Tag: Studio A

Tycoon – Lynda Kettle’s photos

Photos by Lynda Kettle, no reproduction without permission.  Lynda Kettle was a Production Designer at BBC Pebble Mill, working on factual, entertainment and drama shows in studio and on location.  The photos were taken as records of the Sets.

‘Tycoon’ was a thirteen-part drama series about the world of big business, it was recorded at Pebble Mill in Studio A.  The series was created by John Sichel, he also directed several episodes, it was produced by William Slater.   The series aired on BBC1 between 18th Sept 1978, and the 11th Dec 1978.  The drama starred Diane Cilento as Diane Clark, Norman Rodway as Jonathon Browning, Jean Kent as Mary Clark, Edward Hardwicke as Donald Sanders and Christopher Gable as Charles Clark.  Sue Peck was the costume designer, Gillian Hughes the make-up artist, Geoffrey Hewitt recorded the studio sound, and Lynda Kettle was the designer on some of the episodes, Gavin Davies on others.

Production Designer, Lynda Kettle also worked as a theatre designer and an artist, and now runs courses from her art studio http://www.lynda-kettle.com.  She is a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham Water Colour Society. Midland Pastel Society and Birmingham Art Circle . She exhibits her paintings several times a year at selected galleries.

Lynda Kettle

Morte D’Arthur – photos from Bob Jacobs

Morte D’Arthur was a drama adaptation of the book by Sir Thomas Malory, based on John Barton’s adaptation.  It was transmitted in 1984, under Robin Midgley’s leadership of the English Regions Drama Department at Pebble Mill in Studio A.  It was directed by Gillian Lynne (seen in both photos here) and produced by Robin Midgley.  Bob Jacobs (behind Barbara Kellermann in the top photo) was the 1st Assistant Director.

The drama featured: Barbara Kellerman, David Robb, Anton Dolin, Jeremy Brett and Nickolas Grace.

Dr Who – photos by Ben Peissel

Photos by Ben Peissel, no reproduction without permission.

These photos show an episode of Dr Who being dubbed at Pebble Mill.  The Doctor in question is Peter Davison, who was the fifth Doctor, and played the role between 1982-4.

Andy Freeth is one of the dubbing mixers shown.

The episode is part 1 of  ‘Resurrection of the Daleks’.  This was shown as 2 double-length episodes rather than the usual four 25 minute ones, due to the scheduling around the 1984 Olympics.  Perhaps all the dubbing facilities in London were busy with the Olympics, where Dr Who would normally have been dubbed, meaning that it came to Pebble Mill instead.

I understand that only one full episode of Dr Who was recorded in Studio A, in 1977, the Horror of Fang Rock, but that would be earlier than these photos.

Dalek in dubbing

Studio A – photos by Tim Savage, John Kimberley and Ivor Williams

Photos by Tim Savage, John Kimberley and Ivor Williams, no reproduction without permission.

The photos include the  Pebble Mill, Studio A, EMI 2001 cameras line up, the line up gallery, the lighting gallery, the colour matching desk, the lighting gantry, and the production gallery.  Also included are several photos of the ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ set in Studio A.

EMI 2001 line up

‘Vote for Them’ – Bob Jacobs

In this video Bob Jacobs talks about working as 1st Assistant Director on the 3 part drama series – ‘Vote for Them’, written by David Edgar.  The photos were taken by Bob Jacobs and Bev Dartnall.

The series was set in Egypt as the Second World War was coming to a close.  It was a political drama set amongst Allied troops as they consider what sort of world they want after the war and form “parties”, holding debates and elections.

The series went out in June 1989.  It was shot on location in Cairo, with a sand quarry in Dorset also doubling as Egypt.  The interiors were recorded in Pebble Mill Studio A.

Carol Parks was the producer, James Ormerod the director, with Michael Wearing as Executive Producer.

On location in Egypt