Carol Parks – Page 3 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Vote for Them – cast and crew

This photo shows some of the cast and crew of the 1989, three part drama: Vote for Them, written by David Edgar and Neil Grant. The drama was shot on location in the UK and Egypt. Carol Parks was the producer and James Ormerod, the director.

Please add a comment if you can identify anyone in the photograph, or can add more information. I think it is Alastair (Duncan?) central in the white hat.

Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider, for making the photo available.

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

Terry Powell: ‘Yes that’s me with hair and very bright shorts I loved the show so much with my dear friend Janice rider I have lots of pics and will look them out.’

Janice Rider: ‘Yes it is in Egypt and is Alastair in the foreground. Paul Higton profile in white shirt & long trousers. Me in headscarf and black & white long skirt, Karen Thomas in White vest & shorts on the extreme right. Back left in white hat James Ormerod the director and yes, dear Terry always stylish in the desert!’

Neil Grant: ‘Could be Billy Hartman, fourth from the right, in the foreground?’

Vote For Them – TX Card

Vote for Them was a three part drama, transmitted in 1989. It serial was filmed on location in the UK and in Egypt. Carol Parks was the producer and James Ormerod the director.

The serial featured Billy Hartman as Sergeant McRae, Simon Adams as AC2 Clarke, Jeff Rawle as WO Wilson, Andrew Paul as Sergeant Simpson, John Wheatley as LAC Atterley, David Quilter as Major Trapnell, David Cardy as Signalman Jacobs, Nicholas Day as Captain Carrington, and Patrick Pearson as Corporal Richardson.

Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider, for sharing the TX card.

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Page:

Terry Powell: ‘My god yet another show I worked on I seemed to have worked a lot with Janice and I have to say this one was a joy and I have never forgot it, a lot of people’s lives changed after xx’

Survival of the Fittest – front page and cast

Here is the script front page, and cast information for the 1990, ‘Screen One’ drama: Survival of the Fittest.

Here is the synopsis from the BFI Film and TV Database:

‘Dark comedy that looks at what happens when a fiercely-independent 80-year-old widow becomes too frail to live alone. Molly Cowper is dettermined to stay in her own home, even though she has recently had a mild heart attack. Not wanting to be alone at night, she makes elaborate plans to ensure that neighbours will sleep in her house. Supervised by her long-suffering son Geoffrey an agreement is drawn up so that Chris Trinder and Eileen Blackett will stay there at agreed times. Her arrangements begin to fall apart however, when Chris dies of a heart attack adn her dog is run over. Although Geoffrey tries to sort things out Molly still tries to enforce her wishes, riding roughshod over all of them with devastating consequences.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/446261?view=synopsis

The script was written by Julian Mitchell, Martyn Friend was the director and Carol Parks the producer.

The drama starred Jean Anderson as Molly Cowper, Timothy West as Geoffrey Cowper, Nerys Hughes as Betty Trinder, Timothy Davies as Chris Tinder, Elizabeth Spriggs as Eileen Blackett, Ben Porter as the young Chris Tinder, Joanna Brookes as June Trinder, Andrew Groves as Richard Blackett, Steven Sherwood as Mr Towse, Doc O’Brien as the taxi driver.

Thanks to Willoughby Gullachsen (Gus) for keeping the pages safe all this time.

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

Terry Powell: ‘Again another show I worked on really enjoyed it can’t believe how menu shows a year we did now only really work on 2 or 3 a year. As home life is now so important.’

Annie Toy: ‘Goodness, that brings back memories. I used to catalogue all Gus’s pictures after they’d been up on the board on the downstairs corridor. They were brilliant.’

Victoria Trow: ‘Andy Netley won a Bafta last year.’

John Greening: ‘Brilliant -especially as I’m currently directing Tim West on EastEnders!’

Steve Saunderson: ‘Gus, what a talented artist, I try day by day to achieve great images but great images just poured out of his camera. Not a bad line-up is it?…and yes John a great cast including Timothy West…the last time I bumped into Dir. Martyn Friend, I was on a massive night shoot (lots of lights and sparks) for Midsomer Murders and he passed by and assured the producers that they were in very good hands, v. kind of him.’

Fair Game Costume Sketches

These sketches were drawn by costume designer Janice Rider, for the Pebble Mill drama: ‘Fair Game’, transmitted in 1993. The sketches are for costumes for ‘Marjorie’ played by Prunella Scales, and ‘Ellie’ played by Lena Headey. The drama was directed by Alan Dosser, with Carol Parks and Alan Dosser the producers and Michael Wearing the executive producer.

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Fair Game TX Card

Thanks to costume designer Janice Rider for making this TX card available.

‘Fair Game’ was a 1994 BBC 1 screenplay written by Stephen Bill, directed and co-produced by Alan Dosser along with Carol Parks. Michael Wearing was the executive producer. Rob Hinds was the designer, the film editor was John Stothart, and Steve Saunderson the camera man.

Here is the synopsis from the BFI database:

‘It is 1970, there is World Cup and General Election fever. Marco, a wealthy Italian has come to England to discover his true identity. Carl, a student is torn between canvassing for the Labour party, watching the World Cup or going on a walking holiday with his girlfriend Ellie. Their paths cross in Preston library and the three take an epic journey across the Pennines.’

http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/495778?view=synopsis

The drama starred: Lena Headey as Ellie, Julian Kerridge as Carl, Massimo Bellinzoni as Marco, Prunella Scales as Marjorie.