Category: Television

Asian Programmes Unit – ‘New Life’

These photos are probably by Willoughby Gullachsen, and have been given by Maggie Humphries from Film Unit.  No reproduction of the photos without permission.

BBC Pebble Mill was home of the BBC’s multicultural programmes.

The photos show a location shoot for the Asian magazine strand: ‘New Life’. They date from the 1980s, when the inserts were still shot on film.  The sound recordist shown is Alex Christison, and cameraman Steve Saunderson, the camera assistant Ian Churchill, and the PA Jayne Savage.  Standing on the stairs in the tie is the director/producer, Waseem Mahmood. The programme was a documentary on the first Asian model, Safira.  Nigel Pardoe-Matthews was the film editor.

The documentary was an occasional 30min special as part of the New Life strand. Waseem made three in the six years that he was at Pebble Mill: “Safira” about the model, a film about Asian Ballerina Nicola Katrak and a special where Marion Foster interviewed Ravi Shankar… the latter got a prime time slot on BBC2.

‘New Life’ from 1981 was called ‘Asian Magazine ‘- this must have been when Ashok Rampal took over as Executive Producer.

Please add a comment if you can identify other people in the stills, or can add more information.

 

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Maharajas – TX card from Maggie Humphries

Maharajas TX card

Maharajas TX card from Maggie Humphries.

Maharajas was a two part documentary about the former Indian rulers, produced at Pebble Mill.  The first part, ‘Kings and Castles’, was transmitted on 13/8/87, with the second part, ‘Kings to Commoners’ going out the following night.

It was written by Charles Allen and directed by Jonathan Fulford, Peter Hercombe was the executive producer.  Keith Froggatt was one of the cameramen who worked on the film.  The documentary contained dramatised sequences. It starred actors: Simi Garewall and Jugal Hansraj.

Basil Brush – Lynda Kettle’s photos

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.

Basil Brush was a weekly children’s entertainment show.  The star of the show was a fox puppet (Basil Brush) and each week he would be joined by special guests.  There were various sketches, and music included in the show.  The 1980 series of Basil Brush was recorded at Pebble Mill in Studio A.  Paul Ciani was the producer, Lynda Kettle the designer, John Abbott the lighting director and David Weir was in charge of sound.  Billy Boyle was the presenter.

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.

Lynda Kettle

‘The Battle of Waterloo’ – photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

The Battle of Waterloo

Photograph by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

The photo features (left) Martin Carthy, playing ‘Wolfhound’ and (far right) Peter Benson as ‘Sniffer’.  Please add a comment if you can identify the middle actor.  Other actors to star were Warren Clarke as ‘Slewpot’, Dave Atkins as ‘Bamber’, and Dai Bradley as ‘Ferris’.

‘The Battle of Waterloo’ was a live studio drama, written by Keith Dewhurst and produced at Pebble Mill in 1983.  It was produced and directed by Robin Midgley, the production associate was Dawn Robertson, with Bob Jacobs as the production manager.  Phyllida Lloyd (who went on to direct the film Mama Mia) was the AFM, Jenny Brewer the PA, Peter Ansorge & Roger Gregory the script editors, Roger Sutton the vision mixer and Dave Doogood the camera supervisor.

‘Kinsey’ Series 2- photos from Willoughby Gullachsen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Kinsey’ was a drama which ran for 2 series about a maverick Midlands’ lawyer: Kinsey, played by Leigh Lawson.  Peter Gibbs wrote the script, Richard Standeven was the director and Carol Parks the producer.  Barry Hanson was the executive producer.  ‘Kinsey’ was produced at Pebble Mill in 1991 and 1992.

The first photo features Kinsey, played by Leigh Lawson, with Minnie Driver.  This still was taken during filming of the last episode: ‘Conflicts of Interest’, which went out on 8/12/92.

The second photo shows the crew recording a tracking shot.  (Left to right) John Kenway (camera), Rob Southam (focus Puller), Kevin Williams, Herbie Donnelly (sparks), Monica Heath (1st AD), at the corner of the building Richard Standeven (director), Mike Hobson,  & Andrew Smith.

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