" SHINE ON HARVEY MOON " 1994 - minor role - Pawnbroker

On 21st December 1994, I arrived at the Fountain Studios in Wembley, North London to play a minor role as a Pawnbroker in a scene in one of the 12 episodes of Series 5 of " Shine on Harvey Moon ".
My call time was 7 am. and  I was taken immediately into wardrobe for my costume followed by being hastily ushered into the make -up department where Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson were also being attended to. They asked me if I was the Pawnbroker and then told me that it was the first scene to be shot that morning, the reason for the urgency to get me ready for the shot.
The scene was inside the Pawnbroker's shop and one of the characters came into the shop to redeem his trombone, I only had to delivery 4 words, and my line was " There you are, sir ", which was a category E role, one below that of a main credited role. The scene was shot a few times and I was back on the road home by 10 am, only 3 hours work in the studio for a very nice fee.
" Shine on Harvey Moon " was set in the East End of London shortly after the 2nd World War.
Upon being demobbed, R.A.F. serviceman Harvey Moon, played by Kenneth Cranham, returns home and finds his family involved in various troubles. His wife Rita, played by Maggie Steed, is not interested in resuming their relationship and works in a seedy nightclub frequented by American Servicemen.  He then becomes involved with the Labour Party and the Union movement.
The name of the series is a word play on the popular song " Shine on Harvest Moon " which was made more popular, after it was written in 1908, when Laurel & Hardy sang it in  the 1939 film " The Flying Deuces ".

" THE CHIEF " 1989

On 20th December 1989, I arrived at the Anglia Television Studios in Norwich to be in my first episode of
  " The Chief " starring Tim Pigott - Smith, Martin Shaw and Judy Loe.
My call time was 11.am. and we finished at 6.30pm that evening.
The series ran from 1990 to 1995 and between this, my first day in 1989 and my final day on the 7th November 1994,  I appeared in 6 episodes.
It was set in the fictional Eastland , in East Anglia and focussed on the politics at the top of a typical English Police force in its continual battle to solve the problems of the times.

" The Guilty " 1991 - " Crimewatch File " 1993

On 19th December 1991, I arrived at the Central TV Studios in Lenton Lane Nottingham to be in a TV Film " The Guilty " starring Michael Kitchen.
Nikki Lennon ( Caroline Katz ) is raped by her boss Steven Vey ( Michael Kitchen)
Steven is up for a job as a Judge. Nikki tells Steven to resign or she will tell everyone about the rape.
Steven contacts his illegitimate son and pays him £5,000 to murder Nikki.
Complications arise which result in Steven getting into trouble with the Lord Chancellor.
On 19th December 1993, I was at the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham to be in a " Crimewatch File" for the BBC.
The scene was a Tribunal about the boss of a company mis-treating one of his work staff.
I was a " wing member " ( one of two magistrates that sit either side of the chairman of the bench).
The scene was shot in one of the studios in the sound department close to where the " Archers " used to be recorded.
One of the directors asked if I had ever served as a magistrate, because I was acting as if I knew what I was doing. I did not inform him that I had been under consideration some years earlier as a candidate to be appointed to the bench, but I eventually declined that opportunity.
I therefore left the director thinking that I was a better actor than I actually was.

" THE JAMES GANG " 1996

On 17th December 1996, I arrived at Cricklewood in, North London, to be in a scene in " The James Gang".
" The James Gang " was a 95 minute Comedy, Crime, made for \television Film by the BBC.
The location was a shopping complex next to the railway station on the Intercity Main Line North of St. Pancras Station.
The film was about a woman called Bernadette who, with her four children, who go to London to find her husband and father of her children, Spendlove, who left them alone some while back.
When she finds him, her brother- in - law, Frank, offers Spendlove some money to return to Edinburgh with his family. But soon, one night, Bernadette unexpectedly robs a jewellery store and then have to head north with obsessive policewoman Julia Armstrong on their tail.
Spendlove was played by John Hannah, Bernadette by Helen McCrory, Frank Jones by Jason Flemying and Julia Armstrong by Toni Collette.
The film was screened on 7th November 1997. The scene that I was in was filmed in one of the shops in the  shopping complex, very early in the morning, before the shops were open to the public.

" THE CHIEF " 1993 - " EMMERDALE " 1995 and 2003

On 15th December 1993, I arrived at the Anglia Studios in Norwich and was taken by bus to NorthWalsham, to a location 8 miles south of Cromer on the East Coast, for an episode of  " The Chief ".
My total mileage for the round trip to Norwich and back, on that cold December day was 248 miles.
 Since the beginning of this series, the part of the  main character previously played by Tim Pigott-Smith had been replaced by another main character played by Martin Shaw.
My first episode on " The Chief " had been filmed on 20th December 1989 and between that date and  7th November 1994, I was only in 6 episodes of that series.

On this same day in 1995 I was in Leeds for my 5th day on " Emmerdale " and by  this day in 2003 I was again in Leeds for my 79th day on that programme.
I have now made 95 trips to Leeds for " Emmerdale " since my first one on 14th June 1993, the most recent visit having been on 27th September 2013.

" INTO THE FIRE " 1994

On 14th December 1994, I had arrived in Richmond, West London to be in a scene in " Into the Fire ".
The location was at an Hotel on Richmond Hill and the view from that height was stunning. The River Thames below, winding it's way towards London from Buckinghamshire in the West.
" Into the Fire " was a three part BBC Drama TV Mini Series which was screened in 1996 starring Sharon Duce and David Morrissey.
It was about a Local Businessman and Magistrate who is brought to account for his one disgraceful act in an otherwise blameless and respectable life.
Later in the day , we were taken to a second location in Richmond Town Hall, where scenes were filmed in the cells below the the old Courthouse that was within that building.

