October 2017 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Alexander Graham Bell 1965

Francesca Annis and Alex McCowen in Alexander Graham Bell. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

Thanks to costume supervisor Joyce Hawkins for sharing the photo. The photo is from a six part series about Alexander Graham Bell, recorded at the Gosta Green studio in 1965, and transmitted weekly on BBC 1 from 28th February 1965, at 17.35. Here is the entry from the Radio Times, c/o the BBC Genome project:

Synopsis

A serial in six parts by LYON TODD adapted by ALISTAIR BELL
PART 2: A Note In Music
Costumes supervised by Joyce Hawkins
Make-up supervised by Gwen Arthy Designer, Michael Edwards
Script editor, Betty Willingale Producer. CAMPBELL LOGAN Directed by JULIA SMITH
From the Midlands

Contributors

Adapted By: Alistair Bell
Unknown: Joyce Hawkins
Unknown: Gwen Arthy
Designer: Michael Edwards
Editor: Betty Willingale
Producer: Campbell Logan
Directed By: Julia Smith
Alexander Graham Bell: Alec McCowen
Jeannie MacEwan: Jean Anderson
Dr Ferguson: Larry Cross
Professor Bell: John Phillips
Mrs Bell: Barbara Cavan
Matthews: Jameson Clark
Ballachey: Hal Galili
MacDonald: Bruce Boa
George Brown: Robert James
Sarah Fuller: Susan Crawford
Mr Sanders: Peter Carlisle
George Sanders: Michael Crockett
Mr Richards: George Woolley
Mrs Connor: Elizabeth Begley
Mr Hubbard: John Wooonutt
Mabel Hubbard: Francesca Annis

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2aa4456c4ad142f58402fe50f7bcf6ed

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Studio C Galleries

Studio C sound desk, prior to the refurbishment at the end of the 1990s. Photo from Stuart Gandy, no reproduction without permission

Studio C sound desk prior to refurbishment

Refurbished sound desk in Studio C

Refurbished sound desk being removed when Studio C closed, with John Griffiths

Refurbished sound desk has been removed, as Studio C has closed

Studio C vision mixer

Vision mixer stripped out of the desk after Studio C closed

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These photos from Stuart Gandy show the Studio C galleries over time, from the 1990s to early 2000s. Studio C was where Pebble Mill at One, and Good Morning with Anne and Nick were broadcast from, as well as several other shows. The first two photos show the sound desk before the refurbishment, which took place in the late 1990s. The third photo is of the refurbished desk from the early 2000s, followed by photos of the desk being dismantled when the studio was closed. The last two photos show the Studio C vision mixer, and its removal, when the studio closed.

These photos were originally shared on the Pebble Mill Engineers Facebook group.

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Radio WM Victoria Square OB

Photo from Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission

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A Radio WM outside broadcast in Victoria Square, Birmingham, obviously with a Victorian theme. Thanks to Radio WM engineer, Rod Fawcett for sharing the photograph. In the photo are (left to right) June Harben, ?, Tom Horsfield, Chris Nelson.

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45th anniversary of Pebble Mill at One

It is 45 years this month since Pebble Mill at One first hit our screens in October 1972. The photograph above shows the foyer, before it was turned into the Pebble Mill at One studio.

Here is the entry from the Radio Times, for the first Pebble Mill at One aired on 2nd October 1972 from the BBC Genome project: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9d1ca776d4e347dd91864bdb0533c460

“Anything can happen in this daily half-hour of people, views and music – in other words, entertainment.
It will happen in the entrance hall of the Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham where Robert Langley will be welcoming the guests, people in the headlines and you – viewers who have something to say or do.

Presenter: Robert Langley
Editor: Terry Dobson”

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Paul Westwood: ‘Thought PM was always 45 mins long? I read somewhere that as the lunchtime news & Pm At One were the only programmes during the day at one point, apart from the test card, that Birmingham was in charge of the network for that period, not London! Is that true?’

Andy Marriott: ‘Interesting to see how much of the design of that reception wouldn’t look out of place in a modern building.’

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Dreams of Leaving

This publicity photograph, of Kate Nelligan and Bill Nighy is from the Play for Today: Dreams of Leaving, transmitted on 17th January 1980.

Below is the entry from the Radio Times, from the BBC Genome project:

‘A film by DAVID HARE
William came to work in Fleet Street in 1971. London meant girls, as many girls as he could find. Then he met Caroline and so it began, that very strange summer … Caroline said the best of her life.
Music NICK BICAT
Film cameraman MICHAEL Williams. Film editor MIKE HALL
Designer MICHAEL EDWARDS. Script editor ROGER GREGORY. Producer DAVID ROSE. Written and directed by DAVID HARE
BBC Birmingham

Contributors:
William: Bill Nighy
Caroline: Kate Nelligan
Andrew: Andrew Seear
Xan: Mel Smith
Stievel: Johnny Shannon
Mrs Alexander: Helen Lindsay
Aaron: Julian Littman
Colin: Charles Dance
Robert: Hilton McRae
Gallery owner: Tony Mathews
Keith: Gary Holton
Keith’s lawyer: Raymond Brody
Drunken journalist: David Ryall
Miss Collins: Annie Hayes
Doctor: George Raistrick
Laura: Maria Harper’

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bb14c4a2d19c4195a6367a2812da9221

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Steve Saunderson: ‘I was Focus-Puller on this and did a bit of Operating too. DOP was Mike Williams ( RIP ) and John Kenway was the main Operator. Mainly all night shoots in Soho. I think it was Bill Chesneau on Sound from Ealing Studios. Remember playing “air-guitar” with Bill Nighy to “My Sharona”, he never could get the right chords.’

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