In 1979, Pierce Brosnan and his wife Cassandra Harris managed to scrape enough money together to buy their first house. Soon thereafter, American producers offered him the lead in a miniseries called "Mansions of America," about the Irish potato famine.

When the miniseries was ready to air, Harris suggested moving to Los Angeles (in part to attend the show's premiere). Alas, they had no money for such luxuries as traveling overseas...

In Greek Mythology, Cassandra was a daughter of Priam, the king of Troy, endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated by Apollo never to be believed -- and, sure enough, despite his wife's promises to "find a way" Brosnan was doubtful. Nonetheless, Cassandra did indeed find a solution. Which was? Taking out a second mortgage... on their central heating!

[In Los Angeles, Brosnan rented a car from Rent-A-Wreck: "A lime green Pacer, with a cushion, because the springs were coming through, and I got a map and went on my first interview in Hollywood. Somehow I found my way out to Laurel Canyon. I got up to the top of Mulholland Drive and the car broke down, blew up. I did eventually get to the interview and... Boom! They were looking for Remington Steele."]

[Brosnan once purchased the typewriter of the James Bond creator, Ian Fleming, for ?52,800.]