" CASUALTY" 1997 - Credited Part

On 11th December 1997, I arrived at the BBC Studios in Bristol to be in episode 23 of the 12th series of the Medical Drama Casualty.
My first episode as a supporting artiste had been on 5th April 1988 and now , after appearing in 36 more episodes over 9 years, I was given my first credited role in the series.
I first appear as the opening credits are rolling, and am introducing two women boxers into the ring.
(In the late 1990's women boxing was a controversial issue but today it is acceptable to the governing body of the sport.)
Later in the episode, the action returns back to the scene where one of the women boxers is getting a severe beating and a few illegal punches are being thrown. The outcome of that boxing match then results in the boxers being taken to Holby City Hospital for one of them to receive treatment.
This episode 23 was screened on 7th February 1998 and is my only entry to date on IMDb, where a click on to Bobby Civil IMDb and a further click on to " click onto full credits) will show my name at the bottom of the cast list.
It has now been 16 years since that event, and I have been in quite a few more minor roles including being a Security Guard, a Press Reporter a Pawnbroker and a New Year Party-goer.

" THE BIG MATCH " DAY TWO 1992

On 8th December 1992, I arrived back to Hendon Football Ground in North London for my second day of filming in the Television Advert for British Telecom.
My call time the previous day had been 3pm, and my call time on this day was 2.30pm. The lateness of the call was because we were filming a night shoot and it allowed some time for rehearsals to take place while it was still light.
Because the floodlights were one during those two evenings, some supporters of Hendon Town arrived at the ground to see if there was a re-scheduled football match being played by their team.
The advert appeared on National television channels during the early months of 1993, 21 years ago.

" THE BIG MATCH " British Telecom TV Advert 1992

On 7th December 1992, I drove to Hendon Football Ground in North London to be in a scene from a Television Advert for British Telecom called " The Big Match ".
A group of us were in the main stand next to the main characters and we were all watching a football match.
The grandfather figure was sitting with his grandson and reflecting on his past footballing achievements when he was a player. Then the scene switch to seeing him on the telephone to another member of the family, who had remained at home, to tell them the result of the game. Thereby suggesting the advantages of using the telephone facility to relay quick messages in those days.
21 years later, with mobile phones and instant texting, to the younger generation of today, this must seem an archaic system that we used at that time.
The scene took two days to film, the first day was from 3pm to 10 pm and the second day from 2.30pm to 10pm.

" CORNETTO ADVERT " 1990

On 5th December 1990, I arrived at a Warehouse in Feltham, North- West London, to be part of a TV advert for " Cornetto", the popular  parody of the Italian song " O Sole Meo " - " Just One Cornetto - give it to me " etc.
It was a cold December morning and heating blowers were used to warm the large area that we were filming in but were switched of for each "take". We were all dressed in summer clothes and were supposed to be somewhere in Italy listening to a tenor singing " Just one Cornetto". At the end of his song, we all stood up and threw roses onto the stage where he was singing.
That particular advert was very popular when it was shown during the following year, as it was the follow up advert to the original " Cornetto " advert of the Gondolier singing as he was on one of the canals in Venice.

" THE RITZ " 1986

On 4th December 1986, I arrived at the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham to be in an episode of " The Ritz", a six part BBC TV series that was aired in 1987.
It was a comedy drama set in a night club. It centred on three bouncers, Chike, played by Paul Rider, Skodge, played by Andrew Dunn and Kenny, played by Andrew Livingstone. They helped to protect the newly formed Ritz night club from a rival club owner, Mad Mick, played by Richard Ridings.
The scene that I was involved with was in Episode 5, called " Fancy Dress Night: Kenny's Nightmare ", and I was in the night club dressed in the costume of a " Rocker", a character from the days of the Mods & Rockers.
The episode was screened on 22nd May 1987.

" SPATZ " 1991 - " CASUALTY " 1995

On 3rd December 1991, I had arrived at Greenford TV studios in London to be in an episode of " Spatz ", a Thames TV 30 minute TV series set in a hamburger bar.
33 episodes were shown between 1990 and 1992 and starred Vis Blackwood as Dexter, Paul Michael as T.J. Strickland and Jonathan Copestake as Stanley.
4 years later, in 1995, I was in Bristol to be in my 5th episode of " Casualty ", the BBC medical drama that is still running today. My first episode had been on 5th April 1998 and it would be two more years ( 10 more episodes) before I would get my first speaking , and credited role,  of the Boxing M.C. / Referee in episode 23 which was recorded on 11th December 1997.

" BRASSED OFF " day two

On 1st November 1995, I was on my way to Birmingham to be in my second scene of " Brassed Off", the film that turned out to be very popular when it was released in 1996 around the same time as " The Full Monty ".
I had been chosen to be one of the Judges of the Brass Band Competition as it is being presented to the Conductor of the Grimley Colliery Brass Band.
On my way to the location at Birmingham Town Hall, where the scenes were being shot, I became stuck in a traffic jam on the M6 due to an accident. My call time on that morning was 8 am and at that time I was able to use my mobile phone to call my agent to inform her that I would arrive as soon as I was able. It was also a snowy morning which had made the journey longer than usual. I eventually arrived at the venue and was ushered immediately onto the stage to film the first part of the scene.
It turned out to be the scene where the conductor, Danny, played by Pete Postlethwaite, had discharged himself from hospital to enable himself to get to the Albert Hall in London, to be with his beloved Grimley Colliery Band who he has led through the various rounds of the competition to reach the Grand Final.
He arrives during the band's performance of the " William Tell Overture" where they are being conducted by a stand in conductor being played by Jim Carter( Mr Carson from " Downton Abbey ".
As Danny goes to receive the winner's cup from the Judge, played by Ronnie Stevens, he goes into a big speech about the importance of music and his disappointment of the Government's decision to close the coal mines in the Yorkshire area.
Pete Postlethwaite's performance was electric and he delivered the speech without a rehearsal to the audience, who were hearing it for the first time because the Director wanted to film the genuine expressions of the audience to the speech they were hearing.
There is a clip of " Danny's Speech" on Google via " Brassed Off, Danny's speech ", where I can be seen standing next to Ronnie Stevens to begin with, and then, in the long shot, I can be seen second judge from the left, behind the Championship Cup, which is sitting on a table on the stage.During the speech, I was standing right behind Pete and was very impressed with his great, and very believable  performance of an impassioned Yorkshire Brass Band leader.
It was a tremendous privilege for me to have been in that scene at close hand and experience the atmosphere created by some excellent acting from a tremendously talented cast.
I said to one of the bandsmen, during one of our breaks from filming, who are your band really, and he replied Grimethorpe Colliery Brass Band, I told him that I came from Kettering and that in the 1950's I had followed our local Brass Band, The Munn & Felton's Brass Band, when they won the National Brass Band Championship, forty years earlier.

