British actor Terence Stamp tried to throw himself into the wild partying culture of 1960s London but he couldn't keep up with his peers Albert Finney and Peter O'Toole.

The Billy Budd star socialised with the likes of Finney, O'Toole and Michael Caine, who were all renowned for being big drinkers, but Stamp admits he struggled to get to grips with booze, despite trying his best to be part of the scene.

He tells Britain's Seven magazine, "A lot of the time it was just fantastic. On the other hand, I was never into all the drink and drugs. I tried them, of course, but all the time I was thinking to myself, 'I've got to give this my best shot.' Going out and getting p**sed and falling down, that just wasn't for me. Apart from anything else, all the others were so good, you know, Finney, O'Toole... I couldn't just stroll on after a brandy like them. I needed to be as clear-headed as I could."