Category: Drama

Fellow Traveller – poster from Ann Chancellor-Davies

Fellow Traveller was produced at Pebble Mill in 1991 by Michael Wearing.  It was directed by Philip Saville (who also directed Gangsters and Boys from the Blackstuff), written by Michael Eaton and edited by Greg Miller.  Gavin Davies (who was Ann Chancellor-Davies’s husband – who supplied this photo) was the production designer. It was the only TV film produced at Pebble Mill, and was a co-production with HBO.
The film is set in the McCarthy era in the United States.  It follows a writer forced to work in England on the ITV serial – Robin Hood, to avoid the witch hunts in America.
It stars Ron Silver as Asa Kaufman, Imogen Stubbs as Sarah Aitchison, Hart Bochner as Clifford Byrne, Daniel J. Travanti as Jerry Leavy and Katherine Borowitz as Joan Kaufman.

Fellow Traveller is one of the Pebble Mill dramas to be screened at the archive screening event being held at the School of Art, Margaret Street, Birmingham on Saturday 5 March. It will be introduced by writer Michael Eaton, and producer Michael Wearing.  For more information about this free event go to: http://homeidentityandcitizenship.posterous.com/ .

Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies for making the poster available.

Dead Head – photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

Gavin Davies on Dead Head

Photo copyright Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

Dead Head was a four part thriller produced at Pebble Mill.  It went out between 15th January and 5th February 1986.  It starred Denis Lawson as a minor villain who becomes linked to a gruesome murder, when he discovers a severed head in a hat box he is meant to deliver.

The series was produced by Robin Midgley, directed by Rob Walker and written by Howard Brenton.  Dave Bushell was the lighting director, Vivien Oldham the make-up designer and Kathryn Ayerst the costume designer and Keith Salmon the camera supervisor.  Gavin Davies, shown spraying down a traffic mirror in the photo was the production designer.

The series also featured George Baker, Simon Callow, Peter Attard, Lindsay Duncan and Norman Beaton.

‘The Kiss of Death’ interview with Bob Jacobs


Untitled from pebblemill on Vimeo.

In this interview Bob Jacobs (1st Assistant Director) talks about working with Mike Leigh on the 1977 ‘Play for Today’ The Kiss of Death.

The drama follows the story of a young undertaker, Trevor, played by David Threlfall, as he grows up and explores issues around relationships and commitment.  John Wheatley plays the role of Ronnie, Kay Adshead plays Lindie and Angela Curran plays Sandra.

Bob Jacobs

Nativity Blues TX Card from Dave Bushell

Nativity Blues TX Card

Nativity Blues, was a hosted Pebble Mill drama recorded in Studio A, it was transmitted in 1989, and starred Alfred Molina, Julia Swift, Anna Cropper, John Normington and Trudie Styler (aka Mrs Sting). Directed by Sue Dunderdale and Jeremy Ancock.

It was written by Wendy Macleod.

The play is set two days before Christmas, new father Hank, is not coping well with the new baby or his marriage.

Dave Bushell was the lighting director.

“Help!” – 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.

“Help!” was a BBC comedy transmitted in 1986 and ’88.  It was a hosted series, recorded in Studio A.  I’m not sure if both series were recorded at Pebble Mill or not.  It was directed and produced by Mike Stephens and written by Joe Boyle.  In the 1988 series James Culshaw played the part of Cornelius, Milton Johns – Mr Ball, Mandy Walsh – Mrs Costello, Sheila Fay – Annie, Sheila Flitton – Mrs Reilly, Mandy Humphrey – Fiona, Jake Abraham – Davva, David Albany – Lenny, Nicola Davies – Claudette, Stephen McGann – Tex.

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.

Help