Michael Edwards – Page 3 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Peter Vaughan 1923-2016

You and Me and Him. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

The character actor, Peter Vaughan, died today (6th Dec 2016) aged 93. He is perhaps best known for his role as Harry Grout, in Porridge, although many people will recognise him as Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones. Vaughan also played the role of Coster, in the 1973 Pebble Mill Thirty Minute Theatre: You and Me and Him. It was written by David Mercer, and directed by Barry Hanson. David Rose was the producer, and the production designer was Michael Edwards.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the screen grab available.

Ironically, I was only messaging director Paul Vanezis last night about You and Me and Him, and he told me the following story about how he saved the TX tape:

“I found the tape in the basement [of Pebble Mill] in 1990; the spool number had been changed, but it was the original TX tape. It still had the VT card inside. John Lannin edited it and Tony Rayner was his assistant. I think they kept it because it was a very complex show to edit. I recall that it had written in red biro on the card 283 edits!!! That would have been a a lot for 1973. It had also been copied for the BFI in 1975, but then sent to be wiped, hence the VT guys intercepting it and changing the number so it couldn’t be wiped. When I found the tape I sent it to Windmill Road, but only when they promised to keep it safe.”

Fortunately the programme does still exist in the archive.

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

Wendy Critchlow: ‘I remember watching this and Steve talking about the work that had gone into it in VT.’

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Oliver Twist

Photo by Neil Wigley, no reproduction without permission

This publicity still is from the 12 part 1985 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, which was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill. The series was directed by Gareth Davies, and produced by Terence Dicks. Alexander Baron was the script writer, with Brian Wright the script editor. Bob Chaplin was the lighting director, Michael Edwards was the production designer, Al Barnett the costume designer and Alastair Askham the sound supervisor, with Mike Bloore the VT editor.

Ben Rodska played Oliver Twist, with Eric Porter as Fagin, and Michael Attwell as Bill Sikes.

Thanks to the BBC Drama Village for making the photo available.

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

Terry Powell: ‘Great show I looked after a young actor playing Olive who now is a pilot for Easy Jet with 2 grown up kids – time does fly’

Carole Haysom: ‘Make up assistant Carole Haysom……Made up Eric Porter, in fact I still have his Fagin teeth’

Carol Churchill: ‘Makeup designer was Susie Bancroft’

Jane Eyre 1983

Photo by Neil Wigley, no reproduction without permission.

Jane Eyre was an eleven part, BBC London drama series hosted by Pebble Mill. It went out between 9th October and 18th December 1983.

Julian Amyes was the director; Barry Letts, the producer; Terrance Dicks was the script editor; Alexander Baron the script writer; Michael Edwards the designer; Gill Hardie the costume designer; with music by Paul Reade.

The series starred Zelah Clarke as Jane, Timothy Dalton as Rochester, Andrew Bicknell as St John Rivers, Colin Jeavons as Briggs, Morag Hood as Mary Rivers, and Elaine Donnelly as Diana Rivers.

Thanks to the BBC Drama Village for sharing the photo.

Great Expectations

Photo from Kevin Lakin, no reproduction without permission.

‘Before’ and ‘after’ shot, of how a stone cottage was turned into a wooden one, for the 12 part BBC drama series: Great Expectations. The Charles Dickens adaptation was transmitted in 1981. I think this series was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill.

The BFI database lists Michael Edwards as the production designer, and the film cameraman as John Kenway. The director was Julian Amyes; the producer, Barry Letts; script editor, Terrance Dicks; the adaptation by, Andrew James Hall; music by Paul Reade. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/223977.

Thanks to Kevin Lakin for sharing the photos.

You and Me and Him

This still is from a Thirty Minute Theatre, called ‘You and Me and Him’, by David Mercer. It features Peter Vaughan, and would have been recorded onto 2″ videotape. It was transmitted on 22 Feb 1973. Barry Hanson was the director, David Rose, the producer, Michael Edwards the production designer, and John Lannin the VT editor.

The play was ordered to be wiped in the 1970’s, as was the case with many programmes on 2″, due to the high cost of tape, but the VT guys changed the number on the tape and put it in the basement. It was re-discovered in 1990 by Paul Vanezis, and put in the BBC Archive where more enlightened minds were happy to ensure its survival.

Thanks to Ben Lamb and Paul Vanezis for identifying the drama, and adding much of the information here.