Photos – Page 267 – What Was Pebble Mill?

The Clothes Show – photos from Clive Wagner

Clothes Show Live

Photos from director Clive Wager (shown here in the lower picture), no reproduction without permission,

‘The Clothes Show’ was produced at Pebble Mill from 1986-2000, it was originally a spin off of fashion items from ‘Pebble Mill at One’. The executive producer was Roger Casstles. The fashion magazine show had very high production values, and became well known for its use of new video editing effects. Eventually the post production team were awarded a BAFTA for their work.

The first photo shows the production office at ‘Clothes Show Live’, the annual exhibition at the NEC which is still running. Shown in the photo are Nicky Barfoot in the stripy top, Caroline Hawkins, Tim Langford, and presenter Caryn Franklin seated.

The lower photo is of a location shoot at the Imperial War Museum, and shows director Clive Wagner.

‘Laughter of God’ – TX card from Maggie Humphries

‘Laughter of God’ was a Screen 2 drama produced at Pebble Mill, and transmitted in 1991.

The drama starred Peter Firth, Amanda Donohoe and Sylvia Syms. It was produced by Bill Shapter, with exec producers Michael Wearing and Barry Hanson. Tony Bicat wrote and directed the play. John Kenway was the cameraman, Beverley Mills the editor and Michael Edwards the production designer.

The BFI database describes the drama:

‘The Clemants family seem idyllic on the surface – Steve, an architect, his wife Jane and their two daughters, Gilly and Sophie, live a comfortable life in a converted farmhouse in the countryside. However, disturbing emotions lie behind them, with Jane fantasising about murdering her husband whilst carrying on a love affair with her art dealer, and Steve dreaming of his wife’s funeral and finding pleasure with Rose, a young actress in local Rep. What was once fantasy begins to stray into reality, as dark forces begin to work after the foundations for Steve’s current building project fall into an ancient burial chamber.’

Thanks to Maggie Humphries from Film Unit for making the TX card available.

Mystery photo – by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photo by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

I don’t know who the people in the photo are – please add a comment if you can identify them.

‘Good Morning’ titles shoot – photo from Clive Wagner

Good Morning titles shoot

This photo is from the title shoot of ‘Good Morning with Anne Nick’ in 1992. Clive Wagner (on the left with the bald head) was the director on the shoot. He was a director on ‘The Clothes Show’, and very well thought of. The cameraman is almost certainly Tim Johnson, and the assistant, Sue Cane. The titles were shot on 35mm film, which was a real luxury.

‘Good Morning with Anne and Nick’ began on 12 Oct 1992, and was on air until 1996. Their first guest on the sofa was Joan Collins. The popular morning magazine show was presented by Anne Diamond and Nick Owen. Anne’s husband, Mike Hollingsworth, was the series editor.

‘Good Morning’ was set in Studio C, the Pebble Mill foyer, where ‘Pebble Mill at One’ was set, but the instantly recognisable windows and view out on to Pebble Mill road were blocked out by the living room type set.

BBC Club Staff 1987 – photo from Gail Herbert

BBC Club Staff 1987

This photo shows the BBC Club Staff at Pebble Mill in 1987.

Included from left to right are Pauline Rice, Lesley Moore, Gail Herbert (Club Chairman), Jim Simmonds, Kim Giles, Theresa Gordon, Mac and H, Linda Parsonage, Hilary Paton, and Mavis Silver.

The BBC Club was based in separate single storey building across the brook from the rest of Pebble Mill. It is the only building still standing on the site.

BBC staff spent many a happy lunchtime over at the Club! It was an excellent place for networking and catching up on the gossip.

Thanks to Gail for making the photo available.