Category: Drama

Howard’s Way – Lynda Kettle’s photos

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 and locations.

Howard’s Way was produced by BBC London, but hosted out of Pebble Mill.  It was recorded on location in Southampton, and the south coast, and in Studio A.  The Sunday night drama series ran between 1985-1990, and was the BBC’s answer to Dynasty. The storyline follows Tom Howard who after being made redundant invests his time and money in a run down boat building yard. It starred Jan Harvey as Jan Howard, Stephen Yardley as Ken Masters, Glyn Owen as Jack Rolfe, Maurice Colbourne as Tom Howard and Kate O’Mara as Laura Wilde in later series.  John William, Keith Salmon, Paul Woolston, Keith Froggatt, Dave Doogood, David Evans and Don Cooper all worked on the camera side. Lynda was production designer on 15 episodes in 1989-90.

These photos include several ‘before’ and ‘after’ shots of the initial locations (undressed), with the dressed version following on.  The Southampton Civic Centre, re-dressed as Malta Airport is particularly impressive!  The tank shots are really interesting.  There are shots of the empty tank for the special effects storm, with shots of the full ‘storm’ and yacht in trouble!

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.

Nice Work – photos by Willougby Gullachsen

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

Nice Work was produced at Pebble Mill in 1989 by Chris Parr.  David Lodge wrote both the original novel and the screenplay.  The series starred Warren Clarke as Vic Wilcox, the managing director of a ‘Rummidge’ engineering firm, and Haydn Gwynne who played Robyn Penrose a young university academic.  It was filmed on location around Birmingham and the Black Country, including Birmingham University (where David Lodge was a Professor).  Vic and Robyn are thrust together on a business/academic scheme where Robyn was told by her Head of Department to shadow Vic.  After an initial reluctance they come to a mutual respect and friendship, especially when Robyn prevents Vic being tricked by a German engineering company.  Janet Dale played Vic’s wife, Marjorie.

The series was directed by Christopher Menaul, designed by Ian Ashurst, with Paul Woolston as the DoP.  Will Hartley was the 1st AD.

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All Creatures Great and Small – Les Podraza’s photos

Photos from Les Podraza, no reproduction without permission.  Les was a scene hand on ‘All Creatures Great and Small’, which was filmed on location around Askrigg in the Yorkshire Dales, with the interiors being recorded in Pebble Mill Studio A.  The series was produced by the BBC in London, but hosted out of Pebble Mill.

There were 91 episodes of ‘All Creatures’ which were transmitted between 1978 and 1990.  Christopher Timothy starred as James Herriot, with Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon and Peter Davidson as Tristan Farnon.  Carol Drinkwater played the role of Helen Herriot until Lynda Bellingham took over in 1988.  The series follows the adventures of  vet James Herriot in the 1930’s Yorkshire Dales, when he is working for Siegfried Farnon’s practice.

Les’s photos feature Carol Drinkwater and Christopher Timothy, as well as other members of the cast and crew.  Also included are shots of the crew’s digs in Askrigg, the special effects team at work, and the camera rig on James Herriot’s car .

Les with Carol Drinkwater

Trainer – photos by Les Podraza

Photos by Les Podraza, no reproduction without permission.

Trainer was a drama series produced in 1991-2 by BBC London, but hosted by Pebble Mill.  The scene crew included Les Podraza.  The series was directed by Jeremy Summers, produced by Gerard Glaister and written by Christopher Green.  The series starred Susannah York, David McCallum, Mark Greenstreet , Nigel Davenport and Patrick Ryecroft.  The cast also included: Des McAleer, Nicola King, Kenneth Farrington, Sarah Atkinson, Floyd Bevan, Stephen Greif, and Tracy Louise Ward.

After the end of Howard’s Way, the BBC needed a big drama series for the Sunday evening schedule, and therefore commissioned Trainer, a drama following the life of trainer Mike Hardy (Mark Greenstreet) in his constant battle against his employer and stable owner James Brant (Edward Davenport) and other members of the racing fraternity residing somewhere in the Lambourn Downs.

Les with David McCallum

Oliver White talks about Mike Leigh and Nuts in May

Oliver White on Nuts in May from pebblemill on Vimeo.

This video is of Pebble Mill Film Editor, Oliver White, talking about working with writer and director Mike Leigh on the 1976 Play for Today: ‘Nuts in May’.  The drama starred Alison Steadman as Candice Marie and Roger Sloman as Keith.  It was produced by David Rose.  ‘Nuts in May’ was screened at the ‘It Came from Pebble Mill’ weekend held in July 2010 at the Midlands Arts Centre, and Oliver is talking after watching the drama there.