Terence Dicks – What Was Pebble Mill?

This BBC serial of Dickens’s novel David Copperfield, was transmitted in 1986. Barry Letts was the director, with Terence Dicks the producer. Bob Chaplin was lighting director, Gavin Davies the production designer, Ann Arnold the costume designer, Maggie Thomas the make-up designer, Nigel Evans was the VT editor, and Alastair Askham the sound supervisor.

David Copperfield was played as a child by David Dexter, Nolan Hemmings, when slightly older, and as an adult by Colin Hurley. Jeremy Brudenell played Steerforth, Reggie Oliver played Mr Mell, and Simon Callow played Mr Micawber.

Thanks to the BBC Drama Village for sharing the photo.

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’