Gillian Lynne

Camera Crew and the Nike Crane

Photographs by Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission

The top photo features camera operators Philip Thickett and Alan Duxbury. The lower photo features camera operator, Keith Froggatt.

If the photographs are from The Various Ends of Mrs F’s Friends, then they date from 1981.

The following comment was added on the Pebble Mill Facebook Page:

James French: ‘That is a Nike crane from London. It only came up a couple of times. I’m guessing this is from ‘The Various Ends of Mrs F’s Friends’ directed and choreographed by Gillian Lynne?’

Gillian Lynne taking a crew warm up

Director and choreographer, Gillian Lynne, who died at the beginning of July 2018, taking a warm up with the crew.

This is from the production The Various Ends of Mrs F’s Friends, transmitted in December 1981.

Included in the photo are, Gillian Lynne, floor Assistant, Mick Murphy next to Gillian, then Pete Edwards, Jack Rooke, Phil Wilson, Keith Schofield, Phil Thickett, Robin Sunderland, Andy Miekle and Keith Froggatt, Jess Bhatti (studio attendant) in the background.

Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing the photo.

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

Mick Murphy: ‘Studio A, ‘The Various Ends Of Mrs F’s Friends’. Scenic services had laid a chequered floor canvas which was creased. Gillian had the idea to get the studio crew in a line to shuffle it smooth…in a dance style routine of course. I was her assistant floor manager, marking time. She was a lovely person. Great picture, happy times.’

Karen Bevins: ‘I was Costume Assistant on it & Al Barnett was Costume Designer ‘

Kate Rolfe: ‘I was the assistant on this production and we finished making it in July 1981 when I went on maternity leave. It was her first telly and she was great fun to work with’

Memories of Gillian Lynne

Gillian Lynne on the Nike crane, on Morte D’Arthur. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

“I worked with Gillian at her LEAN TWO company for several years. We were always close friends, ever since the Pebble Mill days. Nine days before she died I was invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber for the renaming of the New London Theatre to the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Quite a starry event, and Gillie was carried onstage on a golden throne!!!! Lots of lovely tributes but she was very frail. I hadn’t seen her since her birthday in February and it was obvious that the incredible dancer’s body (issue a fitness DVD at the age of 88, anyone?) was giving up. I wondered then if I would see her again.

The tributes have been amazing, both here in the West End and on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber yesterday has put up a huge video screen above the stage door of the Palladium with a lovely picture of Gillie and a very sweet message from him.”

Carol Kilby (formerly Parks)

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission. Gillian Lynne directing Barbara Kellerman, with Bob Jacobs floor managing behind.

Gillian with cameraman David Short

The choreographer and director, Gillian Lynne has died aged 92.

“Quite a lot of us will remember working with her at Pebble Mill. I was her Production Assistant on MORTE D’ARTHUR, an extraordinary piece produced by Robin Midgley and performed by John Barton, RSC, with Jeremy Brett and Barbara Kellerman in the leads. A strong mix of narration with the tableaux painted by a mixed bag of actors and dancers including Sir Anton Dolin.”

Jenny Brewer

Here is a link to Gillian Lynne’s obituary on the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44677722

Here is the entry for Morte D’Arthur from the Radio Times (transmitted 5th May 1984), from the BBC Genome project:

Morte D’Arthur

by SIR THOMAS MALORY edited by JOHN BARTON
Malory’s prose masterpiece was written in 1470 while he was imprisoned in Newgate Jail. He wove together the many legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and created the great romantic story of Arthur, the sword Excalibur, the treachery of his son Mordred, and the love of Lancelot for Arthur’s Queen Guenevere, which has inspired painters, poets and writers throughout the centuries. and Music composed by STEPHEN OLIVER Costume ANN ARNOLD
Make-up SUSIE BANCROFT Lighting PETER BOOTH Designer GAVIN DAVIES
Produced by ROBIN MIDGLEY
Devised and directed by GILLIAN LYNNE

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/14c0be58416840708647d6087c2fb6af

Morte D’Arthur – photos from Bob Jacobs

Morte D’Arthur was a drama adaptation of the book by Sir Thomas Malory, based on John Barton’s adaptation. It was transmitted in 1984, under Robin Midgley’s leadership of the English Regions Drama Department at Pebble Mill in Studio A. It was directed by Gillian Lynne (seen in both photos here) and produced by Robin Midgley. Bob Jacobs (behind Barbara Kellermann in the top photo) was the 1st Assistant Director.

The drama featured: Barbara Kellerman, David Robb, Anton Dolin, Jeremy Brett and Nickolas Grace.