" BRASSED OFF " 1995 - day one

On 30th November 1995, I was in Birmingham to be in a scene from " Brassed Off ", a 1996 British film written  and directed by Mark Harman.
" Brassed Off " was set in the the fictional Grimley Colliery in the mid 1990's and really followed the real  life situation that Grimethorpe Colliery faced at that time. It was about the trouble faced by a colliery brass band following the closure of their pit. It starred Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewen McGregor and Steven Tompkinson. Also in the strong cast was Jim Carter( Downton Abbey) Sue Johnson and Melanie Hill
 ( Bread).
The scene that I was in was supposed to be the Royal Albert Hall, but was in fact the Birmingham Town Hall, and I was in an audience listening to the National Brass Band Championships, with Grimley Colliery Band playing the William Tell Ovrture, being conducted by a bandsman played by Jim Carter. In the audience, close to the stage were Sue Johnson and Melanie Hill, and on stage, the colliery band included Steven Tompkinson and Ewen McGregor as bandsmen, with Pete Postlethwaite arriving during their performance.
Following the filming of that scene, three of us were asked to act as Competition Judges in another scene to be filmed the following day, and that has turned out to be one of my most enjoyable days filming ,being in the scene where Danny ( played by Pete Postlethwaite) gives a very emotional speech to the audience as I am standing behind him.

" WAIL OF THE BANSHEE " 1991 - " CRUEL TRAIN " 1994

On 29th November 1991, I was in Nottingham to be in an episode of  " Wail of the Banshee ", a seven part children's fantasy drama which was broadcast on CITV in 1992.

Three years later I was in Birmingham to be in a scene for " Cruel Train ", a TV Movie that was shown in 1995.
It was a sordid story of sexual passion, sexual crimes and murder, set among the staff of an English railway line in 1940-41.
The principal stars in that film included David Suchet, Saskia Reeves, Alec McCowan, Melanie Hill and Minnie Driver.

" MRS. BROWN " 1996 - day 2 with Billy Connolly

On 25th November 1996 I had returned to Luton Hoo, a former stately home near Luton, to be in  another scene of " Mrs. Brown ". After the first day, I had been chosen to play a butler in a downstairs scene with Billy Connolly who was playing the lead role of John Brown to Judi Dench's Queen Victoria.
Luton Hoo had been chosen for the filming because the rooms resembled those of Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight.
It was the scene where John Brown enters the dining room and sits in the seat normally occupied by Queen Victoria. I am sitting directly opposite to him from his position at the head of the table.
He is told he cannot sit in that seat because it is usually occupied by " Her Majesty the Queen". " That's a Tautology" is his reply " It's either Her Majesty, or The Queen" he retorts.
A maid comes to my side and is sent out of the room to seek information and then re-enters the room and whispers something in my ear. Then John Brown looks across to me and says " Am I the only one that's eating?" and I give him a  very serious look then reluctantly pick up my soup spoon.
Following the filming of that scene, I was talking to Billy and commented that I had seen him the day before but that he was not in any of the scenes. He replied " It was my Birthday yesterday, I do not work on my Birthday".
Happy 70th Birthday, yesterday, Billy.
He was a very interesting man to talk to and continues to be a very good actor.
Yesterday, I was back at Luton Hoo for an Installation Dinner for the London Guild of Toastmasters,where I was appointed Junior Vice- President, 17 years after those happy two days filming of " Mrs. Brown " in 1996.

" MRS. BROWN " 1996 - Day 1 with Anthony Sher

On 24th November 1996, I arrived at Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire to be in " Mrs Brown " starring Judi Dench, Billy Connolly & Sir Anthony Sher.
On this first day I was in a scene in the ballroom playing the part of a court official where Prime Minister, Disraeli, played by Sir Anthony Sher, hands me his coat as he enters the Ballroom to exclaim " Ah, the greasy pole".
In another scene on that day I am playing the part of the same official and am in a downstairs scene with Gerard Butler( who went on to play the lead role of in the film version of "The Phantom of the Opera"), who
played the part of  John Brown's brother Archie. The part of John Brown was played by Billy Connolly, Queen Victoria by Judi Dench and Disraeli by Anthony Sher.
The scenes were intended to look like we were at Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight, and the rooms at Luton Hoo were very similar to those at Osborne House.
It was a twelve hour day shoot and I had arrived for a 7 am call and was wrapped at 9 pm. - a 14 hour day.
I was only 50 miles from home and arrived back around 10.30pm -  a 15 hour day.
This was before mobile phones were as popular as they are today, and during the time I was returning home, the production team had called my home and requested me back for more scenes the following morning.
At the time of filming, it was intended to be for television, being filmed by BBC Scotland, but was later issued as a major film and became a very successful hit.
Tomorrow I will be recalling my day in a scene filmed with Billy Connolly, which has been the only time I have met him.

