BFI – What Was Pebble Mill?

Another Second City First has recently been recovered from director Pedr James – Thwum 1975, featuring Pete Postlewaite in his first screen appearance. It is being shown as part of Missing Believed Wiped at the BFI Southbank on 16th December 2017.

Thanks to Lez Cooke for letting me know about the find and the event.

Here is the Radio Times entry for Thwum:

‘A series of new plays from Birmingham
Thwum by MIKE STOTT
‘ In 14 minutes, 20 seconds we are going to be privileged to contact living creatures from another world, another galaxy even …’
Designer MYLES LANG Producer TARA PREM Director PEDR JAMES

Contributors

Unknown: Mike Stott
Designer: Myles Lang
Producer: Tara Prem
Director: Pedr James
Joy: Rosalind Elliot
Duffy: Peter Postlethwaite
Bernard: Paul Moriarty’

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copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

It was announced last week that thousands of British television programmes are to be digitised in order to preserve them. The BFI is investing £13.5 million pounds worth of Lottery funding to carry out the project. Programmes from the 1970s and 1980s are said to be particularly at risk.

A number of Pebble Mill and pre-Pebble Mill dramas have been identified as part of the digitisation, these include, Second City Firsts (1973-8), and Rainbow City (1967). These are considered particularly significant because they include the early work of black and Asian writers.

The digitisation is being prioritised because of the shortage of early video equipment in sound working order, and the growing shortage of technical operators for such equipment.

It’s great to hear that some of the lesser known dramas to be made in Gosta Green and Pebble Mill are now being recognised as culturally important.

Errol John and Gemma Jones in Rainbow City. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

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Tag: BFI

Thwum 1975

Second City Firsts and Rainbow City to be digitised