking into a customs shed. Pete had to jam a Benson and Hedges packet into the alarm bell so it would not ring. Medak (the Director) went up to him and explained the shot, which had already been agreed and storyboarded. The lighting would reflect beautifully on the gold packet as he held it in his hand.

"Daddy," Pete said, "didn't anyone tell you I cant touch a cigarette packet? I simply cant touch it."

"You've got to be putting me on," Medak said. "Here we are, filming a cigarette commercial for which you are getting paid a fortune, and now you say you cant touch the packet."

"No, I cant," Pete said. "I'm chairman of the Anti-Smoking League and its in my contract that I'm not allowed to touch cigarettes. Dennis (Sellinger, his agent) should have told you."

Medak was speechless. He went over to Spike, who was taking his shoes off. "This lunatic friend of yours wont touch the cigarette packet and flash it in the light so I can get a great shot of it. He won't touch it!"

Spike backed away from him, "I cant touch the packet either. I'm deputy chairman of the Anti-Smoking League. Don't ask me to do this because I'll have to say no and I don't want to say no to you."

Medak wondered if he was the one who had lost touch with reality. He said: "You're putting me on."

Spike swore on his life that he was not. In desperation, Medak turned to Villiers. "These two idiots wont touch the cigarette packet and they are getting 75,000 each.

"Wheres the bloody cigarette packet?" he asked. "Show me what to do."

They started to shoot again. Sellers, of course, kept his fee, and Spike donated his to charity to save three trees in Finchley.