Article circa 1976

You couldn't imagine David Hunter exploring the site of an archaeological dig, dressed in old, comfortable clothes.  But that's just the sort of interest that gives Ronald Allen, who plays the character in Crossroads great enjoyment.  In fact archaeology has become a major feature of any holiday that Ronnie takes.  This year he's been to Crete, an island which could be described as an archaeologist's paradise.

"I planned the holiday in Crete because it's somewhere I'd never been, yet always wanted to go," said Ronnie.  "It really lived up to my expectations.  I was with a couple of friends.  We spent three glorious weeks there.  The house we rented had its own private pool and we spent a lot of the early part of the holiday lapping up the sun," he said.

But it wasn't long before the lure of the wealth of relics on the island began to work.  "We hired a car and went off in search of the remains of pat civilisations.  You don't have to look far in a place like that," he said.

High on his list of places to visit was the ancient settlement of Knossos.  "That's an archaeologist's wonderland," said Ronnie.  "I could have spent days there."

Ronnie's interest in antiquities stretches back to his schooldays but he admits that his involvement goes no further than being a spectator.  "I find immense enjoyment in wandering round, looking at things and places of interest.  But if it actually came to doing some work - you'd not find me around!  I couldn't picture myself going on a dig," he said.  "I just move in when all the hard labour's been done!"

Before his trips abroad he'll read up about the places he plans to visit, gathering what information he can about the history of the region, the custms and traditions of its people, and their language.  "I think it's only right you should know something about the place you're staying," said Ronnie.  "It's important that you make some kind of contact with the people, even if you can only say 'hello' and 'thank you.'  Many's the time I've tried to talk with someone in their own language - and they've ended up falling about laughing at my pronunciation.  But that doens't matter - at least by making them laugh you've made some kind of contact with them.  I always find that people appreciate you making the effort to learn their language anyway," he added. 

Ronnie caused quite a stir after one of his trips abroad - bringing about a typhoid scare.  "I'd been out to Turkey and had a marvellous time," he aaid.  "I'd been back for a few days when I was taken ill suddenly one night.  All the early symptoms pointed to typhoid and I was rushed to a hospital isolation ward.  When the news got out the television studio was swamped with calls.  I'd been back at work since my return and had been in contact with lots of people - all of whom feared the worst and thought they'd go down with typhoid too.  They thought I might have started an epidemic," he said.

Luckily, the illness Ronnie was suffering from wasn't typhoid.  All the same it kept him in hospital for three weeks.  But soon he recovered and was able to assume once again the role of David Hunter.

"I'm not half the snappy dresser he is.  But to be fair to the character, we do only see him when he's at work.  He's 'on duty,' if you like, at the motel and so needs to be well dressed.  He's never actually shown on screen digging his garden or doing things like that - so he may be more like me than even I realise!"  Ronnie grinned.  "That's the nice thing about playing this part - there's so many sides to his character.  He's so unpredictable."