Monthly Archives: July 2018

Jim Dumighan at the World Cup

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pebble Mill producer Jim Dumighan, on the left, working on the World Cup. Bobby Charlton in the centre, with Jack Charlton to the right. Commentator John Motson arguing with someone in the foreground.

The following comments are left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Pete Simpkin: ‘My memory of the 1966 Final is that I was the engineer for a radio cricket broadcast at Hove cricket ground. John Arlott was commentating on the game but at the same time watching the football on a portable tv. Things must have been terrible for the cricketers as all around the ground you could hear transistor radios tuned to the football!’

Radio Birmingham top

Photos by Jane Partridge, no reproduction without permission

Radio Birmingham top, belonging to Phil Partridge. This dates from the very late 1970s or early 1980s. Thanks to Jane Partridge for taking and sharing the photos.

The following comments were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Tim Manning: ‘These were produced while negotiations about changing the name were still going on with the BBC in London; “WM”, rather than a standard place name, was a big change for BBC local radio style. John Pickles, the manager, wanted to get on with a “soft” relaunch of the station in the meantime, and for a while there was less emphasis on Radio Birmingham and more on “206” and the broader West Midlands identify.’

Andy Walters: ‘I have a feeling that dates from 78. It later morphed into the Radio WM logo. To show you how old some of our OB gear is, this logo still adorns some of it.’

Radio WM sticker on OB kit still being used!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete Simpkin: ‘This one was the best of all the designs for the Radio Birmingham/WM shirts…..wore all mine till they fell to pieces!!’

Memories of Gillian Lynne

Gillian Lynne on the Nike crane, on Morte D’Arthur. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I worked with Gillian at her LEAN TWO company for several years.  We were always close friends, ever since the Pebble Mill days.  Nine days before she died I was invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber for the renaming of the New London Theatre to the Gillian Lynne Theatre.  Quite a starry event, and Gillie was carried onstage on a golden throne!!!!  Lots of lovely tributes but she was very frail.  I hadn’t seen her since her birthday in February and it was obvious that the incredible dancer’s body (issue a fitness DVD at the age of 88, anyone?) was giving up.  I wondered then if I would see her again.

The tributes have been amazing, both here in the West End and on Broadway.  Andrew Lloyd Webber yesterday has put up a huge video screen above the stage door of the Palladium with a lovely picture of Gillie and a very sweet message from him.”

Carol Kilby (formerly Parks)

Gillian Lynne

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission. Gillian Lynne directing Barbara Kellerman, with Bob Jacobs floor managing behind.

Gillian with cameraman David Short

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The choreographer and director, Gillian Lynne has died aged 92.

“Quite a lot of us will remember working with her at Pebble Mill.  I was her Production Assistant on MORTE D’ARTHUR, an extraordinary piece produced by Robin Midgley and performed by John Barton, RSC, with Jeremy Brett and Barbara Kellerman in the leads.  A strong mix of narration with the tableaux painted by a mixed bag of actors and dancers including Sir Anton Dolin.”

Jenny Brewer

Here is a link to Gillian Lynne’s obituary on the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44677722

Here is the entry for Morte D’Arthur from the Radio Times (transmitted 5th May 1984), from the BBC Genome project:

Morte D’Arthur

by SIR THOMAS MALORY edited by JOHN BARTON
Malory’s prose masterpiece was written in 1470 while he was imprisoned in Newgate Jail. He wove together the many legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and created the great romantic story of Arthur, the sword Excalibur, the treachery of his son Mordred, and the love of Lancelot for Arthur’s Queen Guenevere, which has inspired painters, poets and writers throughout the centuries. and Music composed by STEPHEN OLIVER Costume ANN ARNOLD
Make-up SUSIE BANCROFT Lighting PETER BOOTH Designer GAVIN DAVIES
Produced by ROBIN MIDGLEY
Devised and directed by GILLIAN LYNNE

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/14c0be58416840708647d6087c2fb6af