Copyright resides with the original owner, no reproduction without permission
John Greening, looking very youthful in his First Assistant Director days, with Sir John Mills playing Mr Chuffley in ‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ 1994.
Photo by John Greening. Included, left to right: Belinda Cherrington, Carol Parks, Jane Barton
This poem was written by Make Up Designer, Gill Hughes, in response to the death, in Autumn 2021, of drama Producer, Carol Parks. Gill worked with Carol on many drama productions.
This video demonstrates how the line-up for studio and outside broadcast cameras worked. It was produced as part of Royal Holloway, University of London’s, ADAPT project, using the restored outside broadcast truck CMCR9, Pebble Mill’s original CM1. The ADAPT project recreates how now defunct television production processes worked, and is run by Professor John Ellis. The video is protected under a creative commons licence.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
John Greening: ‘Still have a line up before every studio day on EastEnders’
Carolyn Davies: ‘Still done in many studios…certainly not a ‘was’ process!’
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
This is the script front page for the 1994, BBC2, drama serial: Martin Chuzzlewit, adapted by David Lodge from Dickens’ original. Chris Parr was the producer, and Pedr James the director. This must be an early version of the script, because not all the crew are named. The rehearsal period was about ten days, in Acton, with filming taking four months.
Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies, the widow of production designer, Gavin Davies, for making the page available.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Fighting Back, was a 5 part drama on BBC1, transmitted in 1986, starring Hazel O’Connor, as Viv. It featured on the front of the Radio Times, as well as a feature inside.
Here is the entry from the Radio Times, from the BBC Genome project:
“Fighting Back by GARETH JONES
The first of a five-part serial based on an idea by VICTORIA HINE
Viv Sharpe hurtles down the motorway, kids in tow, towards the Bristol she used to call home. Not only has
Bristol changed, but Viv finds no one wants to know her and there’s nowhere to go. Is this the start of Viv the vagrant? Or can she keep fighting back?
Incidental music PAUL JONES, Script editor BETH PORTER, Lighting DICK BENTLEY, Designer ROB HINDS, Producer CHRIS PARR, Director PAUL SEED. BBC Pebble Mill”
http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d3665caef0db4a94a441b93945661e10
Thanks to Beth Porter, who was the script editor, for sharing the stills.
Beth Porter’s (long and amusing) autobiography Walking on my Hands, is available for a couple of pounds on Kindle, on the link below. Chapter 12 includes Beth’s adventures with the BBC.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Jane Green: ‘This was the first thing I ever worked on – as a work experience floor assistant with Gareth Williams I think. I had to look after Hazel. Can’t print what she did here !!! But goodness me. What memories. Feb 1986.’
John Greening: ‘I was assistant floor manager…’
Susan Astle: ‘I was the make up designer on it, goodness so long ago! And before Derek Thompson became so famous!’
Les Podraza: ‘I think the filming was in Bristol for a month. I was on the crew. Fab times!!!’