MICKEY ROURKE - GALLO'S BAG MONEY KEPT ROURKE OFF THE STREETS

MICKEY ROURKE will forever be indebted to VINCENT GALLO, because the film-maker came to his aid when he most needed cash.

Down-on-his-luck ANGEL HEART star Rourke was offered $100,000 (GBP58,800) for four hours work in Gallo's offbeat BUFFALO 66 movie at a time when he was struggling to make ends meet.

Rourke recalls, "I was flat broke because nobody would hire me. Vinnie called me up and said, 'Hey, I got this thing but you gotta learn it.'

"Then he said, 'Are you having trouble with the government?' I told him, 'Yeah, I owe them a lot of money.' He said, 'What if I give you $100,000 in a paper bag...?'

"When my scene was over, Vinnie gave me a paper bag full of money and I got on a plane the same afternoon."