Copyright resides with the original holder. These photos were probably taken by Willoughby Gullachsen.
‘Airbase’ was a ‘Play on One’, which was produced at Pebble Mill and transmitted in 1988. David Attwood was the director, Roger Gregory and Keith Williams the producers. Malcolm McKay wrote the script. It was recorded in Studio A.
The drama was set over ‘four days in the life of Madeline Kohler, a young female American Air Force officer, who is posted to the all-male world of a U.S. airbase in Britain’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/426153.
The play starred Anton Lesser, Clive Mantle, Catherine Russell, David Lansbury, Ricco Ross, Stevan Rimkus, Norman Beaton.
Thanks to Costume Designer, Janice Rider, for making the photos available.
Paul Vanezis left the following comment on the Pebble Mill Facebook page: ”Airbase’ was the first BBC production I attended whilst at film school. Roger Gregory organised it for me. The production had been started in the summer of 1987, but generally it was felt that the lighting wasn’t right and it was remounted between Christmas and New Year a few months later. It was a great experience; I was there for all 5 days of the recording and was able to walk round the set. It was a full size replica of an F1-11 bomber (although the tail section was slightly shorter so it would fit in Studio A). The other sets were built around it. I kept all the camera scripts and rehearsal scripts and made notes and drawings of the set-ups next to the action in the script. It was also early use of a Steadicam in a TV studio; the operator was Peter Cavaciuti who had worked on ‘Aliens’ the year before, as had actor Ricco Ross who also starred. Director David Attwood asked Peter if he could make his shot “more wobbly”, and Peter asked why he was using a steadicam for a wobbly shot!’
