Lesley Weaver – 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

The Long, The Short and The Tall – Andy Woodhouse

As part of my training in 1979, I was attached to the technical team of a couple of productions including a drama, a BBC Schools’ production of The Long, the Short and the Tall recorded over 3 days at Pebble Mill. The producer/director was Ron Smedley. Key acting cast is listed at https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b73aef97d. The episodes were subsequently transmitted as a single play. More details at IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13411812/?ref_=adv_li_tt. I can recall the lighting director was Barry Hill, the technical manger was Ron Irvine, the sound supervisor was Alastair Askham, and the vision mixer was Mark Kershaw.

The production was divided into 3 half-hour transmissions, each episode was allocated one studio day and recorded “live to tape” multiple times. Ron Smedley wanted the uninterrupted action from the stage play to be available in this TV production, enabling the actors to react better to the rapid dialogue segments. The production used a single set that occupied most of the floor area in Studio A, including a jungle setting at the rear of the hut. One shot in the programme needed a wide shot of that jungle and the entrance to the hut, but the camera shot would have included a lot of the lighting rig, so a glass shot was created to hide this unwanted area.

by Andy Woodhouse

Hut interior (right) and jungle (left). Floor at edge of hut is quite crowded with technical kit. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission

Multiple sound booms and camera cranes in use. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission.

Close positioning of the cameras and sound booms on the floor. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission.

Shows size of jungle area, and use of bounced light for the hut interior. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission.

Shows the camera at the left side, with the artist, Steve Mitchell, painting onto the glass to add the scenery extensions. The artists monitor showing the composited image is just to the left of centre. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission.

Cutout in the scene cloth, the glass in the frame, and the two artists at work. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission.

Detail of the painted glass. Photo by Andy Woodhouse, no reproduction without permission.

Lesley Weaver left the following comment on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Lovely to see this production pop up. I worked on it, I was assistant to the lovely Make-up Designer Carol Churchill, and I looked after actor Micheal Kitchen who I remember as being really nice.

Nanny – Goats and Tigers

Save

This is the cast and crew list, and scene breakdown for one of the episodes (Goats and Tigers) of the drama series, Nanny, starring Wendy Craig. The episode was transmitted in February 1981 on BBC1. It was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill, and recorded in Studio A.

The pages have been shared by costume assistant, Rachel Selby. It is interesting to see her hand written notes on the sheets, and the crossing through, when the scene had been completed.

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

Lesley Weaver: ‘Wonderful time for me as a Make up lady and I was lucky enough to work on all three series.’

Susan Astle: ‘Wendy was such a great person, all us make up ladies loved working with her.’

Chris Rogers: ‘I loved this series it has never been repeated on other channels? Wendy Craig is fabulous.’

Raymond Lee: ‘Never worked directly on the series but remember vividly showing Wendy Craig how to use the canteen coffee/tea machine!!’

Keith Brook: ‘Oh, that brings back memories. What a wonderful series to work on.’

Save

Ian Brindle

Ian Brindle, who was a 1st Assistant Director, and then Production Associate on several drama productions at Pebble Mill, sadly died earlier in March, after a long illness. Ian worked on dramas like the 1989 serial,Vote for Them, and was on location in Egypt with the rest of the cast and crew.

Maggie Harwood a former costume designer at TVC, and Ian’s partner, wanted news of Ian’s death sharing here.

Thanks to Janice Rider for passing on this sad news.

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

Lesley Weaver: ‘Very sorry to hear this, worked with Ian on many occasions… My condolences to his family’

Allan Hughes: ‘Such a great person to work with many happy memories’

Save

The Other Woman Cast and Crew

Save

Included in the photo are: Michael Simpson, Michael Gambon, David Rose, Jane Lapotaire, Lynn Frederick, Gavin Davies (production designer, right handside next to Andy Meikle),Andy Meikle (production coordinator, far right with beard), 2nd row, Jan Nethercot (make-up designer), Sue Peck (dresser), Stephanie Hawkes (dresser) Tudor George (costume designer, behind and between Sue and Steph), Richard Ganniclift (cameraman).

Thanks to Janice Rider, Terry Powell, Susie Astle, Wendy Edwards for adding in names. Please add a comment if you can identify others.

The Other Woman was a Play for Today, broadcast on 6th January 1976.

Here is the synopsis from the Radio Times, from the BBC Genome project:

“The Other Woman by Watson Gould

Kim, an angry young artist, disrupts the lives of Robin, a family man, and Niki, a temp sec – for whom she is the other woman.’
BBC Birmingham

Contributors

Writer: Watson Gould

Film Editor: Henry Fowler
Film cameraman: John Williams
Producer: David Rose
Designer: Gavin Davies
Director: Michael Simpson
Script Editor: William Smethurst
Kim: Jane Lapotaire
Robin: Michael Gambon
Niki: Lynne Frederick
Aunt Darnley: Barbara Atkinson
Miles Darnley: Leon Sinden
Rose: Rosalind Adams
Louise: Eve Pearce
Ben: Benedict Taylor
Lois: Martyn West
Barman: John Joyce”

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6f977b764a6f401399dfb414fda0b503

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

[Also in the photo are:]

Terry Powell: ‘Tudor George costume designer. My very good friend who I’ve worked with the last 25 years. Who as I text we are now designing. Comic relief together.’

Susie Astle: ‘Jan Nethercot, make up designer. Sue Peck costume. Steph dresser.’

Janice Rider: ‘As Susie said from left 2nd row correct but Sue Peck would have been a dresser then I imagine and Stephanie Hawkes next to her , probably costume assistant and Tudor George ( between Jan & Sue Peck – also known as Dist – would have been the costume designer as Terry says .’

Tim Dann: ‘Alfie Mayall..scene crew behind Sue & Steph.’

Gillian Hardle: ‘Left of camera with arms folded looks like Rob Prosser — grip; Camera asst Richard Ganiclifft is seated behind the camera next right looks like Chrissie Marshall and right of her is Bert Round – gaffer electrician. I recognise everyone but can’t put names to faces.’

Lesley Weaver: ‘John Williams lighting film cameraman behind Gavin Davies maybe?’

Save