Film footage of Hollywood actor Jim Broadbent – which pre-dates his official silver screen debut – has been discovered in Lincolnshire.
A film reel has been found in which the Oscar winner assumes the role of a worker at Nocton Estate, south of Lincoln.
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William Franklin from Dunston, pictured left, took part in a film about life on a farm in Lincolnshire in 1976. He didn't realise until his son found a copy that the well-known Lincolnshire actor Jim Broadbent, pictured right, was also in the film.
Named The Greenhouse, the 18-minute black and white production was made in February 1976.
According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Broadbent's first movie appearance was in The Shout two years later.
But the documentary suggests his first performance may have slipped under the radar.
The star, who plays Dennis Thatcher in the new film The Iron Lady, is seen doing jobs on the farm and speaking to other workers while on his lunch break.
Originally from Holton cum Beckering, near Market Rasen, Broadbent, was then aged 26 with dark curly hair and a goatee beard. Early in the footage, he speaks about the county's landscape in a voiceover recording.
He said: "The land is good around here, very easy to farm with it being so flat.
"Good farming land Lincolnshire."
The film was made by Broadbent's friend Alan Coddington as part of his studies at the National Film School.
It features shots across the fens towards Lincoln Cathedral, potato planting in the fields and glimpses of Dunston, south of Lincoln.
Mr Coddington discovered the original 16 millimetre footage in his loft around six years ago.
He then decided to make a DVD copy as he had no way of watching it in the old format.
One other copy was made for the only surviving worker featured in the film, former tractor driver William Franklin.
However Mr Franklin, 90, of Dunston, was unaware of who Broadbent was until the film was seen recently by his son.
Graham Franklin, 58, a nightclub owner from Cleethorpes, said: "When I looked at the film I thought I recognised his face and then I looked at the case and I recognised the name.
"It was a bit of a 'wow factor' that my dad had been in this film with someone who has gone on to be so famous."
William Franklin received a card from Broadbent when he celebrated his 90th birthday on Saturday, January 14.
He said: "It was lovely of him to send the card.
"He was a nice enough chap with the bit I had to do with him. He seemed a bit like us I thought, a bit broad.
"He was a grand fellow."
Since The Greenhouse, Broadbent has starred in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Bridget Jones' Diary, The Borrowers and Moulin Rouge.
He has also appeared in television shows such as Only Fools and Horses.
Mr Coddington, who now lives in Cornwall, said very few people had seen the film.
He said: "I knew Jim quite well at the time. I had known him since I was about 16. But I haven't seen him for about 30 years.
"I don't think a lot of people have seen the film and I don't think Jim has seen it since it was made.
"I couldn't be 100 per cent sure it was his first film but I know he hadn't done much.
"He has gone on to do some great stuff. I'm very pleased for him."
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