" DOCTORS " 2005

On 23rd November 2005, I was in Birmingham to take part in an episode of " Doctors".
" Doctors" Is a BBC drama series set in a busy Midlands practice following the turbulent lives and loves of the staff and patients.
The first episodes were filmed at Pebble Mill in 2000, but are now currently filmed elsewhere in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham.
The current series is Series 5 and the latest episode is episode 226. It is screened on BBC One on every week-day afternoon.
My first episode was on 6th April 2004, followed by my second on 28th January 2005, 28th November 2005 and my most recent episode was on 9th April 2008.
It is now 5 years since I was last involved on " Doctors".

" EMMERDALE " 2011

On 22nd November 2011, I was at the YTV studios in Leeds for my 84th day of involvement in                   " Emmerdale". My first day had been on 14th June 1993 and I have been very pleased to have been involved in this programme for over 20 years.
Since November 2011, I have been to " Emmerdale " 5  times in 2012 and a further 5 visits this year.
My most recent visit this year was on 27th September when I was involved in a scene in the cafe with Tony Audenshaw, who plays the cafe owner Bob Hope.
As an aside, I was involved in the scene a few years ago when the cafe was refurbished and re-opened.
When I saw that it was re-named " Hope's Cafe", I suggested that it could have been called " The Cafe of Good Hope". Someone commented that if I had been on set earlier that year and suggested that name at that time, it might well have been called that as a pun on the Cape of Good Hope.

" WATER PRIVATISATION ADVERT " 1989

On 21st November 1989, I was sitting in the Dress Circle of the Richmond Theatre in London as part of an advert being filmed to encourage members of the public to buy shares in the Water Companies.
The advert involved us as members of the audience watching an orchestra playing on the stage.
During the performance the word spreads around that shares are now available for sale and a few people leave the theatre to go to buy them. Then the exodus increases and eventually even members of the orchestra begin to leave the stage to go and buy the shares. The advert concludes with no audience and only a few bewildered members of the orchestra still sitting on stage who cannot make up their minds to buy shares or not.
The Advert started to be aired in early 1990 and the sale of Water Shares was a success as well as subsequent Gas shares, Electricity Shares and other similar floatations at that time.
This was the second advert that I had been involved with. The first had been the two days I spent on one for "Shell Petrol". In 1990 I was in another one for "Cornetto" Ice Cream, a "British Telecom "one in 1992, one for "Hugo Boss" in 1994 and one for "Halifax", being part of a X in their famous human X adverts in 1999.

" BORN & BRED " 2002

On 20th November 2002, I arrived at Bray Studios near Windsor on a very foggy morning for my second episode of " Born & Bred ". My first involvement had been on 16th August on location in Wycombe.
" Born and Bred " was a light-hearted British Drama aired by BBC One from 2002 to 2005. I starred James Bolam as Arthur Guilder as a doctor and Michael French as his son Tom Gilder, also a doctor. Together they ran a cottage hospital in Ormston, a fictional Lancashire village in the 1950's.
Bolam and French's characters were later replaced by Richard Wilson ( One Foot in the Grave) and Oliver Milburn.
The exterior shots were filmed in Lancashire and the internal ones at Bray Studios.
I was in the first six episodes and all my scenes, except the first, were shot in Bray.
During 2003, I was involved in a further 11 days filming , playing the part of one of the villagers, usually in a pub scene or at other events which occured in various locations within those first 6 episodes.

" PRESTON FRONT " 1994 - " CASUALTY " 1996

On 17th November 1994, I was in Telford for my fourth day on " All Quiet on the Preston Front " in that year. It was a BBC comedy drama about a group of friends in the fictional Lancashire town of Roker Bridge, and their links to the local Territorial Army infantry platoon. It was created by Tim Firth and starred Alistair McGowan and Caroline Catz, and the episodes that I was involved in starred Colin Buchanan.
The first episode was screened on January 4th 1994 and the final episode on September 8th 1997.
Two years later on the same date, I was in Bristol for " Casualty ",the British medical drama set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, which began in 1986 and is still running today.
There have now been 874 episodes of this series and I have been in 61 of those episodes between 1988 and 2004.

" PORTRAIT OF A MARRIAGE " 1989

On 16th November 1989, I was in Peterborough to be in a episode of " Portrait of a Marriage ", a BBC TV mini- series starring Janet McTear, David Haig and Cathryn Harrison.
It was a melodrama detailing the real life love affair between Vita Sackville-West and novelist Violet Keppel
against the backdrop of post World War One England, and opposition by Vita's political husband Harold Nicolson.
Vita and Violet's romantic relationship became increasingly obsessed which spawned destructive feelings of possessiveness and jealousy between them.
The scene that I was in was filmed on the edge of Peterborough outdoor market, near to the city centre.

" SOPHIA & CONSTANCE " 1987 - " RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY " 1990

On Tuesday this week I was at the Black Country Museum in Dudley near Birmingham for " WPC 56 ".
26 years earlier had been my first visit to that location to be in an episode of " Sophia and Constance ", a British drama TV series shown on BBC in six episodes between 13th April and 18th May 1988.
It was an adaption of the 1908 novel " The Old Wives Tale " by Arnold Bennett which followed the lives of two sisters through the Victorian era. It starred Alfred Burke, Linsey Beauchamp and Katy Behean.
3 years later on 15th November 1990, I was in a London Restaurant for the main scene in an episode of
 " Rumpole of the Bailey ".
" Rumpole of the Bailey  was another British TV series  created and written by the writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, an aging London barrister who defends any, and all clients.
It was episode 1 of Season 6 and was screened on 28th October 1991.
The main scene that I was involved with was as a diner in a cordon bleu restaurant, sitting at a table next to the main character and other actors including John Bluthal ( Vicar of Dibley ).
Rumpole agrees to defend  and elitist restauranteur whom he dislikes when a live mouse jumps out of one of his gourmet meals.
It was a live mouse, and there were quite a few takes of that scene which took longer than usual because the owner of the mouse had difficulty in ctching it and replacing it under the food tureen.
I remember the meal being very tasty and enjoyed my day in that London Restaurant and being a part of that iconic series.

