Keith Ackrill – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Saturday Night at the Mill – running order

This is the running order for a dummy run recording of Saturday Night at the Mill in December 1976.

Saturday Night at the Mill was an entertainment show which used the Pebble Mill Foyer studio and the courtyard area, for performances. The show was presented by Donny MacLeod and Bob Langley, amongst others, and Kenny Ball and his Jazzman were the resident band.

For live studio shows there were often dummy recordings to make sure that the crew were all up to speed, and that technically the show was going to work.

Thanks to Roger Guest for sharing this running order.

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

Jane Mclean: ‘Roy Norton was the director, Roy Ronnie the producer, Margaret Walne was PA and I was on autocue. The Kenny Ball band was the house band on all the programmes. The hospitality back at the Strathallen was legendary…!’

Annie Gumbley Williams: ‘I did autocue too. Roy Norton used to shout down the head phones! Liz Silver was PA then and she trained me as PA on Sat Night at the Mill. Roy Norton producer and Keith Ackrill was Researcher or Assistant Producer? Patricia Mifflin too. Great fun.’

Susan Astle: ‘Goodness ..those were the days. Trying to get artists back for makeup checks when they would rather be in hospitality. I think we had our own, obvs! Susie Bankers’

Keith Brook (Scouse): I think I vision mixed that show. I know I did the series. After we complained that there was no hospitality food left, Roy Norton used to shoot down to the Strathallan after the show to stop the office people from scoffing the lot. They didn’t work on the show which allowed them to get there early and hoover it all up!! The gallery talkback was distributed around Telly Centre to entertain the bored troops in London.

Michael Fisher: ‘Kenny Ball was a frequent guest on the show. Am I right in thinking that the recently deceased Alvin Stardust appeared in some Pebble Mill Saturday evening shows and a special stage with a catwalk-like extension so he could strut up & down!’ http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/36299c085523447eaa4bf3fac59b4563

Raymond Lee: ‘I remember working on many of these shows. The pilot programme actually went by the title “Pebble Mill at Night”. Kenny Ball was actually the “resident” musician for the show.’

Eurwyn Jones: ‘I remember working on the series with Ron Sowton. Ginger Rogers was the guest on a show, she arrived in a massive car live in front of the foyer.’

Tim Dann: ‘I remember it as though it were yesterday!!…fantastic fun!…then all back to the ‘Strathallan Hotel’ for hospitality. I was the Designer for the first series. Those were the ‘daze!!”

Keith Ackrill: ‘Patricia Mifflin and I were the two researchers on “SNATM.” Roy Ronnie was the Executive Producer and Roy Norton the Director. We had a great crew working with us, which made the programmes so enjoyable to work on.’

Planning Office 1970s

This photo of the Pebble Mill Planning Office dates from the early 1970s. In the photo are Janet Collins, Margaret Barton, Harvey Frost, Julie Knee, Ruth Taylor, Carol Bond, Marjorie Bailey and Judith Markall. Pat Childs, Keith Ackrill, Jill Chatfield, Yvonne Williams, Gloria Smith, and more.

Please add a comment if you can identify any of the others.

(Thanks to Judith Markall for sharing this photo).

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

Jane Green: ‘Harvey gave me my first contract – (interview in the canteen) and was my first boss. Lovely guy. Chain smoking was compulsory in those days I think!’

Judith Markall: ‘Martina Baggott,Paula and Jean ( can’t remember their surnames). It was taken during a planning office farewell to Sally who was leaving to have her first child.Harvey Frost had a beautiful singing voice. He sang at a lot of working mans clubs over in Stoke area where he lived. He was a fantastic guy.’

Lynn Cullimore: ‘David Shute on end extreme left. All so very young!’

Eurwyn Jones:’ Wasn’t Harvey Frost a singer? Anybody remember Sally Taplin?’

Panto-party – Peter Poole

This audio recording was made at an after show party, perhaps after a play or pantomime. Peter Poole recorded it, but cannot remember the date or occasion. If you can add any information, then please add a comment.

Peter Poole

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

Keith Brook (Scouse):’This is wonderful stuff. I never knew there was a an am-dram or pantomime crowd in the entire time I was there. I only found out later and being the shy, retiring type, I wouldn’t have been any use at all. This lovely recording is about people unwinding after giving their all.’

Ann Gumbley-Williams: ‘Sounds like Robin Hood that we did with the BBC drama group. We put the panto on at Cadbury’s Theatre. I have some photos I will down load when I can. I think Keith Ackrill was in the panto, and also Jayne Savage.’

Dunsany Alfred: ‘Ivor (can’t remember his last name) was a management apprentice for BL who somehow got roped in. Graeme was also non Beeb and also played the mayor in the next year’s Pied Piper. I’ve been looking for the programme that Maisie kept but no luck so far.’

Pebble Mill Reunion 2010

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission. Thanks to Jane Mclean for making the photo available.

The photo was taken at Keith Salmon’s get together at the Saracen’s in 2010.

Included are: John Smith, John Endall, Yvonne Ackrill, Keith Ackrill, Jim Dumighan, Roy Ronnie, Margaret & Brian Barton, Gordon White, Keith Salmon, John Kimberley, Dave Ballantyne, Toby Horwood, Bob Jacobs, Wilf Welch, Tony Wolfe, James French, John Couzens, behind Jane Mclean (front with orange juice), Kath Woolston, John Abbott. Simon Evans wearing shades at back and Eric Wise standing in the front between Dave Ballantyne and Bob Jacobs. It might be Keith Bullock behind Margaret Barton, Dave Doogood behind Bob Jacobs and Mark Kershaw between Wilf Welch and Tony Wolfe. Probably Phil Wilson behind Kath Woolston. Simon Albu on left in front of John Smith.

Thanks to Dave Bushell, Jayne Savage, Janet Collins, Yvonne Ackrill and Jane Mclean for identifying everyone.

Pebble Mill at One – Keith Ackrill’s photos

Most of these photos of Pebble Mill at One were taken by Director Keith Ackrill, and must not be reproduced without his permission. They include photos of Donny Mcleod interviewing Ron Moody and Jimmy Saville, George Hamilton IV and Andy Williams in rehearsal, as well as a black and white photo from 1975 of the Pebble Mill film crew on location in Burnley. This photo features, left to right: Richard Ganniclift (cam), Sam Hanna (contributor), Peter Casselberg (sound), Keith Ackrill (director), Tim Johnson (cam).