Norman Beaton – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Live from Pebble Mill – Cargo Kings

Copyright resides with the original holder, probably Willoughby Gullachsen; no reproduction without permission. Thanks to Janice Rider for making the photographs available.

‘Cargo Kings’ was a live play produced at Pebble Mill in 1983 in Studio A, when Robin Midgley was Head of Drama.

The BFI Database describes the storyline thus:

‘Roger Savage, an anthropologist, visits at remote island, where the natives, Mambu, Baku and Abode learn about an obscure cargo cult from him. Soon they are in London putting Savages ideas into practice.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/161953

The script was written by Stephen Davies, directed by Donald McWhinnie, Dawn Robertson was the production associate, with Will Hartley the production manager. Roger Gregory was the script editor. Ian Ashurst was the production designer, with Janice Rider the costume designer and Carol Ganniclifft the make up designer. Bob Hubbard was the camera supervisor, lighting was by Barry Hill, and Annette Martin was the vision mixer.

The play starred Jeffrey Kissoon as Baku, Norman Beaton as Mambu, Michael Cochrane as Roger Savage, Christopher Asante as Obode and Ray Smith as Chief Inspector Beltrap.

Airbase – photos from Janice Rider

‘Airbase’ was a ‘Play on One’, which was produced at Pebble Mill and transmitted in 1988. David Attwood was the director, Roger Gregory and Keith Williams the producers. Malcolm McKay wrote the script. It was recorded in Studio A.

The drama was set over ‘four days in the life of Madeline Kohler, a young female American Air Force officer, who is posted to the all-male world of a U.S. airbase in Britain’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/426153.

The play starred Anton Lesser, Clive Mantle, Catherine Russell, David Lansbury, Ricco Ross, Stevan Rimkus, Norman Beaton.

Thanks to Costume Designer, Janice Rider, for making the photos available.

Paul Vanezis left the following comment on the Pebble Mill Facebook page: ”Airbase’ was the first BBC production I attended whilst at film school. Roger Gregory organised it for me. The production had been started in the summer of 1987, but generally it was felt that the lighting wasn’t right and it was remounted between Christmas and New Year a few months later. It was a great experience; I was there for all 5 days of the recording and was able to walk round the set. It was a full size replica of an F1-11 bomber (although the tail section was slightly shorter so it would fit in Studio A). The other sets were built around it. I kept all the camera scripts and rehearsal scripts and made notes and drawings of the set-ups next to the action in the script. It was also early use of a Steadicam in a TV studio; the operator was Peter Cavaciuti who had worked on ‘Aliens’ the year before, as had actor Ricco Ross who also starred. Director David Attwood asked Peter if he could make his shot “more wobbly”, and Peter asked why he was using a steadicam for a wobbly shot!’

Empire Road – Janice Rider

Video interview with costume designer Janice Rider, about working on the drama series: Empire Road. Empire Road was produced at Pebble Mill by Peter Ansorge and written by Michael Abbensetts. It was the first soap opera in Britain with a black and asian cast, starring Norman Beaton.

Radio Times 1979

Dead Head – photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

Gavin Davies on Dead Head

Photo copyright Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

Dead Head was a four part thriller produced at Pebble Mill. It went out between 15th January and 5th February 1986. It starred Denis Lawson as a minor villain who becomes linked to a gruesome murder, when he discovers a severed head in a hat box he is meant to deliver.

The series was produced by Robin Midgley, directed by Rob Walker and written by Howard Brenton. Dave Bushell was the lighting director, Vivien Oldham the make-up designer and Kathryn Ayerst the costume designer and Keith Salmon the camera supervisor. Gavin Davies, shown spraying down a traffic mirror in the photo was the production designer.

The series also featured George Baker, Simon Callow, Peter Attard, Lindsay Duncan and Norman Beaton.

Empire Road

Empire Road from pebblemill on Vimeo.

Producer Peter Ansorge and writer Michael Abbensetts talking about the 1978-9 series ‘Empire Road’. ‘Empire Road’ was the first and only black soap opera on British television. It was recorded in Pebble Mill Studio A, and on location in Handsworth. It starred Norman Beaton as Everton Bennett. Two series of ‘Empire Road’ were made, comprising 16 episodes in all.