" VIRTUAL MURDER " 1991 - day 2

On 13th November 1991, I was at the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham for my second day on one of the episodes of " Virtual Murder ".
I mentioned the main characters of this series in my blog yesterday and can add that the script was written by Brian Degas, who wrote the script of Barbarella.
The first episode of the six was screened on 24th July 1992 and the sixth on 28th August 1992, all the episodes were screened at 9.30 p.m.
6 years later, on 13th November 1997, I was in Leeds for my 9th day on " Emmerdale " and yesterday I was at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, Nr. Birmingham, playing the part of a shopkeeper in the second episode of the series " WPC 56 " which will be screened in February 2014.
My first visit to the Black Country Museum had been 26 years ago in 1987, when I was in an episode of "Sophia and Constance " With the very talented actor Alfred Burke.
My second visit had been in 2000, when I was again at the museum to be part of an episode of " Morse" called " The wench is dead".

" VIRTUAL MURDER " 1991 - day one

On 12th November 1991, I was at the Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham to be in my first day of two for " Virtual Murder ", an unusual investigative drama series shown on BBC television in 1992.
It starred Nicholas Clay as Dr. John Cornelius, a psychology lecturer at a provincial university, and Kim Thompson as his vivacious, red headed partner, Samantha Valentine.
The series was created and produced at BBC's Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. The episodes were recorded between 12th August 1991 and 28th February 1992.

" EMMERDALE " 1998

Yesterday was a reflection on my 60th day on " Emmerdale ".
15 years ago, this was my 15th day on that serial. I remember being in the canteen, which was used by us as a green room, just before 11 a.m. on that morning and an announcement came over the tannoy that precisely on the hour, the studio would be observing one minutes silence. Then on the 11th hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month we all observed the one minute silence in memory of all servicemen and women who had lost their lives in all wars since 1914. It has been the only day in the past 28 years that I have been filming on the actual Remembrance Day and I recall it as being a very impressed that the studio had observed the occasion.
Today, I should have been on location in Yorkshire for a scene in episode 1 of a new 7 episode costume drama. I drove up to the location last Friday, to be fitted with my costume and my hair re-styled to look as it  would have been at that moment in history. I now look forward to whenever I am called in for that filming day.

" EMMERDALE " 2005

On 10th November 2005, I was in Leeds for my 60th day of filming on " Emmerdale ".
Between 19th January 2005 and 10th November 2005, I was involved on 8 filming days of " Emmerdale " in that year. I would be another 5 months before I was back in those studios and, following that appearance on 8th March 2006, it was another 14 months before I was invited to take part in that programme on 19th July 2007.
Since that date " Emmerdale " had been the only television programme that I have been involved with, other than one appearance in " Doctors" in 2008, up until May last year when I successfully auditioned to be involved with three days in the Cameron Mackintosh production of " Les Miserables ". Since then I have been in one episode of " Midsomer Murders " and a further 9 days on " Emmerdale". My most recent visit to the studios being on Friday 27th September 2013.

" LOCK STOCK AND FOUR STOLEN HOOVES" 1999 - day two

Yesterday, I mentioned my first day of filing " Lock Stock and Four Stolen Hooves" at Fontwell Park.
Following a night in a hotel in Bognor Regis, I arrive back at the Racecourse for my second day of filming on that episode.
Our main scene on this day, 10th November 1999, involved a fight scene featuring Nick Brimble who played Uncle Derek and a group of travelling showmen, inlcuding his brother Ian Brimble playing Uncle Brian, which ended up with a violent punch which put one of the characters on the floor. Nick and Ian had been made up by the make-up department to look really convincing as thugs and they were so good that I was convinced that they were genuine rather than acting.
The next scenes were filmed nearer to the Race track and this second day was a genuine race meeting at Fontwell Park. One of the jockeys was Tony McCoy an the first two of his three mounts on that day were unplaced. I thought that he must have been there for a certain race and I passed a comment to a fellow actor that I would like to bet that he was there to win the last race of the day. I did not manage to get a bet on that horse and Tony rode it to victory by quite a few lengths. By the time that I got home later that day I had travelled 357 miles to be in that episode.

" LOCK STOCK AND FOUR STOLEN HOOVES " 1999

On the 8th November 1999, I arrived at Fontwell Park Racecourse in West Sussex for an episode of  "Lock Stock & Four stolen hooves". It was episode 20 of a TV series which was a spin-off from the film "Lock Stock and two smoking barrels ". I was there for two days of filming and on the first day I was playing the part of a racegoer and my first scene involved me looking around the fairground at the rear of the Grandstand. My second scene was amongst a disturbance in the Grandstand where a group of travellers disrupted the paying customers. The leader of the group, Uncle  Derek, was played by Nick Brimble and his brother, Ian Brimble, played Uncle Brian. Lorraine Chase played Barbie and Bradley Walsh also played a small part in that episode.
As I was to be involved in two more scenes the following day and I was 180 miles from home plus my call time was 8 am., I booked into an hotel in nearby Bognor Regis.
This first day had not been a real race day and we were moved around the Grandstand for various shots so that the stand appeared full on the screen. The following day was a real race day and I will go into more detail tomorrow.

