Morning Surgery – photos by Lynda Kettle

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.

‘Morning Surgery’ was a summer spin off from ‘Good Morning with Anne and Nick’.  There were two series, the first was transmitted in June 1993 and the second in September 1993.  It was a BBC 1 Daytime show and featured Dr Mark Porter and Lydia Thomas taking the mystery out of medical matters.  The show was studio based in Pebble Mill Studio C (the foyer).  The title music was composed by David Lowe.

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.

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.

Empire Road

Empire Road from pebblemill on Vimeo.

Producer Peter Ansorge and writer Michael Abbensetts talking about the 1978-9 series ‘Empire Road’.  ‘Empire Road’ was the first and only black soap opera on British television.  It was recorded in Pebble Mill Studio A, and on location in Handsworth.  It starred Norman Beaton as Everton Bennett.  Two series of ‘Empire Road’ were made, comprising 16 episodes in all.

Poldark Cast and Crew

Thanks to Paul Balmer for this photo of the cast and crew of Poldark, taken in Pebble Mill Studio A circa 1975.  Pushing the sound booms around on Poldark was Paul’s first job in television; he is on the back row on the extreme right.  The series was filmed on both location and in studio, where it was recorded ‘as live’.  It was produced in London, but ‘hosted’ by Pebble Mill, using Birmingham crews and facilities.  The crew included designers Gavin Davis and Michael Edwards, cameraman Michael Williams, John Gilbert on sound and make-up artist Maggie Thomas.

The series went out between 1975-77, and starred Angharad Rees, Robin Ellis, Jill Townsend, Paul Curran, Mary Wimbush, Judy Geeson, Ralph Bates, Clive Francis, Hugh Dickson and Richard Morant.  The drama was set in Cornwall and included mining, smuggling and shipwrecks!

Ice Dance – photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photo by Willoughby Gullachsen (Gus), no reproduction without permission.

Ice Dance was a ‘Screen Two’ drama which went out in March 1989.  It was written by Stephen Lowe, directed by Alan Dosser and produced by Michael Wearing. The drama starred Warren Clarke, Joanne Allen, Andrew Fletcher, Amanda Worthington and Helena McCarthy. It followed the story of a pair of young skaters from Nottingham, whose dream was to emulate Torvill and Dean.

This photo features cameramen Keith Froggatt and Steve Saunderson on the crane, and 1st AD, Will Hartley on the left under the crane.