Category: Television

Chelsea Flower Show 1990 – photos by Gail Herbert


Photos by Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

In 1990 BBC Pebble Mill produced a Chelsea Special programme which went out on BBC 2 on the Wednesday night of Chelsea week, as well as a ‘Gardeners’ World’ from Chelsea on the Friday, presented by Geoff Hamilton.

The first photo shows presenter Anne Swithinbank, with cameraman Mike Shelton and director Nick Bamford; the second, director Annette Martin, with researcher Helen Faulkner, and presenter Geoff Hamilton; the third photo is of P.A. Jacqui Pratt, camerman Keith Froggatt and sound Alex Christison; the fourth photo is of presenter and garden designer David Stevens; photo five is of David Stevens with Mike Shelton and director Nick Patten; photo six is of researcher Helen Faulkner and Mike Shelton; photo seven is of David Stevens with Nick Patten.

Nick Patten was also shooting a gardening series called ‘Gardens by Design’ in 1990, presented by garden designer, David Stevens, and recorded some of the show at the Chelsea Flower Show.  These photos are a combination of the Chelsea coverage, and ‘Gardens by Design’.

John King with Award – photos from Gail Herbert


Photos from Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

Pebble Mill, Entertainment Executive Producer, John King, recorded  a dramatisation of author Laurie Lee’s book about his return to Andalusia with his bride after the Spanish Civil War in the mid 1930s.  It was written and narrated by Laurie Lee.  The two part drama was called  ‘A Rose for Winter’, and went out in 1989.

John King accepted this award from the Mayor of Almunecar, in Spain in November 1989, on behalf of Laurie Lee.  It was called ‘The Golden Avocado’!

The second photo shows John preparing for a radio interview in Spain around the same time, with fixer, Trini.

John King died in 1999.

Olly’s Prison – Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Olly’s Prison’ was a three part drama series produced at Pebble Mill by Richard Langridge.  The script was written by Edward Bond, and directed by Roy Battersby. It was transmitted in 1993, and was probably the last studio only drama to be recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill.  Dave Bushell was the lighting director, and Bob Jacobs the 1st A.D. and Ian Barber the AFM.  Dave Bushell remembers it being a satisfying drama to work on, although not a bundle of laughs.

Mike Eastman remembers working on the series: “I had a small acting role in this production playing a prisoner, my filming days were just prior to Christmas 1991. It was the first time I had worked with Bob Jacobs as ‘first’, but went on to do lots more work with him later on.”

The BFI database http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/489433 includes this precis of the storyline:

Part 1: Tells the tragic story of Mike who sees his life crumble as his grip on reality becomes ever more tenuous. He shares a claustrophobic flat with his 16-year-old daughter, Sheila. Sheila is uncommunicative, like many teenagers, and Mike becomes increasingly frustrated by her silence. He resorts to violence.

Part 2: Bernard is serving a life sentence for the murder of his daughter. He attempts suicide but fails. His fellow prisoner Smiler uses his makeshift noose to hang himself.

(No precis of Part 3 is included)

‘Olly’s Prison’ featured Bernard Hill as Mike, Jonny Lee Miller as Smiler, Mary Jo Randle as Vera, George Anton as Frank, Bryan Pringle as Barry, Richard Graham as Olly, and Maggie Steed as Ellen.

 

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Love Birds – photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photo by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

The photo is from a Screen Two drama called ‘Love Birds’, which was transmitted in 1988.  It shows cameraman Keith Froggatt, and director Stephen Whittaker (who sadly is no longer with us).  Chris Parr was the producer, and Sharon Pemberton the editor.

The BFI Database includes the following synopsis of the drama:

‘Barbara and Naseem are in the same hospital having babies. They become friends, but the celebrations of their husbands, Kenny and Quereshi, lead to a headlong chase, with crazy mix-ups, collisions and brushes with the law.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/425046

‘Love Birds’ starred Paul Bhattacharjee, Stephen Bent, Jane Gurnett, Linda Henry, Lisa Meredith, Van Martin, Shaheen Khan, Tracey Wilkinson, Margaret Heery, Sally Jackson, Jane Hazelgrove and Ken Hastwell.

Thanks to Sharon Pemberton for identifying the drama from the photo.

Regional News Opt-Out – photos by Jim Knights

Photos by Jim Knights, no reproduction without permission.

These photos are of a regional news opt out programme recorded in Berlin, and presumably about the Berlin Wall.  Jim Knights was the cameraman, and appears in most of the programmes.  The programme was probably produced at Pebble Mill, although it may pre-date the Pebble Mill years, and be from when the Birmingham newsroom was in Broad Street.

Please add a comment if you can identify other people in the photos, can date it, or add more information.