Lesley Weaver – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Fellow Traveller poster and script front page

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Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies for sharing this promotional film poster, and the front page of the rehearsal script, (Ann’s huband Gavin, was the production designer on the film). It never ceases to surprise and delight me, how many script front pages have been kept by people – they are such a mine of useful information!

Fellow Traveller was the only cinematic feature film to be made at Pebble Mill, it was transmitted on 10th February, 1991 on BBC2.

Below is the entry from the Radio Times, courtesy of the BBC Genome project:

“Starring Ron Silver, Imogen Stubbs, Daniel J Travanti, Hart Bochner
1950s Hollywood: the McCarthy senate committee is conducting a witch-hunt for supposed communists in the entertainment industry and betrayal is in the air. For three friends this proves to be a disaster – for the writer who must work incognito for the emerging ITV in England; for the musician now living in England, a painful renewal of old wounds; and for the star a final performance.
Producer Michael Wearing, Director Philip Saville”

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/982604f5c78f4f9ab5618684c165c64b

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

Roger Slater: ‘I was Sound Mixer, ably assisted by the late great Tim Everett as Boom Operator and Benedict Peissel as Sound Assistant. Shot in Bray Studios and on location in the UK and Miami.’

Lesley Weaver: ‘I was the Hair & Make Up Designer, a privilege to work on this artistically challenging film as it covered historically wonderful periods for make & up and hair.

It took me to New York for photo shoots, Miami, The Keys glorious sea shore and numerous UK locations including Bray Film studios.

The fun recreation of 1950’s Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Sheriff of Nottingham and all the Merry (Stunt) Men.
Fighting scenes shot in Gavin Davies’s amazing huge forest built at Bray Film Studios.

Sue O’Neill was my lovely able Senior Assistant in the UK, amongst a team of talented make up girls and the late Peter Shepherd in the US.

We did 20’s 40’s & 50’s wigs, cut throats, pumping wounds and black blood for early 1950’s black & white TV make up… I remember Sue O’Neill baking her prosthetics around the country in various hotel ovens over night! Such dedication!
From Art Deco offices to post war austere London bedsits and disagreeable landladies. Then over to the warmth & glow of Hollywood party life with dazzling costumes glamorous film stars & cars, the McCarthy Committee cloud over Hollywood and suicide in coral swimming pools. It had it all for make up & costume!
Always a great laugh to work with Al Barnett Costume Designer extraordinaire and all the other talent technicians on the production ….. And let us not forget costume design assistant, Amin Hassan who we sadly lost a few week ago!

Writer Micheal Eaton was enthusiastically on set everyday and excited to be ‘wigged up’ for his Hitchcockesque cameo scenes! …

….. it was always a pleasure to find yourself working on one of Micheal Wearing’s productions as you knew all your hard work would contribute to something worthwhile.

How lucky was I?

Oh Happy Happy Days !!’

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Andy Cross

Photo from Lesley Weaver, no reproduction without permission

Andy Cross who worked with Magpie Films at Pebble Mill has passed away (Dec 2016). Andy worked as Sound Recordist. He leaves a wife, two sons at university and a daughter aged 11 or 12 years.

The funeral will take place at Lichfield & District Crematorium, Fladley Lane, Fradley, Lichfield, WS13 8GA. Time 11.30, on Thursday, 29th December.

(Thanks to Annie Gumbley-Williams for sharing this sad news).

Keith Moreton

Pebble Mil scene dock, photo by Jim Gregory, no reproduction without permission

Tony Wolfe, Barry Chatfield, Annie Morris, Keith Moreton. Photo Jane McLean, no reproduction without permission

Keith Moreton and Jane McLean. Photo from Jane McLean, no reproduction without permission

Derek Price and Keith Moreton, photo by Jane McLean, no reproduction without permission

Keith Moreton sadly died last Thursday 3rd November 2016, after a short illness. Keith was a Charge-hand Electrician at Pebble Mill, along with Phil Vaughan, Keith Bullock, Roger Hynes and Derek McCulloch.

(Thanks to Annie Gumbley-Williams for passing on this news).

The following memories of working with Keith were added to the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Lesley Weaver: ‘Many happy memories of working with Keith. What a lad! I especially remembering him sitting in the Make up room at Pebblemill showing me how to fill in my T&D’s the ‘Sparks Way’ for a block of filming we both did on the same programme .. It may have been Nannys. Needless to say it was instantly rejected in our office… unlike his no doubt!’

Bridget Jenkins: ‘Coming into my office on Friday lunchtimes to encourage me down to the club. And me a fine upstanding Personnel Officer! He lightened up many a dull day.’

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Dan Oliver, 30th July 1973 – 23rd January 2016

Dan Oliver. Copyright remains with the original holder

Style Challenge end of series team photo. Copyright remains with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

Dan Oliver, who worked on Style Challenge at Pebble Mill in the 1990s and is included in the photo above, sadly died last month. Below is the message he posted on Facebook on Christmas Eve to his friends, telling them of his illness. Dan’s friends suggested that this was the most suitable message to post up about his death. Dan’s funeral was held last week, and was attended by Nick Harris and Simon Lupton.

