John Parker – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

England’s Greens and Peasant Land

Photos by Janice Rider, no reproduction without permission.

‘England’s Greens and Peasant Land’ was a 1982 Play for Today about the local government elections, written by Rita May. It was set in South Yorkshire. A motorway extension is going to be built, and the route will either go through the golf course or the allotments – a Yorkshire interpretation of ‘Watergate’.

The director was Jim Hill; the producer, John Norton; the designer, Ian Ashurst; the film editor, Chris Rowlands; cameraman, John Kenway; sound, John Parker; costumer, Janice Rider.

The cast included Ron Delta as Ron, Maggie Lane as Mavis, Geoffrey Andrews as Horace, Teddy Turner as Old Tom, Peter Martin as Sid, Johnny Leeze as Jim, Bill Lund as Les, Dickie Arnold as Joe, Anthony Addams as Lol, Joe Belcher as Arthur, Peter Russell as George, Sean Glenn as Frank, Mary Wray as Eileen, Rita May as Pat, Ted Beyer as the barman, Marlene Jarvis as the barmaid, Tom Harrison as Sam.

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Golden Oldie Picture Show – Christmas 1986

The ‘Golden Oldie Picture Show’ was presented by Radio 1 D.J., Dave Lee Travis. The show created music videos for Hits which pre-dated the era of music videos, and directors were encouraged to choose a track and create a story around it. It was produced at Pebble Mill by Exec, John King.

This photo dates from Christmas 1986, and was taken on location at the Red Lion, Somerton, Somerset, where the links for that show were recorded. Left to right, back row it includes: Dave Lee Travis (presenter), John King (exec), Mike Williams (lighting cameraman), John Parker (sound), Jim Hatchard (set design). Front row: Andy Frizzell (lighting), Nigel Davey (camera), Phil O’Shea (props), Gail Herbert (P.A.), Veronica McAleer (Brebner)(make-up).

Thanks to Gail Herbert for making the photo available, and to Andy Frizzell, Kevin Lakin and Lesley Weaver for adding information.

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning – photos from Gail Herbert

Photos from Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

‘As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning’ was a 2 part recreation of Laurie Lee’s journey on foot across Spain in 1934, during the civil war. It was produced at Pebble Mill by executive producer John King, written and narrated by Laurie Lee. John Wild played the part of Laurie Lee.

The first episode, ‘From Home to Madrid’ was transmitted on 5/1/1987, with the second part ‘From Madrid to the South’, shown the following night.

The crew included cameraman John Williams, assistant Dave Evans, sound John Parker, lighting Roy Carn. Gail Herbert was the production assistant. David Attwood, who was then a production manager in the Drama Department, directed the dramatised sequences. He later became a freelance drama director.

Film Unit – photos from Maggie Humphries & Juliet Dean

Photos from Maggie Humphries & Juliet Dean.

These photos include stills of the Film Unit Office, featuring Bill Bohanna (Manager Film), Maggie Humphries & Diane Welch, Juliet Dean.

Photos of the crews include:

– Cameraman Mike Willie, and assistant Keith Froggatt and others, by the pond

– Keith Froggatt on the camera crane

– Cameramen Nigel Davey and Keith Froggatt

– John Couzens doing a tracking shot from a wheelchair

– John Parker and Roger Waldron recording 3 Minute Heroes

– Cameraman Eric Wise (below the cross)

– John Couzens, Eric Wise, Andy Payne and Tim Green, filming by a road

The Film Unit was a busy office on the 1st floor at the back of Pebble Mill. All the allocation of film camera crews was done from the Office, as well as the ordering of specialist film equipment. The Film Unit also organised the film editors, allocating editors to programmes, including news, dramas and documentaries. Most filmed programmes were shot on 16mm film. Shooting and editing on film were replaced in the late 1980s and 1990s by single camera video recording on beta and then digibeta, and the editing equipment changed from steenbecks to Avid.

Maggie Humphries & Diane Welch