Tim Everett – What Was Pebble Mill?

A Sort of Innocence photographs – James French

A Sort of Innocence was recorded in October 1986. James French was cameraman, and has shared and captioned these photos taken on location in Hereford.

Don’t know who the extra is leaning against the wall. Guy with cigarette is Production Manager, Peter Rose; not sure about stripey, guy with white fleck in hair is Director, John Gorrie; lady is Producer, Ruth Boswell; on right is Sound Supervisor, Ray Bailey.

Grip is Ron Fleet, then Director, John Gorrie and me (2nd Camera) on Elemack dolly.

Me and John Gorrie again

Ron and me again in the foreground. Tim Everett holding the sound boom. I think the actor standing is Linus Roache and sitting in the Jaguar XJS is Kenneth Cranham.

Leaning on tripod is Rigger Supervisor, George Stevenson; Grip, Ron Fleet; cable-bashing is Rigger, Barry Clarke; on dolly is Camera Supervisor, Keith Salmon, with back to camera is Tim Everett (sound) and holding the boom pole is Tony Wass.

No caption necessary as all folk are named elsewhere.

Lighting Director, Barry Chatfield with Lastolite.

Grip, Ron Fleet; Rigger, Barry Clarke; Camera Supervisor, Keith Salmon

Lighting technicians (Sparks!): Roger Hynes and Dave Walter, with Rigger Supervisor, George Stevenson.

Dresser, Paul Higton; Designers, Martin Boddison and John Lindlar; Dresser, Shaun Lowe.

Me again (one of my favourite pics – I actually look like I know what I am doing!)

The only additional people on here are the boy, Actor, Neil Jeffery and with his back to us (next to Neil), Actor, Michael Byrne.

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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Witchcraft

Script front page and cast list for the BBC 2 drama Witchcraft. This was a two parter on BBC 2, transmitted in 1992, written by Nigel Williams and directed by Peter Sasdy.

It was a challenging production, with several members of the team left bruised by the experience.

Here is the BFI database entry for the drama:

Part 1:

A film school teacher chooses 17th-century witchcraft and adultery as the theme of his latest script. As shooting of the film begins, real-life events take on a menacing quality and events from the past seem to be being re-enacted in the present. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/463201

Part 2:

As reality and fiction blur, the parallels between the 17th-century past and the present drive Jamie to a breakdown. He becomes possessed by the image of Ezekiel, the Witchfinder. Meg makes a bizarre discovery putting everyone’s lives at risk. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/481195

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

Christine Houston: ‘(Film Unit) Made rare location visit to take replacement equipment. The set was a totally constructed medieval village in the middle of a field, complete with olde worlde long-horned cattle. Managed to watch about 30secs of filming before director “cut” to query authenticity of costumes for the period!! I had a catering services lunch with the crew while the exasperated costume dept tried to convince him all was good. Also remember being completely disorientated when Tim Everett put his headphones on me – thought there were people talking behind me when they were actually on the other side of the field. WEIRD!!’

Victoria Trow: ‘Oh blimey, Peter Sasdy, divide and rule merchant. The editing team was at the rehearsal rooms. The best advice we had was from the PA who said we should always write down any instructions from Peter to cover ourselves. John [Rosser] wouldn’t talk about Peter until he’d not only left the building but had been seen to drive away in his car – John was convinced he had bat hearing. Nightmare yes, intense yes, fun in some kind of crazy way, yes; was it worth it, was it a good film? No!’

Terry Powell: ‘The directer was a nightmare bully, sexist and just a complete —-. I think that covers that. Terry, costume.’

Broke – Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Broke’ was part of the BBC 2 ‘Screenplay’ anthology series, being transmitted in 1991. It was written by Stephen Bill, directed by Alan Dosser and produced at Pebble Mill by Barry Hanson.

The BFI database includes the following synopsis:

‘Ken Bannister is a wealthy, self-made man, who gives some work to his friend Francis Meeks, whose own small business is just getting oof the ground, commissioning him to refurbish the country club. However, when he asks for his money, Ken can’t pay, having been declared bankrupt, although this doesn’t seem to affect his affluent lifestyle in any way. Francis stands by helpless, watching his business and home go to rack and ruin, until his determined wife Melanie steps in.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/460448

‘Broke’ starred Timothy Spall, Sheila Kelley, Larry Lamb, Susan Wooldridge, and Leo Bill.

The photo of the crew includes Alan Dosser (director), Steve Saunderson (camera), Tim Everett (sound), and Bob Jacobs (1st AD).

Terry Powell (dresser) remembers that ‘Broke’ was the 1st time he worked with Timothy Spall, and through it became good friends. When he left the BBC to go freelance he worked with Tim on many a show and still sees him today.

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