" BOON " 1990 - " THE CHIEF" 1994

On 7th November 1990,  I was in Nottingham for my 9th appearance in an episode of " Boon" starring
Michael Elphick as Boon, David Daker as Harry, and Neil Morrissey in his first ever role as Rocky.
Originally the series was filmed in Birmingham but by 1990 it had moved to Nottingham.
Between 1986 and 1992 , I appeared in 13 episodes, my last one was in series 5. The last episode to be screened was on 1st May 1995 and was an out of sequence episode from series 8, which was never screened in full.
Four years later, on 7th November 1994, I was in the Fens near Chatteris in East Anglia for an episode of " The Chief". The scene involved an actress to be playing the part of a woman who had been murdered and found in a water filled ditch. It was a cold morning and the actress did a great job of holding her breath as she was pulled from the water. The scene was very realistic in reality but I never saw the episode when it was screened.
35 episodes of " The Chief were screened between 20th April 1990 and 16th June 1995, I appeared in 6 of those episodes which were filmed between 20th December 1989 and 7th November 1994. So this day in 1994 was my last filming day on this programme.

" INSPECTOR LYNDLEY" 2002 ; " CITY LIGHTS" 2006;

On 5th November 2002 , I was at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, for an episode of " Inspector Lyndley", a British crime investigation series based around aristodratic, Oxford educated Detective Inspector Thomas Lyndley, played by Nathanial Parker, and his working class assistant Barbara Havers, played by Sharon Small.  The scene I was involved with was shot inside one of the rooms in Knebworth House where much of the interior had been designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and in 1913-1914, was leased by Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia and his wife Natalia Brasova.

On 5th November 2006, I was in Acton, North London, for an episode of " City Lights". I was involved in a scene with Robson Green and Mark Benton. The series was a sequel  to " Northern Lights" and also a spin off of the 2004 "Christmas Lights" and was broadcast in 2007.

As an addition, I recall 5th November 1963, exactly 50 years ago, when I had been successful in reaching the semi-finals of the  "People" National Talent Contest. I was appearing at the Queens Theatre on the North Pier and sang one of my own compositions and playing the guitar. We had been through the rehearsals the day before and I had qualified to appear by winning a weekly heat earlier that year at the Ocean Hotel at Saltdean near Brighton.
I had returned to the Ocean Hotel in September and won the Hotel Finals. The judges on that night were had been John Barry( James Bond  theme composer) Norman Newell( Shirley Bassey's manager) Jimmy Carr( composer of South of the Border & Hang out your washing on the seifried line) Mike Reagan( Russ Conway's manager) and Tony Lewis( owner of London's Top Talent Agency).
I was offered a recording test at E.M.I. studios at Abbey Road (where the Beatles recorded most of their hit records.) At the time that I was in Blackpool for this semi- final, I had not yet been to London for that recording test.
After my performance, Jimmy Tarbuck, who had been in the audience, came up to me and said that he liked my song and that it ought to be recorded. I told him that I hoped to be able to do that before the end of the year.
I was one of twelve acts to perform that evening, and there were another 12 acts who were on theSouth of England final being held at Cliftonville, Margate during the same week, but was not in the final six who were selected to perform in the Final, which was held at the Victoria Palace, London in January 1964.

" PEAK PRACTICE" 2000

Yesterday, I recounted my 2nd appearance on " Peak Practice" in the centre of Derby.
7 years later on 4th November 2000, I was in Ilkeston, Derbyshire for my 24th appearance on that series.
The scene was filmed in the centre of that town and involved an encounter on the main street. I had arrived at a school car park for a 10.30 am. call time and was only involved in a couple of shots, allowing me to be on the way back home less than 2 hours later at 12 noon. Not a lot of action for me to be involved with on that day other than the 150 mile return trip via the M1 motorway.

" PEAK PRACTICE" 1993

On 3rd November 1993 I was in Derby for my 2nd appearance in an episode of "Peak Practice".
" Peak Practice" was a British drama series about a G.P. surgery in Cardale - a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District - and the doctors that worked there. It ran on ITV from 10th May 1993 to 30th June 2002, was originally based in Crich, moved to Belper and finally to Codnor in the Amber Valley.
The series starred Kevin Whately as Dr. Jack Kerruish, Amanda Burton as Dr. Beth Glover and Simon Shepherd as Dr. Will Preston. Other actors to play the part of Doctors in that series included Gary Mavers, Maggie O'Neill and Adrian Lukis.
Between 1993 and 2002, I appeared in 26 episodes where the 1st Assistant Director was nearly always George Gerwitz. The episode being filmed on 3rd November 1993, was shot on the banks of the River Derwent, near to the centre of Derby.

" RUMBLE" 1994

On 2nd November 1994, I was at the Magnet Centre in Maidenhead, Berkshire, for my second day on
 "Rumble". My first day on that wrestling based, short lived series, had been on 30th September at the same location. The series starred Leslie Joseph , from " Birds of a Feather", as the female manager of a group of wrestlers, Steve Hartley, and Brian Glover, from " Kes" as the M.C. I sat next to Brian Glover at the Ringside, because I was playing a non speaking part of the Timekeeper with the bell.
The wrestling scenes were choreographed by the Wolverhampton body builder and wrestler, Johnny England, who had won the titles of Mr. Europe 1972, Mr. Adonis ATV 1973, Mr, England 1975, Mr. Central Britain 1976 and Mr. Midlands 6 times. One of the scenes also featured one of the top wrestlers Jackie Pallo who regularly appeared on UK TV wrestling shows. He was 72 years old at the time he appeared on this TV programme. The series was screened in 1995.

