Peter Vaughan 1923-2016

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

You and Me and Him. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The character actor, Peter Vaughan, died today (6th Dec 2016) aged 93. He is perhaps best known for his role as Harry Grout, in Porridge, although many people will recognise him as Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones. Vaughan also played the role of Coster, in the 1973 Pebble Mill  Thirty Minute Theatre: You and Me and Him. It was written by David Mercer, and directed by Barry Hanson. David Rose was the producer, and the production designer was Michael Edwards.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the screen grab available.

Ironically, I was only messaging director Paul Vanezis last night about You and Me and Him, and he told me the following story about how he saved the TX tape:

“I found the tape in the basement [of Pebble Mill] in 1990; the spool number had been changed, but it was the original TX tape. It still had the VT card inside. John Lannin edited it and Tony Rayner was his assistant. I think they kept it because it was a very complex show to edit. I recall that it had written in red biro on the card 283 edits!!! That would have been a a lot for 1973. It had also been copied for the BFI in 1975, but then sent to be wiped, hence the VT guys intercepting it and changing the number so it couldn’t be wiped. When I found the tape I sent it to Windmill Road, but only when they promised to keep it safe.”

Fortunately the programme does still exist in the archive.

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Wendy Critchlow: ‘I remember watching this and Steve talking about the work that had gone into it in VT.’

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You and Me and Him

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Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

This still is from a Thirty Minute Theatre, called ‘You and Me and Him’, by David Mercer. It features Peter Vaughan, and would have been recorded onto 2″ videotape. It was transmitted on 22 Feb 1973. Barry Hanson was the director, David Rose, the producer, Michael Edwards the production designer, and John Lannin the VT editor.

The play was ordered to be wiped in the 1970’s, as was the case with many programmes on 2″, due to the high cost of tape, but the VT guys changed the number on the tape and put it in the basement. It was re-discovered in 1990 by Paul Vanezis, and put in the BBC Archive where more enlightened minds were happy to ensure its survival.

Thanks to Ben Lamb and Paul Vanezis for identifying the drama, and adding much of the information here.