ALAN BENNETT - BENNETT DISRESPECTED ON SET

British playwright ALAN BENNETT was constantly ridiculed by the young cast of his stage play THE HISTORY BOYS, and was amazed they had such little respect for him. Bennett admits the stars of The History Boys, now a critically acclaimed new movie, were never awed by the presence of such a prominent literary figure. The award-winning writer recalls, "They took the mickey out of me relentlessly. There wasn't a honeymoon period when there was a bit of respect, not to say veneration. "The first day, when I was coming into the theatre, one of the cast was lounging by the stage door and someone said, 'What are you doing here?' And he said, 'Oh I'm in this crap play about history - by the way, what's the guy's name? Oh, hello Alan.'"