" CASUALTY" 2000

On 1st November 2000, I was in Bristol for another appearance in " Casualty".
Between 5th April 1998 and 23rd September 2004, I have been in 61 episodes of " Casualty".
The most dramatic scene that I was involved with was the final episode of series 6 , which focused on a plane crash. It was postponed  until February 1992 after being initially scheduled for transmission on 20th December 1991 - one day before the 3rd anniversary of the Lockerbie disaster.
My only major part has also been in " Casualty " , when I played the part of a Boxing Master of Ceremonies in episode 23 of season 12, " Taking sides", which was screened on 7th February 1998.
The British  medical drama " Casualty" was first broadcast on 6th September 1986 ,based on the fictional Holby City and focuses on the staff and patients of the Accident and Emergency Department.
Originally filmed in Bristol, the production team moved to a purpose built studio and back lot set at the BBC Roath Lock studios in Cardiff in March 2009.

" THE CHIEF" 1991 - " DRIVE" 2003

On 31st October 1991, I was at the Newmarket Racecourse for an episode of " The Chief". The scene was based around  a day at the race meeting. The main character, Chief Constable Alan Cade was played by Martin Shaw. A few months earlier that year I had played the part of Alfie Rose, a "bookie",in an episode of " Trainer", at Newbury Racecourse and during the day some real bookies were asking me if I was genuine. When they realised we were filming during that race day, they persuaded me to have a bet on one of the races. I place a minimum bet of £2 on a horse being ridden by Lester Piggott. The horse won and I won about £20.
When I was at Newmarket for "The Chief", I thought I would try my luck again on this race day. The horse that I had my bet on was not in the first three and so I presumed my bet at Newbury had been beginners luck.
"The Chief" was a series from ITV focussing on the politics at the top of an English police force, in the continual battle to solve the problems of the times, in this case the fictional force was Eastland in East Anglia.
It originally starred Tim Pigott-Smith as Chief Constable John Stafford and later Martin Shaw as Chief Constable Alan Cade. It was screened from 1990 to 1995 and I was involved in 6 episodes from 1990 to 1994.

In my records for 31st October 2003, I appear to have been in Birmingham for a programme called " Drive". There seems to be no record of  "Drive" on any TV archive material.

" EMMERDALE" 1996

On 30th October 1996,  I arrived in Leeds for my fifth day on " Emmerdale". My first day had been on 14th June 1993, so, between that day and 27th September 2013, I have now been involved on 94 days over the twenty year period.
The first episode was screened on 16th October 1972, 41 years ago and known as " Emmerdale Farm" until 1989. 18 million viewers watched the episode on 30th December 1993 which was the dramatic plane crash episode. The Village name was then changed from Beckindale to Emmerdale to help villagers get over that traumatic event. I was invited to take part in that episode but was unable to accept due to being in my local hospital after an operation.
" Emmerdale" is produced by ITV Yorkshire and has been filmed at their Leeds studios since that first episode in 1972. It is ITV's second longest running soap opera after "Coronation Street", attracting on average between 6 and 8 million viewers per episode.

" EASTENDERS" 2002- Little Mo Slater & Billy Mitchell Wedding

On 29th October 2002, I arrived at the BBC Eastenders Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.
We were taken by coach to a Church in North London where the scenes were to be shot for Mo Slater's Wedding to Billy Slater. As we arrived at the church, a large crowd had already started to grow as people heard about this " Eastenders" Wedding.
"Little Mo" was played by Kacey Ainsworth and Billy Mitchell by Perry Fenwick.
On screen , I can be seen on the left hand side of the church behind the Best Man, who was played by Shane Richie. This was Shane Richie's first day on " Eastenders" and this wedding scene was shown on Christmas Day 2002.
The Bridesmaids were wearing 6" heeled shoes, which were a new idea at that time and have now become extremely popular with fashion concious ladies.
The episode was directed by Chris Jury, who was famous for his role as Eric in " Lovejoy", but is now a BBC director.
I enjoyed my three days working on " Eastenders" between May 1st 1995 and 29th October 2002. Firstly playing a Walford Councillor, in a scene with Arthur Fowler, played by Bill Treacher, than as a Hospital visitor in a scene with Grant Mitchell, played by Ross Kemp and finally as a Wedding Guest in that Wedding scene with most of the entire cast.
I have just watched some of the scenes from the Wedding via the u-tube link and only recognised myself from my grey hair as I sat at the end of the Bridegroom's side of the aisle.

" THE BILL" 1991; " EASTENDERS" 1998

On 28th October 1991. I had travelled by train to London to be in my second episode of "The Bill".
It was easier for me to catch the train to St. Pancras and then by underground to Wimbledon South than to drive down the M1 and around the M25 to Merton, where the studio was situated.
My first episode had been on 22nd July 1991 and between that date and 1996, I appeared in 10 episodes of that programme.
" The Bill " followed uniform officers and detectives from an inner London police station, Sun Hill, as they enforce law and order on a day to day basis. The programme ran from 1984 to 2010.

On 28th October 1998, I was at the BBC Elstree studios for my second episode of " Eastenders".
My first had been on 1st May 1995 and between that date and 29th October 2002, I was in 3 episodes of that programme. Tomorrow I will recall this 3rd day of involvement, which was the best of the three.
On this second day I was on the hospital set, in the studio and was a visitor to the Walford Hospital at the time that Grant Mitchell, played by Ross Kemp was attempting to kill Michelle Fowler, played by the very attractive Martine McCutcheon.

