Fellow comedian Charlie Chester related a story where they were waiting outside Caen and Haynes pointed to a trench full of mud and a million tiny frogs and said nothing would get him into that.

[5] Chester had not originally wanted to feature him as he had a full cast but once he heard Haynes give a high-pitched laugh, he knew he could use it and found a place for him.

[4] On 21 February 1956, Haynes appeared in the first edition of ATV variety series Strike a New Note,[4] which was supposed to air talent for the new independent television station.

After several appearances in this show,[5] written by Dick Barry and John Antrobus along with Johnny Speight who had been sending in sketches for Haynes.

In early episodes, the shows were played out on a theatre stage, and basic scenery and props were used where, for instance, the audience could see outside and inside a house, as there was no wall on their side.

The shows would also feature musical guests, such as the Springfields in 1963, Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen and the Rolling Stones in 1964, and Joe Brown and the Bruvvers and the Dave Clark Five in 1965.

[7] A number of the shows started and ended with Arthur Haynes driving a horse and cart along a narrow country lane, whistling and (unconvincingly) playing a harmonica.

[4] The shows also made a star of Nicholas Parsons, who had first appeared with Haynes in Strike a New Note and Get Happy[5] and who tended to play supercilious neighbours and authority figures in the comedy sketches.

Other stars also made early appearances: in 1962 Michael Caine played a burglar burgling the same house as Haynes's character.

While in Hollywood, Cary Grant turned up with an entourage at a place where Haynes was staying and lavished great praise on him, calling him the greatest comedy star in the world.