Carole Haysom – What Was Pebble Mill?

Peggy Lee Entertains 1981

Photos by Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission

These photos of the US performer, Peggy Lee are from a show called ‘Peggy Lee Entertains’ from 1981.

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

Maggie Humphries: That’s me in the middle audience with Aunt and Uncle, it was an amazing night and I was just talking about it a couple of days ago, great music, great memories.

Jane Mclean: I PA-ed it. THINK Bob Langley presented it.

Annette Martin: I Vision Mixed the show. It was a wonderful evening in the 80s. Peggy had difficulty walking so she rehearsed in a wheelchair with an assistant moving her to the various positions on the stage! It was surreal but come the show she moved superbly- what a pro and her voice was fabulous- a VM highlight for me and everyone involved. I think John Smith Directed and Jim Dumighan was involved.

David Ian Bellinger: Worked with Pete Moore, her MD all week – first in the radio studio for Radio 2 and then that weekend – one of my most memorable times in 25 years at the Mill, No band could have been more prepared for that diamond of a TV Music Show ….. Oh – so many memories of this. When Pete asked me to add strings to a Paul Whiteman original arrangement I nearly passed out – finished it with minutes to go – yes the ink was still wet! Didn’t sleep for three days. My time at the Mill? I’d have paid the Licence Payers (Bless’Em) for the honour and spending my time with my second family every day at work.

Carole Haysom: Yvonne Brockbank was the make up designer.

Production Designer Michael Edwards on Great Expectations

Photographs by Albert Sheard, no reproduction without permission.

The top photo shows production designer, Michael Edwards, and Roy Barrett, working on the kitchen set of the 1981 adaptation of Dickens’ Great Expectations, in Studio A. The second photo also shows Michael Edwards at work.

Thanks to Albert Sheard for sharing the photographs.

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

Bob Hutton: ‘That’s Scenic Artist, Brian Bishop in the white overall in both pics,(sadly no longer with us).’

Carole Haysom: ‘We had some fun and games on this show! Great crew with Head of make up Gwen Arthy. Trainee at time…great experience.’

Studio B in action

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Studio B in action at BBC Pebble Mill circa 1975/6. Jack Rooke on the left hand camera and Dave Doogood on the right hand one. The presenter looks like a young Tom Coyne, who presented Midlands Today.

Studio B was used for Midlands Today as well as many other programmes, which didn’t need the much larger, Studio A.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making the photograph available.

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

Malcolm Hickman: ‘EMI 2001s on HP peds.’

Richard Stevenson: ‘Although the cameras changed, pretty sure those peds stayed until the end.’

Carole Haysom: ‘Early Sunday mornings for Farming today…remember getting a few shorts straws for that!!!!’

Susan Astle: ‘Farming and Asian progs on a Sunday, early days at Pebble Mill! I remember Samantha once coming in the night before frock! They were early starts!!’

Helen Smith: ‘Love this – that is my Dad on the right hand camera!’

Richard Stevenson: ‘Many happy days being trained by your father. He taught me a lot for which I will always be grateful.’

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Oliver Twist

Photo by Neil Wigley, no reproduction without permission

This publicity still is from the 12 part 1985 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, which was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill. The series was directed by Gareth Davies, and produced by Terence Dicks. Alexander Baron was the script writer, with Brian Wright the script editor. Bob Chaplin was the lighting director, Michael Edwards was the production designer, Al Barnett the costume designer and Alastair Askham the sound supervisor, with Mike Bloore the VT editor.

Ben Rodska played Oliver Twist, with Eric Porter as Fagin, and Michael Attwell as Bill Sikes.

Thanks to the BBC Drama Village for making the photo available.

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

Terry Powell: ‘Great show I looked after a young actor playing Olive who now is a pilot for Easy Jet with 2 grown up kids – time does fly’

Carole Haysom: ‘Make up assistant Carole Haysom……Made up Eric Porter, in fact I still have his Fagin teeth’

Carol Churchill: ‘Makeup designer was Susie Bancroft’

Nigel Davenport (1928-2013)

Actor, Nigel Davenport died of pneumonia on 25th October 2013, aged 85. Nigel was best known for appearing in films like A Man for All Seasons, Chariots of Fire, Greystoke, Zulu Dawn but he also appeared in a couple of Pebble Mill drama series. He appeared in the series Trainer as the character, James Brant, and also as Sir Edward Frere in Howards’ Way.

Here is the publicity brochure for Trainer, which features Nigel Davenport. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

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

Carole Haysom: ‘I worked with Nigel on both Howards’ Way and Trainer. He had a wicked sense of humour and a true gentleman. A top notch actor who didn’t take himself too seriously. I didn’t realise he’d died, unfortunately some news doesn’t filter through here in Dubai.’