Robin Midgley – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

The Ritz – TX Card

Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider, for sharing this transmission card for the 1987, 6 part comedy series – The Ritz, set in a Northern disco.

The series was written by John Godber, and was based on his theatre play, Bouncers.

Martin Shardlow was the director, Chris Parr the producer. The series featured Richard James Lewis, Paul Rider, Andre Dunn, Andrew Livingstone and Richard Ridings.

The series was well received, and a sequel: The Continental, followed.

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

Dawn Hudson: ‘I remember Robin Midgley Asking me to read the script I was really nervous but I laughed and thought it was great. However when I watched it I was disappointed.’

Mary Sanchez: ‘I was secretary to Chris Parr at the time and remember typing up these scripts (yes on a typewriter – before computers!) It was shot in Liberty’s nightclub on the Hagley Road . It had a great cast – a real laugh , starring Mark Addy who’s a big name now!’

Dead Head

The BBC Pebble Mill drama series Dead Head is released on DVD on 15 April 2013. The film was edited by John Rosser with the video edited by Ivor Williams.

Dead Head was a four part thriller, with Denis Lawson as a small time criminal who gets mixed up with a grizzly murder. It was originally transmitted on BBC2 from 15 Jan 1986- 5 Feb 1986. The four parts were, Episode 1: Why Me?, Episode 2: Anything for England, Episode 3: The War Room and Episode 4: The Patriot.

The team included: Rob Walker (director), Robin Midgley (producer), Howard Brenton (script), Dave Bushell (lighting), Gavin Davies (designer), Kathryn Ayerst (costume), Vivien Oldham (make-up), Richard Hartley (music).

Thanks to Neil Roberts for spotting the release.

The following comment was added by camerman David Short on the Pebble Mill Facebook group: ‘Remember working as a camera assistant on it. I think Keith Salmon was the Senior Cameraman. Possibly the last thing I worked on before moving to TV Centre.’

Live from Pebble Mill – Cargo Kings

Copyright resides with the original holder, probably Willoughby Gullachsen; no reproduction without permission. Thanks to Janice Rider for making the photographs available.

‘Cargo Kings’ was a live play produced at Pebble Mill in 1983 in Studio A, when Robin Midgley was Head of Drama.

The BFI Database describes the storyline thus:

‘Roger Savage, an anthropologist, visits at remote island, where the natives, Mambu, Baku and Abode learn about an obscure cargo cult from him. Soon they are in London putting Savages ideas into practice.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/161953

The script was written by Stephen Davies, directed by Donald McWhinnie, Dawn Robertson was the production associate, with Will Hartley the production manager. Roger Gregory was the script editor. Ian Ashurst was the production designer, with Janice Rider the costume designer and Carol Ganniclifft the make up designer. Bob Hubbard was the camera supervisor, lighting was by Barry Hill, and Annette Martin was the vision mixer.

The play starred Jeffrey Kissoon as Baku, Norman Beaton as Mambu, Michael Cochrane as Roger Savage, Christopher Asante as Obode and Ray Smith as Chief Inspector Beltrap.

‘Urban Jungle’ – photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photographs by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

The photos are of ‘Urban Jungle’ a Robin Midgley, Pebble Mill, studio drama, from around 1985. The main photo is of a technical run at Moseley Hall.

The large photo shows Robin Midgley himself on the left hand side, Sally Daniels (PA), Annette Martin (light coloured top), Phil Wilson (camera), Charlie Bond (production designer), Ian Tootle (AFM), Andrew Smith (1st AD) (beard, nr door on right hand side).

The drama starred Roy Kinnear, Annie Raitt, and Tim Roth. Unfortunately it didn’t ever make transmission.

Thanks to Gareth Williams for identifying the drama, he was a newly arrived floor assistant on the show.

Tuesday’s Child – photos by Lynda Kettle

Photos by Lynda Kettle, no reproduction without permission. Lynda Kettle was a Production Designer at BBC Pebble Mill, working on factual, entertainment and drama shows in studio and on location. The photos were taken as records of the Sets.

Tuesday’s Child was a play directed and produced by Robin Midgley at Pebble Mill in 1985. It was written by Terry Johnson and Kate Lock, and told the story of a young girl who confesses to her priest that she saw a miracle when in the Holy Land. Kate Lock also acted the part of the girl, with Donal McCann playing Father Doyle and also featuring J.G. Devlin. Dave Bushell was the lighting director. The play was recorded in Studio A.

Production Designer, Lynda Kettle also worked as a theatre designer and an artist, and now runs courses from her art studio http://www.lynda-kettle.com. She is a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham Water Colour Society. Midland Pastel Society and Birmingham Art Circle . She exhibits her paintings several times a year at selected galleries.

Tuesday’s Child