Terence Stamp says Sir Michael Caine has failed to follow his own career advice.

The 76-year-old actor, who's started in more than 60 films during his career - including 'Billy Budd', 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace' and the 'Superman' franchise - once shared a flat with the Oscar-winning star, but has revealed they haven't spoken in 40 years.

London-born Stamp recalled: ''We just went different ways. I can understand it: in many ways he was much more mature than me.''

Stamp said that although Sir Michael, 81, tried to instil good values in him, his former friend betrayed his own advice.

He told the Guardian newspaper: ''Caine gave me all my early values, like making sure you were doing good stuff, waiting for the right things - then as soon as he got away he did exactly the opposite. Went from one movie to another.''

Stamp enjoyed incredible career success when he first broke into the industry, but found work opportunities harder to come by as he got older.

He reflected: ''It's a mystery to me. I was in my prime. When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it. I remember my agent telling me: 'They are all looking for a young Terence Stamp.' And I thought: 'I am young.' I was 31, 32. I couldn't believe it.

''It was tough to wake up in the morning, and the phone not ringing. I thought: this can't be happening now, it's only just started. The day-to-day thing was awful, and I couldn't live with it. So I bought a round-the-world ticket and left.''