Dead Head

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

Kathryn Ayerst

Kathryn Steventon ( nee AYERST ), former Costume Designer, died peacefully at home, August 22 2018, after a long illness. She was a wonderful friend and much loved ex- colleague to many at Pebble Mill. She started her career at Television Centre and moved to BBC Pebble Mill in the late 1970s. Kathryn was the costume designer on dramas including Dead Head and Rachel and the Roarettes.

Thanks to Janice Rider for sharing this sad news.

Dead Head Press Pack

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Dead Head was a four-part thriller transmitted on BBC2 in January-February 1986. The cameraman was John Kenway, the editor, John Rosser, and the production designer, Gavin Davies.

This is the press pack for the series, courtesy of Ann Chancellor-Davies.

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Gavin Davies CV

Gavin Davies on Dead Head. Photo by Willoughby Gulachsen, no reproduction without permission

Gavin Davies on Dead Head. Photo by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission

Here is production designer, Gavin Davies’s CV, and impressive credits list. I think the CV dates from the mid 1990s when the services of crafts people were hired to Independent companies, following John Birt’s re-organisation of the BBC.

Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies for sharing Gavin’s CV. Gavin sadly died some years ago.

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The BBC Pebble Mill drama series Dead Head is released on DVD on 15 April 2013. The film was edited by John Rosser with the video edited by Ivor Williams.

Dead Head was a four part thriller, with Denis Lawson as a small time criminal who gets mixed up with a grizzly murder. It was originally transmitted on BBC2 from 15 Jan 1986- 5 Feb 1986. The four parts were, Episode 1: Why Me?, Episode 2: Anything for England, Episode 3: The War Room and Episode 4: The Patriot.

The team included: Rob Walker (director), Robin Midgley (producer), Howard Brenton (script), Dave Bushell (lighting), Gavin Davies (designer), Kathryn Ayerst (costume), Vivien Oldham (make-up), Richard Hartley (music).

Thanks to Neil Roberts for spotting the release.

The following comment was added by camerman David Short on the Pebble Mill Facebook group: ‘Remember working as a camera assistant on it. I think Keith Salmon was the Senior Cameraman. Possibly the last thing I worked on before moving to TV Centre.’