Will Hay starred in many films with up and  coming actors and actresses. In his first film THOSE WERE THE DAYS  he starred as Brutus Poskett the Magistrate, with a young John Mills playing the part of Dickie his stepson.

In his second film RADIO PARADE OF 1935 there was a performance from Ted Ray.

Will's third film DANDY DICK saw the introduction of Moore Marriot,who would later go on to star with Hay in several other films, notably Oh,Mr Porter! Convict 99 and Ask a Policeman.

The fifth film of Hay's WINDBAG THE SAILOR saw Graham Moffat joining Moore Marriot for the first time and this partnership with Will lasted for 6 films and turned out to be one of the most famous in British film history.

Hay's tenth film HEY HEY USA saw the American film star Edgar Kennedy join him in a attempt to get Will accepted by the American cinemagoers. Roddy McDowall played the pestering boy.

The thirteenth film was WHERE'S THAT FIRE? which saw a youthful Charles Hawtrey, later of Carry On fame play a most amusing cameo as a schoolboy know it all, who proceeds to cause havoc amongst a crowd of people watching with great delight at Hay, Moffatt and Marriott trying to put up their new fireman's pole.

 The boys together- Hay,Moffat,Marriot

Will Hay's next film THE GHOST OF ST.MICHAEL'S saw another performance from Charles Hawtrey and also brought an appearance by Claude Hulbert who would go on to star  once more with Will in his last film MY LEARNED FRIEND. John Laurie (Fraser from Dad's Army) played Jamie the caretaker who recounts at any given opportunity fearsome stories of the Scottish castle.

The very next film sees John Mills return to play opposite Will in BLACK SHEEP OF WHITEHALL, as his one and only pupil of a correspondence  college who refuses  to pay  his fees, due to the lack of material he is being sent. Undeterred Hay (as Professor Davis) tracks him down to Whitehall, where he is working  as  a office junior. Leslie Mitchell the much respected broadcaster makes an appearance as a interviewer as does Thora Hird as his secretary.

Hay's sixteenth film THE GOOSE STEPS OUT originally started out as a propaganda film for the Ministry of Information which turned into an Ealing films feature. The film shows  a young looking Peter Ustinov, who would go on to greater fame and Charles Hawtrey. It was Hawtrey who had said that everything that he had ever learned about comedy was due to Will Hay.

It may come as no surprise that some of the above mentioned had been given knighthoods and  that Thora Hird was known as  Dame Thora Hird. It was written  in Hay's biography that  if  it  were  not for  the break-up of  his marriage Will Hay would have had a knighthood. It was reported that he had been approached & indicated that he  was willing  to accept the accolade, but  there were certain  stigmas attached to divorce and separation in the 30's and 40's and the powers that be did not like to bestow such honours onto people who had marital troubles. My, my, how times change!