Boys from the Black Stuff – What Was Pebble Mill?

David Attwood

‘Keep Smiling’, photo by James French

From Heather Storr, Diana Coxon and Jenny Brewer

It is with great sadness that we pass on the news of the death of David Attwood. David had not been well for the last few years and he died on 21st March 2024. Many of you will remember him from his days in English Regions Drama at Pebble Mill.

Here are some memories from both Heather and Diana. This list of shows that David worked on is not exhaustive but is truly representative of his skills and expertise as a Director.

David joined the Drama Department as an AFM in 1976. He came down from BBC Scotland where he had worked with Alastair Reid. Heather worked with him on OUR FLESH AND BLOOD in 1976 and the next year they both worked on the GANGSTERS series.

A few years later he became a Production Assistant and then Production Manager and worked on OUT OF TOWN BOYS (1978) and KEEP SMILING (1979) before THE BLACK STUFF (1980) and THE MUSCLE MARKET (1981). Then the series BOYS FROM THE BLACK STUFF (1982) and we think DEAD HEAD (1986) as well.

In 1984 he undertook the BBC Directors course and started what was to be his main career as a Drama Director at Pebble Mill. His shows included ALL TOGETHER NOW (1986), a comedy set around a brass band; AIRBASE (1988) which aroused controversy for its unflattering portrayal of life on an American airbase in Britain; and by the time he became freelance KILLING TIME (1990) a dark tale of a killer who befriends a teenager and murders him.

Heather worked with him on the following films between 1992 and 2007.

WILD WEST (1992), SHOT THROUGH THE HEART (1998), SUMMER IN THE SUBURBS (2000), FIDEL (2002), STUART A LIFE BACKWARDS (2007)

His other films/dramas during this time are:

THE FORTUNES AND MISFORTUNES OF MOLL FLANDERS (1996) THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (2002) MAY 33RD (2004) TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH (2005) BLOOD AND OIL (2010)

HIs nominations and awards include :

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

BAFTA Awards / 2006 Nominee / Best Drama Serial

Biarritz International Festival of Audiovisual Programming / 2006 Nominee / TV Series and Serials

SHOT THROUGH THE HEART

San Francisco International Film Festival / 1999 Winner / Television Drama Feature

BLOOD AND OIL

Geneva International Fim Festival / 2009 Winner / Drama Series

Boys from the Black Stuff scene by scene

Save

Thanks to Rachel Selby from the costume department, for keeping these scene by scene breakdowns for Boys from the Black Stuff ep 1 ‘There’s Nothing For You’, safe since the early 1980s, and for allowing them to be shared here.

This episode ends with the death of Snowy, as he falls from a window onto the street below.

The photo of Snowy’s death is from make-up designer, Maggie Thomas.

Save

Boys from the Blackstuff cast lists eps 1 & 5

Save

These pages include the cast and crew for episodes 1 and 5 of the series, Boys from the Blackstuff from 1982. The lists include the stuntmen, and the day by day schedule of the two episodes. Episode 1 includes the death of Snowy, in a fall from a window, which obviously involved a stuntman.

Thanks to Rachel Selby, from Costume, for sharing these pages, and for keeping them safe since the early 1980s.

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

Tony Wass: Myself and Andy Redfern were the Boom Ops on this and I was also the dubbing editor and gram op – we got a BAFTA for the sound too! This was the first time video audio was track laid like film, it took me some weeks……

Jane Partridge: I was working as Props Clerk, then. Can remember the faces of the lads who worked on it but not the names! ? Chris, Alan Fortey (Props Buyer Toni’s son), Dave Ackrill possibly – not sure if Bill did that one, too. Remember them getting ready to go away for the filming.

Save