Photo by Martin Fenton, no reproduction without permission
This photo is of a living room set up in Radio Studio 3 at Pebble Mill. This is the studio where The Archers was recorded.
The set up is pretty minimal. There is a tea towel, or similar, in the foreground, which is presumably a prop for the a scene.
Martin Fenton took the photo in autumn 2003.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Included in the photo are: Michael Simpson, Michael Gambon, David Rose, Jane Lapotaire, Lynn Frederick, Gavin Davies (production designer, right handside next to Andy Meikle),Andy Meikle (production coordinator, far right with beard), 2nd row, Jan Nethercot (make-up designer), Sue Peck (dresser), Stephanie Hawkes (dresser) Tudor George (costume designer, behind and between Sue and Steph), Richard Ganniclift (cameraman).
Thanks to Janice Rider, Terry Powell, Susie Astle, Wendy Edwards for adding in names. Please add a comment if you can identify others.
The Other Woman was a Play for Today, broadcast on 6th January 1976.
Here is the synopsis from the Radio Times, from the BBC Genome project:
“The Other Woman by Watson Gould
Kim, an angry young artist, disrupts the lives of Robin, a family man, and Niki, a temp sec – for whom she is the other woman.’
BBC Birmingham
Contributors
Writer: Watson Gould
Film Editor: Henry Fowler
Film cameraman: John Williams
Producer: David Rose
Designer: Gavin Davies
Director: Michael Simpson
Script Editor: William Smethurst
Kim: Jane Lapotaire
Robin: Michael Gambon
Niki: Lynne Frederick
Aunt Darnley: Barbara Atkinson
Miles Darnley: Leon Sinden
Rose: Rosalind Adams
Louise: Eve Pearce
Ben: Benedict Taylor
Lois: Martyn West
Barman: John Joyce”
All Creatures Great and Small cast, 1989. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Here is the next excerpt from “All Memories Great & Small” by Oliver Crocker:
Memories from Janice Rider (Costume Assistant on 1978 series, and Costume Designer on 4 episodes in the 1989 series):
‘I first worked for the BBC in 1976 and sometime after making a couple of period costumes for Joyce Hawkins, I was offered a seven week contract as a Dresser on the first series of Poldark. My enthusiasm was soon dashed however, when after I had revealed to the designer during the second studio recording that I had never worked on location before, I found myself unceremoniously ditched from the show… it never pays to be too honest! However, because the BBC had to honour the contract, I was transferred onto The Sheik of Pickersgill as Costume Assistant which was, ironically, a mini promotion! From then on I continued as a Costume Assistant and in 1978 began working on All Creatures Great and Small with Anne Barfield.’
60 cast and crew have shared their memories for this new book, which is available to preorder now from Miwk – http://bit.ly/2d7p5ts
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
I’m not sure where this article is from, but probably one of the local Birmingham papers. It is from 1992, when Rod Natkiel was appointed Head of Network Television. As the cutting is rather hard to read, I have transcribed it here:
“Surprise as outsider takes Pebble Mill top job.
Mr Rod Natkiel has been appointed as Head of Network Television at BBC Pebble Mill in a surprise move.
The 40-year-old, who lives in Wylde Green, Birmingham beat off a strong field of internal applicants.
In his new role he will have overall responsibility for drama, leisure and lifestyle, multi-cultural programming output and the new daytime schedule.
Mr Natkiel, a freelance independent producer, was s former BBC TV light entertainment producer and director in Scotland from 1978-84 and is currently production executive at the Birmingham Media Development Agency.
His impressive CV includes work in entertainment, documentary, drama, news and current affairs, including stints on Granada’s Krypton Factor, Channel 4’s QD – The Master Game and Children’s Ward, the ITV drama.
Last night he said: “I am delighted to be joining the BBC again, especially at Pebble Mill which has such an excellent track record.
“These are challenging times for the industry and the BBC itself, of course, has many issues to resolve.
But I’m looking forward very much to being part of that process and hopefully assisting future success of the corporation and Pebble Mill.”
Before accepting the job, Mr Natkiel insisted that he be allowed to retain his MDA post after he starts work with the corporation on Monday.
A BBC insider commented: “This is a fairly sensational appointment. He will be the man who is responsible for all the network TV output from Pebble Mill.”
Mr Bill Cotton, chairman of Noel Gay Television and a former BBC managing director, said: “I think it’s a very good appointment. I think he’s a first class producer with a lot of experience and patience.”
Mrs Dorothy Hobson, director of the MDA, said: “We have always had a close relationship with the BBC because they were one of our original sponsors.”
She said Mr Natkiel had always shown great patience and interest in up-and-coming film makers.”
Thanks to Philip Thickett for sharing the cutting.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Jean Palmer: ‘I worked for Rod and Jenny Brewer on the 5th Floor. Thought I had made it being on the management floor. He called me to ask me if I could go and unit manage Good Morning with Anne and Nick. Enjoyed that role, worked with a great team of people, fun times and hard times but great times.’
Jane Upston: ‘Yes I worked with him and Jenny too prior to maternity leave from Personnel, as it was called in those days!’
Copyright Mark Pinder photography, no reproduction without permission
Chris Phipps, who used to present on Look! Hear! at Pebble Mill in the early 1980s, and was the BBC’s Black Country correspondent in the 1970s, has written a book about the films and television of Newcastle.
“We associate Newcastle with TV and Film icons Get Carter, Byker Grove, The Tube and Our Friends in the North. However, do you know where Ralph Richardson stole money from in 1939? Why a den of spies were living in Jesmond in 1951? Who met Tommy Lee Jones on the High Level Bridge in 1988? Why Gateshead High Street was under siege in 2009? and which Newcastle flats seem to appear in every programme or film made in Newcastle?
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Andy Frizzell: ‘Co-presented look hear with Toyah Wilcox. One of the first things I worked on and the first time I met Barry Chatfield. A long, long time ago.’