Al Barnett – What Was Pebble Mill?

Gillian Lynne taking a crew warm up

Director and choreographer, Gillian Lynne, who died at the beginning of July 2018, taking a warm up with the crew.

This is from the production The Various Ends of Mrs F’s Friends, transmitted in December 1981.

Included in the photo are, Gillian Lynne, floor Assistant, Mick Murphy next to Gillian, then Pete Edwards, Jack Rooke, Phil Wilson, Keith Schofield, Phil Thickett, Robin Sunderland, Andy Miekle and Keith Froggatt, Jess Bhatti (studio attendant) in the background.

Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing the photo.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Mick Murphy: ‘Studio A, ‘The Various Ends Of Mrs F’s Friends’. Scenic services had laid a chequered floor canvas which was creased. Gillian had the idea to get the studio crew in a line to shuffle it smooth…in a dance style routine of course. I was her assistant floor manager, marking time. She was a lovely person. Great picture, happy times.’

Karen Bevins: ‘I was Costume Assistant on it & Al Barnett was Costume Designer ‘

Kate Rolfe: ‘I was the assistant on this production and we finished making it in July 1981 when I went on maternity leave. It was her first telly and she was great fun to work with’

Fellow Traveller poster and script front page

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Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies for sharing this promotional film poster, and the front page of the rehearsal script, (Ann’s huband Gavin, was the production designer on the film). It never ceases to surprise and delight me, how many script front pages have been kept by people – they are such a mine of useful information!

Fellow Traveller was the only cinematic feature film to be made at Pebble Mill, it was transmitted on 10th February, 1991 on BBC2.

Below is the entry from the Radio Times, courtesy of the BBC Genome project:

“Starring Ron Silver, Imogen Stubbs, Daniel J Travanti, Hart Bochner
1950s Hollywood: the McCarthy senate committee is conducting a witch-hunt for supposed communists in the entertainment industry and betrayal is in the air. For three friends this proves to be a disaster – for the writer who must work incognito for the emerging ITV in England; for the musician now living in England, a painful renewal of old wounds; and for the star a final performance.
Producer Michael Wearing, Director Philip Saville”

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/982604f5c78f4f9ab5618684c165c64b

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Roger Slater: ‘I was Sound Mixer, ably assisted by the late great Tim Everett as Boom Operator and Benedict Peissel as Sound Assistant. Shot in Bray Studios and on location in the UK and Miami.’

Lesley Weaver: ‘I was the Hair & Make Up Designer, a privilege to work on this artistically challenging film as it covered historically wonderful periods for make & up and hair.

It took me to New York for photo shoots, Miami, The Keys glorious sea shore and numerous UK locations including Bray Film studios.

The fun recreation of 1950’s Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Sheriff of Nottingham and all the Merry (Stunt) Men.
Fighting scenes shot in Gavin Davies’s amazing huge forest built at Bray Film Studios.

Sue O’Neill was my lovely able Senior Assistant in the UK, amongst a team of talented make up girls and the late Peter Shepherd in the US.

We did 20’s 40’s & 50’s wigs, cut throats, pumping wounds and black blood for early 1950’s black & white TV make up… I remember Sue O’Neill baking her prosthetics around the country in various hotel ovens over night! Such dedication!
From Art Deco offices to post war austere London bedsits and disagreeable landladies. Then over to the warmth & glow of Hollywood party life with dazzling costumes glamorous film stars & cars, the McCarthy Committee cloud over Hollywood and suicide in coral swimming pools. It had it all for make up & costume!
Always a great laugh to work with Al Barnett Costume Designer extraordinaire and all the other talent technicians on the production ….. And let us not forget costume design assistant, Amin Hassan who we sadly lost a few week ago!

Writer Micheal Eaton was enthusiastically on set everyday and excited to be ‘wigged up’ for his Hitchcockesque cameo scenes! …

….. it was always a pleasure to find yourself working on one of Micheal Wearing’s productions as you knew all your hard work would contribute to something worthwhile.

How lucky was I?

Oh Happy Happy Days !!’

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Oliver Twist

Photo by Neil Wigley, no reproduction without permission

This publicity still is from the 12 part 1985 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, which was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill. The series was directed by Gareth Davies, and produced by Terence Dicks. Alexander Baron was the script writer, with Brian Wright the script editor. Bob Chaplin was the lighting director, Michael Edwards was the production designer, Al Barnett the costume designer and Alastair Askham the sound supervisor, with Mike Bloore the VT editor.

Ben Rodska played Oliver Twist, with Eric Porter as Fagin, and Michael Attwell as Bill Sikes.

Thanks to the BBC Drama Village for making the photo available.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Page:

Terry Powell: ‘Great show I looked after a young actor playing Olive who now is a pilot for Easy Jet with 2 grown up kids – time does fly’

Carole Haysom: ‘Make up assistant Carole Haysom……Made up Eric Porter, in fact I still have his Fagin teeth’

Carol Churchill: ‘Makeup designer was Susie Bancroft’

Occupation Democrat – Tech Reqs

These Technical Requirements (Tech Reqs) documents are for a studio drama, called Occupation Democrat, recorded in July 1984. This was the working title of the drama, and it was changed before transmission to Murder of a Moderate Man.

The drama was set in an airport hostel, and a prison, and recording was also going to take place in the men’s toilets! It was being recorded on 1″ videotape, with VHS viewing copies being run off at the same time. Although the recording was taking place in Studio A at Pebble Mill, the Tech Run was taking place at Elstree, so presumably the rehearsals took place in London.

Robert Tronson was the director, John Bowen the producer, Jenny Brewer was the production associate, with William Hartley the production manager. Charles Bond was the designer, with Al Barnett the costume designer and Susie Bancroft the make-up designer. Dave Bushell was technical manager, with Annette Martin as vision mixer and Ivor Williams and Leigh Sinclair were the VT editors.

Costume Department Reunion 1999 – photo from Ruth Kiosses

Photo from Ruth Kiosses, no reproduction without permission.

This photo was taken at a reunion of the Costume Department in 1999. It was held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Included in the photo are: Muriel Hewitt (front, red hair) Anne Mills (behind Muriel), Anne-Marie Morrell (on left in red, back row), next to Russell Barnett (senior costume designer), Lesley Thomas (mustard scarf), Maria Hurley, Annie Doling, Hilary Anne Hughes, Eileen Hubble, Pat Hadley, Linda Hill, Dawn Booth Brent Fulwood, Karen Bevins, Clive Ashman, Rossie Russon, Janice Rider (senior costume designer, back row in black), Liz Fahy, Wendy Schofield, Mark Ridley (dresser), Patricia Hodge Robinson (in blue on back row), Colin Jones (dresser, back row, black top), next to Sally Pearson (designer, fuchsia cardigan), Rachel Selby (2nd row extreme right). From left next to Muriel: Joyce Hawkins (senior costume designer); Bobby Gale (former dresser, now deceased); Gill Hardie (designer). Behind Bobby Gale – Vee Layton (designer, now deceased); to the left of Rachel Selby, in turquoise – Christine Grainger (costume assistant); to the left of Mark Ridley – Alison Mitchell. To the right of Janice Rider is Terry Patterson (designer). To Ann Doling’s left is Paul Patterson (MFS); Ginnie Hardy (designer); next to Ginnie – Al Barnett (senior costume designer); next to Al – Stephanie Hazeldine (designer). Tessa Wyatt ? – behind Paul Patterson.

Please add a comment if you can identify others, or can add more information