Craig Ian Mann, who is working on a documentary about Threads to accompany its release on Blu-ray in the US, said the picture had “become the iconic image of the film” and made a plea to trace the then-unknown traffic warden to speak to him about the role.
However, unbeknown to Mr Mann and his co-writer Robert Nevitt, BBC Radio Sheffield managed to track down Mr Beecroft with the three men meeting for the first time on the breakfast show on Thursday.
Mr Beecroft said he was unaware people were trying to find him and was “gobsmacked” by the interest in his role.
He said over the years, he had not spoken much about the part he played, other than to a few of his friends who had known about it.
Asked by Mr Mann whether he had any idea how iconic his character had become and the fact he had been made into an action figure, he replied: “Wow, I didn’t know that. I’m totally amazed at the reaction people have had over it.”
