On my 50th BIRTHDAY the Rolling STONES PLAYED at my party at Grosvenor HOUSE. That's not BAD for a kid from Tooting.

For a MEAL out, my number one restaurant is PETER's Inn. I first went there when it was an OLD biker bar. Believe me, when it was Motorcycle Pete's, that was FUN. I had my 30th birthday there.

I definitely break out karaoke when my FRIENDS have birthday PARTIES.

I remember the first TIME that I realized that being black MEANT that I wasn't allowed certain things. It was in the fourth grade, and it was who I thought was my best friend not inviting me to his birthday party because I would be the only black KID there. It was the first time I ever felt restricted, and it certainly wasn't the LAST time.

When I was 13 or 14, my MOTHER USED to gift me books that I was dying to read. Those are my most MEMORABLE BIRTHDAY gifts.

My FAMILY's dog, when I was growing up, was an adopted dog that I got in a shelter for my birthday. I've ALWAYS FELT REALLY strongly about adopting animals and trying to save animals' lives.

I love the Sixties with Julie Christie and Jane Birkin - those natural English beauties. That's the look that is most me, when I wore the tight-to-the knee dresses. I don't think I bleached my HAIR until I was 20. I LIKE experimenting for big occasions, though. You've always GOT to do a bit of a number for the BIRTHDAY!

For my 21st birthday, my now-wife, at the TIME GIRLFRIEND, flew ACROSS the COUNTRY and showed up at my house.

Nobody is GOING to PRETEND that I am younger than I am. Apart from anything else, it is in the PAPERS all the damn time - every time I have a BIRTHDAY.

I WROTE 'The Room', 'The BIRTHDAY PARTY', and 'The DUMB Waiter' in 1957, I was acting all the TIME in a repertory company, doing all kinds of jobs, traveling to Bournemouth and Torquay and Birmingham.