Pebble Mill Cameramen’s reunion Aug 2019. No reproduction without permission.
The photo includes: Dave Wilkins, Phil Wilson, Dave Ballantyne with Alan Duxbury in front, Bhasker Solanki, Doug Smith?, Bob Meikle, Robin Sunderland and John Couzens.
Keith Salmon held the reunion for Pebble Mill cameramen at The Kings Arms in Knowle in Aug 2019.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
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’
Photos by Robin Sunderland, no reproduction without permission
These photos are from Saturday Night at the Mill, an entertainment magazine show, from the foyer studio. It was transmitted between 1976-81. Roy Ronnie was the producer, and Roy Norton the director. Bob Langley, Donny MacLeod and Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen welcomed a variety of guests. The cameramen in the second photo are Phil Wilson and Doug Smith.
Thanks to cameraman Robin Sunderland for taking and sharing the photos.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Annie Gumbley: ‘I was Roy Ronnie’s Secretary & had my training for PA from Liz Silver who worked on the series. Keith Ackrill and Tricia Sadiq (Mifflin) were part of the team too. I did about about 4 or 5 series to the finish. What memories.’
Julie Hill: ‘I remember Saturday Night at The Mill! Penny Arcatinis and I were entrusted with serving the wine to the general public.’
Chris Rogers: ‘A fab show used to watch it all the time great guests, and presenters.’
Photo from Karen Lamb, no reproduction without permission.
The photo shows the Pebble Mill camera crews and dates from the early 1990s, probably from the leaving do of Robin Sunderland, and perhaps Dave Wilkins.
Included are:
Back row, Phil Wilson, Doug Smith, Noel Paley, James French, Adrian Kelly, Don Cooper, Dave Lawson (far left)
Middle row, Karen Lamb, Eric Wise, Dave Farline, Dave Wilkins, Dave Ballantyne,
Front row, Keith Salmon, Robin Sunderland, Andy Payne, John Moorcroft.
Photo by Neil Wigley, no reproduction without permission
I received the request below from Stephen Corcoran:
“In the April of 1988, a BBC TV drama serial was shown on BBC2 called Sophia and Constance. It was an adaption of Arnold Bennett’s The Old Wives’ Tale. It was filmed here in the Pebble Mill studios. I enjoyed the serial very much. It has never been shown again or released on DVD. Most people have forgotten about it. I strongly feel – that serial was very underrated and didn’t receive the attention it should done by the pubic. It was a brilliantly made classic serial by team at Pebble Mill. Well acted and filmed. Very good period details with lovely costumes too. A lot of work had go into at the time. I’m going to write to the BBC, to ask them if I could get hold of a copy of the serial on DVD. I would be willing to pay cost however much it costs. It would be like a dream come true, to see again this fine classical serial. Does anyone here have any suggestions of how to go about getting hold of a copy? Or perhaps someone has their own personal copy? Suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you.”
Stephen Corcoran
Here is the Radio Times entry for the first episode of the serial, courtesy of the BBC Genome project http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/67c54cef8e894232970de9ce3dec6641 . I love the fact that the elephant gets a credit: