March 2013 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Richard Griffiths – Bird of Prey

Thanks to Kevin Lakin for sharing this camera script for the Pebble Mill drama: Bird of Prey II.

Bird of Prey was a four part thriller produced at Pebble Mill, which went out in 1982. Bird of Prey II was the sequel series, which went out in 1984. Both series starred actor Richard Griffiths, as civil servant Henry Jay. Richard, 65, died yesterday after complications following a heart operation. He was well known for playing character parts like Uncle Monty in Withnail and I, Uncle Vernon in Harry Potter, and Hector in The History Boys.

Pebble Mill Signature Tunes

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing these tunes.

Please add a comment if you can identify the first two signature tunes.

Peter Poole

Dead Head

The BBC Pebble Mill drama series Dead Head is released on DVD on 15 April 2013. The film was edited by John Rosser with the video edited by Ivor Williams.

Dead Head was a four part thriller, with Denis Lawson as a small time criminal who gets mixed up with a grizzly murder. It was originally transmitted on BBC2 from 15 Jan 1986- 5 Feb 1986. The four parts were, Episode 1: Why Me?, Episode 2: Anything for England, Episode 3: The War Room and Episode 4: The Patriot.

The team included: Rob Walker (director), Robin Midgley (producer), Howard Brenton (script), Dave Bushell (lighting), Gavin Davies (designer), Kathryn Ayerst (costume), Vivien Oldham (make-up), Richard Hartley (music).

Thanks to Neil Roberts for spotting the release.

The following comment was added by camerman David Short on the Pebble Mill Facebook group: ‘Remember working as a camera assistant on it. I think Keith Salmon was the Senior Cameraman. Possibly the last thing I worked on before moving to TV Centre.’

The Old Curiosity Shop

Jim Gray

Tony Wigley on Mole crane, Jim Gray on 4

Tony Wigley on crane, Keith Froggatt swinging

Tony Wigley on Mole crane, Keith Forggatt swinging and Martyn Suker

John Couzens talks to director, Tony Wigley on crane, Richard Reynolds on boom

Closing credits, Jim Gray back to camera

Studio A

The Old Curiosity Shop was a nine part series which went out in from December 1979 to February 1980. Barry Letts was the producer, Julian Amyes the director, Alistair Bell the script editor, William Trevor wrote the script adaptation, Michael Edwards was the production designer and Peter Booth was the lighting designer.

The cast included Sebastian Shaw as grandfather, Trevor Peacock as Daniel Quilp, Natalie Ogle as Little Nell, Granville Saxton as Dick Swiveller, Wensley Pithey as the Single Gentlemen, and Christopher Fairbank as Kit Nubbles.

The photos are of:

Jim Gray
Tony Wigley on Mole crane, Jim Gray on 4
Tony Wigley on crane & Keith Froggatt swinging.
Tony Wigley on Mole crane, Keith Froggatt swinging & Martyn Suker tracking.
A typical set
John Couzens, with arms folded, talks to the director (Julian Amyes). Tony Wigley on Mole crane, Richard Reynolds on boom.
Doing the closing credits. Jim Gray back to camera. Scene hands’ names may be Dick & Phil?

Thanks to James French for sharing the photos.

Ode to a Panto

This ‘Ode to a Panto’ dates from 1976, and was obviously specially written for the BBC Club annual Christmas Pantomime. One of the singers is sound recordist, Mark Decker, and the other, Graham Platts. Around this time staff at Pebble Mill used to put on regular theatrical productions. Please add a comment if you can add more information.

Thanks to Peter Poole for making this recording available.

Peter Poole