If I Ruled the World...Jim Dale (Jon Stewart would have a job for life)

Everyday would be what?

Devoid of religious zealots.

As ruler, what would you keep and what would you change?

I would keep an open mind and heart and change everything that makes me frown.

Which public official(s) would you sack - and who would you hire?

I would sack all government officials who voted for their own privileged Health Plans and Retirement Benefits. I would hire John Stewart 24/7 to continue his brilliant skewering of all things political.

What makes you tick?

Loving what I do and wanting to do even more before forgetting what the hell it was I once loved doing.

What are you best at?

Making an audience laugh, sometimes unintentionally.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

My wife Julie. Heading for our 36th year as soulmates.

What embarrasses you?

Fidgeting to go to the loo during a play, especially when I'm in it.

What is your greatest achievement?

My four children, resulting in five grandchildren.

What's your greatest extravagance?

Working out with a personal trainer three times a week, then celebrating with a large tub of ice cream.

What is your biggest fear?

As an actor I have two. Missing an entrance in a play and forgetting my lines.

What makes you depressed?

Knowing my wife is always right.

What's your favourite gadget or app?

My iPad Mini

What tops your 20 most played iTunes tracks?

"Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" Written and sung by Canada's Gordon Lightfoot.
A true story and so beautifully told.

With which historical figure do you identify most and why?

From the silent film days, Buster Keaton. I admire his inventive mind, his wondrous comedic timing and his utmost sincerity in every role.

What is the government getting right - and what is it getting wrong?

No idea, neither have they!

What's your favourite pastime or hobby?

In confidence, watching the very best of cage fighting on television, I just love it.

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue?

Patience. I just can't wait to tell everybody that.

What are your favourite smells?

New mown grass, 50 year-old port and my dog.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

Not having ear wax.

What was your best holiday?

Ten days exploring the Galapagos Islands.

Where do you want to travel to next?

Wherever there is no McDonald's or Starbucks or cruise ships. That just leaves the Galapagos again.

Actor Jim Dale was a stalwart of the Carry On films before moving to America by the end of the Seventies. Also an accomplished song-writer, he penned the Sixties hit Georgy Girl. His acclaimed one-man show began at London's Vaudeville Theatre, London and will run for a month (Tickets - 0844 482 9675 or www.justjimdale.com).

Tim Wapshott is a journalist who has written for the Guardian and Independent. He is supplying a regular series of 'If I ruled the world' columns for IBTimes UK.