December 24th, 2015

Dear Friends,

Weird but important email to write. I sincerely hope that all of you are about to have a wonderful Christmas with the people who matter to you Some of you I haven’t spoken to in weeks, some in many, many years -I’m a Facebook lurker, more prone to seeing what others are doing, than posting myself- but I need to get this said……

In September 2014 I was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer. I had hoped to tell everyone in early 2015, when I wanted to announce that I was doing a marathon fuck-cancer charity swim down the river Dart. But then some drug-induced hepatitis got in the way. Then it was the summer, and two lots of surgery to deal with the collapse of my spine, and the autumn, and emergency radio therapy to deal with what had grown back. Blah-de-fucking blah, and on it goes……. Turns out it’s in my spine, my lungs, throughout my lymph system. Originally , we were told I could expect around three years. maybe more, because most people who present with my symptoms tend to be much less fit, and much older.

Unfortunately, things have moved much faster than that, and I was told in mid November to think about living a few more weeks. It seems that I’ll be lucky enough to be around for Christmas, but have little idea beyond that. So, what do you do in a situation like this? Well, it turns out that I seem to want people to know. Not just you, but the friends we had who I kind of lost track of along the way. So that’s the lovely GFL people, with whom I had some of my most joyous working experiences ever. It’s the Scene One crowd. It’s the people I got sober with. Or it’s people from BBC Birmingham.. I want people to know for two reasons. The first is a desire for a packed, rafter raising funeral (details to be followed, posted by a loved one on Facebook). The second is because…well I just do. I’m self-centred and egotistical enough for this not to pass without telling people.

And now the really important stuff. I need to say that amongst all this shit I regard myself as extraordinarily lucky. In marrying Clementina I became the most happily married man I’ve ever met. If that’s boastful, sue me; I’m dying. I also have four mad, extraordinary wonderful children We do something fun every day. I have a fantastic extended family and a circle of friends that are utterly indistinguishable from family. I was told by a mate not long ago that he thought we were put here to love and be loved. I believe that, and I believe it’s pretty much mission accomplished. I regard myself as lucky, privileged So…if you could spread the word….. visits are a bit of a no-no, because I sleep an awful lot of the day, and get tired very quickly. Since I spend hours looking at my bedroom ceiling, letters and messages are very gratefully received, though , (forgive the fact that I’ll porbably be rubbish at responding.) Here endeth my missive. Not the greatest festive message, I appreciate, but one I rather needed to send. I wish you all the happiest, warmest Christmas with your loved ones, and hope to hear from you soon.

With love from Dan x

DAN OLIVER 30th July 1973 – 23rd January 2016

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

Becky Rogers: ‘We worked together on Telly Addicts and Telly Years and sat opposite each other. I remember laughing every day and him telling me my winter clothes were much better than what I wore in summer. Always the man from Style Challenge!!’

Melissa Feather: ‘Such a lovely person xx always jolly, so happy and would do anything xx very very happy memories of working with him on Style challenge’

Lesley Weaver: ‘I don’t think I had the privilege of knowing Dan personally as I didn’t work on those programmes, but I do recognise his face. My heart goes out to Clementina and their children. Having lost my own husband Chris Weaver to kidney cancer 6 months ago it’s painful to hear of another terrible loss to kidney cancer, Dan’s words echo in my heart and bring tears to my eyes!’

Annabel Walker: ‘I had the pleasure of working with Dan on two productions, 10yrs apart… He hadn’t changed at all. When the shit was hitting the fan Dan’s mantra was “Kill ’em, fuck ’em, eat ’em… In that order…” He was a fighter, and a lovely man full of fun.’

John Last on Juliet Bravo

The photo shows actor, John Last getting ready for a recording of Juliet Bravo at Pebble Mill, Studio A.

Juliet Bravo was a police series, which went out on BBC1 from 1980-85; it was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill. Here is an entry on the BBC Genome project, which gives Radio Times listings for an episode: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3f15aa86430649128412852960d4776a.

“My connection with Pebble Mill is rather a humble one, i.e. as a jobbing Equity member (actor) I seemed to end up at the studios on all manner of productions as an equally humble ‘walk-on’. It’s a rather tedious story, but the long and short of it is basically an association with a pretty long period of production therein. This is a ‘selfie’ (before the term was even thought of) taken in the downstairs dressing room for an episode of Juliet Bravo. A rather good series I feel. Strange to think just how long ago it all was?”

John Last

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

Susan Astle: ‘I was make up designer on this for a while, Lesley Weaver (Perry)was my assistant. Sue Peck, Nicky Deely and Joy were in wardrobe. Good times at The Sparrow Hawk!’

Stuart Gandy: ‘I remember it well, being in TV ops in the early 80s. Another of the many prime time shows made at the mill Good memories.’