Working at Borehamwood's old Gate Studios always seemed to involve celebrating something, according to a former secretary to the managing director.

Happy memories of working at the studio came flooding back to Jean Clarkson as she recently waited for a bus at Elstree and Borehamwood Station.

Mrs Clarkson, who was secretary to managing director Clifford Jeapes in 1951, said: "I looked across at the fading red name, still visible on top of the Gate Studios, and thought fondly of the time I spent there so long ago.

"We always seemed to be celebrating something as far as I can remember. It was a very jolly studio."

She also recalled laughs while making a religious film at the studio: "Cast and crew all sat together at one long table in the canteen. We used to send remarks across the table to the artistes, like 'Pass the salt Moses, but do not turn me into a pillar of it', and 'How about turning a little water into wine'.

"There were also remarks like 'No swearing now, the good guys have arrived'."

Mrs Clarkson also worked on Sunday Thoughts at the studio, aimed at making the audience think a good thought before watching the main film, and made by Rank because owner Arthur Rank was very religious.

Her husband, Laurie Clarkson, who became an Emmy award-nominated sound mixer, also worked at the Gate on an experimental back-projection film called Under the Frozen Falls.

Mrs Clarkson also recalled working with Tony Spratling, who became a top lighting cameraman, working on films like Aliens II. After a year at the Gate, she left to help her husband who had opened the Marylebone Studios in London.

She later became a production secretary and assistant, and worked at other studios in Borehamwood, including MGM, EMI and the BBC.

While at MGM, she travelled to Kenya to film Beyond Mombasa, and to Ireland to make Never Put it in Writing.

At EMI, she worked for Hammer, which made famous horror films, where her boss was managing director Roy Skeggs.

She also worked on The Young Ones film with Cliff Richard, and the Bond movie Never Say Never Again. Other stars she has worked with include Elizabeth Taylor, Jose Ferrier and Christopher Lee.

Mrs Clarkson and her husband are now both retired and living in Manor Way.