Keith Froggatt – What Was Pebble Mill?

The Groundling and the Kite – Jenny Brewer

‘The Groundling and the Kite’ was a drama in the Play for Today anthology.

Crew photograph from 1983
This was the last Play For Today made out of Pebble Mill. Shot during the very hot summer of 1983 in and around Hampstead in London and transmitted on BBC1 in 24 July 1984. This was the last show I worked on as a Production Assistant before becoming a Production Associate. I have discovered the full play is available on You Tube should you wish to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4clkwmzOHlE

The Groundling and the Kite crew. Thanks to Jenny Brewer for sharing the photo.

From front row R to L Keith Froggatt, Cameras; Charles Bond, Designer; Alan Miller (with the bald head) Gaffer Spark from Lee Electric with 3 sparks alongside him

Next row Colin Rogers, Producer; Graham ??; Prop and Support Vehicles

Next row Ian MacNulty; Grip; Jenny Brewer, Production Assistant; John Duttine, Actor; Peter Jefferies, Director; Carol Parks, Production Associate

Next Row William Hartley, Production Manager; Lenny Preston, Writer and Actor; John Kenway, DOP; Liddy Bennett, Assistant Floor Manager; Geoff Nawn, Design; John Parker, Sound Recordist

Next Row John Cole, Sound; Chap from Costume ?; Gwen Arthy, Make Up Designer; Trevor Elwell, Scene Crew Supervisor; alongside Nigel ?? and others on the scene crew; Tom Beech, Props Buyer; Nigel Roberts next to Tom Beech, Ray Clulow, carpenter, behind Nigel & one of the painters behind Ray. Hiding behind the pillar might be Phil Hawkins, scene crew supervisor.

Back Row Mark Thompson Unit Driver; Lesley Weaver, Make Up; Sue Peck, Costume Designer; and ?? from Costume

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’

Tony Wigley

Tony Wigley on crane, Keith Froggatt swinging, photo from James French, no reproduction without permission.

John Couzens talks to director, Tony Wigley on crane, Richard Reynolds on boom. Photo by James French, no reproduction without permission.

Tony Wigley, senior cameraman at BBC Birmingham, died this weekend (September 20th 2015). Tony worked on both drama and factual programmes, and was married to Dawn Robertson, from the Drama Department. Tony worked tirelessly for the BBC during his career.

The photos are from The Old Curiosity Shop, recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill, which was transmitted in December 1979.

Topol’s Israel

This article is from the Pebble Mill News from 1984. It tells about a Pebble Mill documentary/entertainment series, called, Topol’s Israel. The programme followed the Jewish entertainer on a trip back to his home country. The production team were Peter Hercombe, director, Chris Wright and assistant producer, Pam Creed. The camera crew consisted of cameraman, John Williams, assisted by Keith Froggatt (both in the bottom photo), with soundman, Alex Christisson, and electrician Arhtur Heywood.

Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing the newspaper, and keeping it safe all these years.

Below is the synopsis for the first episode of the series transmitted at 8.30pm on BBC2 28 March, 1985, from the BBC Genome listings database: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f7824512648045f59f05dbfe5c6662ed

‘The first of six musical journeys in which film and stage star Chaim Topol revisits his native Israel.
Part documentary and part entertainment, the series joins Topol on the closing night of his triumphant
West End revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and follows him to Tel Aviv, the city which has always been his home.
Week by week Topol reflects on his experiences as a child of Israel – his memories of family life in an immigrant quarter, of the Exodus operation, his pioneering days on a Kibbutz, his days as an entertainer in an army troupe.
His travels range from the Galilee to the Red Sea, from Jerusalem to Jaffa, and from the Lebanon to Eilat, and on his way he meets an array of friends from every walk of Israeli life.
Director CHRIS WRIGHT
Producer PETER HERCOMBE BBC Pebble Mill
BBC record REH/ZCR 529 from retailers
• FEATURE’

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

Dawn Trotman: ‘I remember it well and meeting the man himself albeit briefly.. Chris Rowlands cut it.’