Television – Page 218 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Telly Addicts – Hooferdoofer

One of the characteristics of ‘Telly Addicts’ was a specially made ‘remote’, which Noel Edmonds would use to cue the clips for the contestants. This device was called the ‘hooferdoofer’.

The ‘hooferdoofer’ was built by Dave Pick from engineering, ‘It was unusual in that it didn’t use infra red light like a TV remote, it used low frequency radio picked up by a wire loop that ran all round the set. This meant that Noel didn’t have to point it in any particular direction. The three buttons operated three lights in the gallery via tie-lines from the studio floor.’

Louis Robinson came up with the name of the remote:‎ ‘”Hooferdoofer” was a word I stole from my grandmother to describe the remote.The requirement was – if I remember – Jules May wanted Noel’s hooferdoofer to signal her as the director giving her freedom to cue the clips thus keeping her control of the studio. The tightness of the relationship between Noel’s intro and the start of the clip was 90% done by the excellent editing in post production.’

The Power and the Glory – thank you letter

This thank you letter was sent to Dave Mason for his dubbing of the motor racing series: ‘The Power and the Glory’.

‘The Power and the Glory’ was a twelve part series about the history of motor racing from the 1890s, looking at the designers, the drivers and the action on the race track. It was a co-production between BBC Pebble Mill and John Gau Productions. It was transmitted in 1991. Ivan Rendall was the Executive Producer. Philip Tibenham was the narrator.

‘Fighting Back’ – photo from John Greening

‘Fighting Back’, was a five part Pebble Mill drama, transmitted in 1986, starring Hazel O’Connor. It was produced by Chris Parr, directed by Paul Seed, written by Gareth Jones and filmed in Bristol. It was about a mother fighting to keep her children. It also started Derek Thompson (before Casualty).

The second photo features (left to right): ?, John Greening (AFM), and Alf Mayall (props).

Thanks to John Greening for making the photo available.

‘Newcomers’ photo with some names from Kevin Lakin

The photo is of the 1960’s drama ‘Newcomers’, recorded at Gosta Green.

Myles Lang and Michael Edwards were from Design, Keith Bullock was from Lighting. Two back from Reg, white coast balding head, Fred Parsons, Lighting Electrician.

Thanks to Kevin Lakin, and Adrian Parsons for identifying some of the members of staff in the photo.
Please add a comment if you can identify others in it.

‘The Newcomers’ – photo from Dave Kirkwood

‘The Newcomers’ is a Cast & Crew publicity shot for a soap called ‘The Newcomers’, which was shot at Gosta Green in the mid 60’s. It was a very happy production telling the story of London families relocated to a ‘Town in East Anglia’. The show gave a first break to Wendy Richard, who went on to ‘Are You Being Served’, ‘East Enders’ etc. It was directors included Ronald Wilson, Eric Hills and Paddy Russell, produced by Bill Sellars, script by Barry Letts, Kenneth Hill and Patrick Scanlan, and the story was by John Cresswell. The series also starred George Woodbridge, Megs Jenkins, Alan Browning, Naomi Chance, and Robert Brown.

Apart from the people, note the archaic lighting equipment c/f today!