Edward Wilson, 60, lost his three-year battle with cancer at his Los Angeles home earlier this month.

He became a mentor to the stars as artistic director of the National Youth Theatre (NYT) from 1986 to 2003, helping launch the careers of the likes of Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom, Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

Lucas and Walliams, who met at the NYT and went on to create the hit comedy series Little Britain, were among those at the service.

Actors Timothy Spall and Paula Wilcox were also present at the requiem mass at Corpus Christi Church in Covent Garden on Friday.

NYT spokesman David Bloom said: "It was a very beautiful ceremony, and there were hundreds of people there. He was a very highly regarded man."

The Avengers star Dame Diana Rigg gave the first reading, from the first letter of St John.

Goodnight Sweetheart and Casualty actress Liz Carling sang I Have A Love, from the musical West Side Story, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, another NYT graduate, read an excerpt from Othello, in which he is currently starring in the West End.

Sid Higgins, executive director of NYT, read the eulogy, charting Wilson's career from dressing up as a child to starring in TV dramas including When The Boat Comes In and Crown Court.

He said: "Ed's ambition was very different to that of so many people in that his was a totally selfless ambition.

"It was an ambition to see others, and particularly young people, realise their own potential and succeed."

Wilson had moved to California, after 16 years at the NYT, to head up the Los Angeles Young Actors Company in Hollywood.

Mr Higgins said: "It will come as no surprise to anyone that he had a very strong circle of devoted friends in Los Angeles.

"When he passed away, he was very peaceful, listening to Debussy on his iPod and surrounded by his friends there."

Wilson's funeral was held in Los Angeles.

A second memorial service is due to take place for other friends and family in North East England.

* The eulogy in full - next page.