" KINSEY" 1990

On 27th October 1990, I was in Birmingham for my first appearance in " Kinsey".
The location was outside the Law Courts in Corporation Street at the Aston Triangle end of that road.
Two series were made between 1990 and 1992. On this day I was a passer-by in the street outside the Law Courts and  at one point during that day a young man , who was handcuffed, was brought out of a police van and escorted up the steps into the building. I commented that he looked very scared and it looked authentic.
I was then told we were not filming at that moment and that the incident was real. There was a real court case going on in the building that day and the prisoner was about to appear before the judge.
At lunch-time I boarded the unit bus and noticed a very attractive lady sitting at the back of the coach with two young children. I commented to a friend of mine on how elegant she was, and then told that it was he recently married wife of the star of the series. It was Twiggy, who had married Leigh Lawson in 1988.
The series was about a Midlands lawyer, Neil Kinsey, known for being a maverick, takes on a new partner, Tricia Mabbott, who has recently left a larger firm. He brings an unconventional approach to dealing with his clients cases, but has to contend with his estranged wife, Judy, his rivals, and the potential romance with Tricia.
Leigh Lawson was Kinsey,  Serena  Gordon was Tricia and Marian McLoughlin as Judy.
My second appearance  would be 2 years later when I was in a pub scene, in the second series, and spoke a few words to Kinsey. As he walked into the bar his line was " Hi Bob" and my reply was " Hello Kinsey". The story of how I got to speak those two words will be related in depth on 22nd March 2014, if I am still writing this blog.

" EMMERDALE" 1995

The 26th October 1995 was only my 4th day on " Emmerdale". My first visit to Leeds for this program had been on 14th June 1993 which means that I have now been involved for over 20 years.
Originally we were taken on location to Esholt, which is a Yorkshire village near to the Leeds/Bradford Airport. If my memory serves me correctly the interior shots of the Woolpack were originally flmed in a converted Mill in Farsley, an area between Leeds and Bradford, north of Pudsey. A few years later this Mill was also used for the interior scenes of The Aidensfield Arms in " Heartbeat. I do have one vivid memory of going to the Mill and sitting myself down on a sofa in an area that had been used as a Supporting Artistes Green Room.
Two men came into the room and asked me what I was doing there. I replied that I was going to be in Heartbeat. They then told me that a different company had taken over that area of the Mill and that the Heartbeat staff were located elsewhere in the building. I then returned to the Reception area and discovered the new area that had been provided. These days " Emmerdale" is based within the Yorkshire TV studios, situated a few miles out of Leeds City centre. The location of the village is outside the city on a specially built set.

" SEEKERS" 1992; " THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR" 1994

On 24th October 1992, I was at the Racecourse in Newbury, Berkshire at 7 am to be in a scene of the 4 part mini series " Seekers". It was about a police officer who disappears and when his wife finds him she discovers another wife. They team up to find him. The series was written by Linda La Plante and starred Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon and was screened later that year in 1992.

Two years later on this same day in 1994, I was in Cardiff to be in a program called " The Woman next door". I cannot remember anything at all about this day but my records only show that I  arrived in Cardiff for a 10 am start, it was for Channel 4 and our finishing time was 4.30pm. My round trip from home to Cardiff and back was 362 miles.

" VOTE FOR THEM" 1988 - " DALZIEL & PASCOE" 1996

On 23rd October 1988, I was at the BBC Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham to be on my second day of the 3 part mini series of " Vote for them". My first day had been on 19th September on location at a railway station in Bridgenorth, Shropshire.
" Vote for them" was based on a true story, set in Egypt in 1943.during the period in which the British held off the Axis forces in the Middle East. Sick and tired of unfair and idiotic treatment by their officers, a group of off duty British soldiers set up their own ad-hoc government and debating society. The "brass" naturally sought out ways to nip it in the bud.
The series way first aired in 1989 and starred Billy Hartman, Jeff Rawle, Jane Gurnet and Claire Toeman.

On 23rd October 1996, I was in Redditch to be in my 4th episode of " Dalziel & Pascoe" starring Warren Clarke & Colin Buchanan. Between 1995 and 2001 I was in 14 episodes of that popular detective series.

" BOON" 1986 - " EMMERDALE" 2009

On 20th October 1986, I was in Birmingham to be in my second episode of " Boon" starring Michael Elphick. We were taken from the Central Studios in Broad Street to the location in a street in Edgbaston.
The scene involved one of the main characters getting on a bus and I was a businessman, with a briefcase, running for the bus. The director called for quite a few takes of the scene and I was required to run about 50 yards each time ( I was a lot younger in those days). At one point, I had left my briefcase on the bus and the actress who was on the bus for that scene was Diane Keen, who had starred in the " Cuckoo Waltz" some years previously and is currently starring in " Doctors". She said " Who is REGC?" which were the initials on that briefcase, so that was the first time I met her. The second time would not be until 15 years later when I was in a scene with her in " Doctors" in an episode filmed outside the Repertory Theatre in Birmingham in 2001.

On 20th October 2009, I was on my 74th day in Leeds for my 130th episode in " Emmerdale". Sometimes, when I am on that series, I am involved in more than one episode. Usually, when I make that 276 mile round trip, I am involved in two or three episodes.

" HOWARD'S WAY" 1987; " SILENT WITNESS" 1995; " HEARTBEAT" 1999

On 19th October 1987, I was at the BBC Pebble Mill Studios for my first appearance in an episode of " Howard's Way". I was not on thr programme again until I was in two more episodes in 1989.
The scene was filmed on the set of the public house with the window looking out on to a sea-view setting.
The series ran from 1985 to 1990 and starred Maurice Colbourne, Jan Francis, Glyn Owen, Dulcie Gray and Stephen Yardley.

In 1995 I was in Bushey, Nr. Watford, for a scene in the BBC crime thriller series " Silent Witness" about a  forensic  pathologist Sam Ryan, played by Amanda Burton.
The series was originally set in Cambridge and I was in one episode that was filmed in that area. The production team then moved to London where I was later also involved but they have since moved again up to Manchester.

On 19th October 1999 I was in Leeds for  my 9th episode of "Heartbeat". I was involved in 4 episodes during that year. The main character was Jason Durr with Bill Maynard in the comedy character role.
I was never in any scenes filmed near Goathland, Grosmont or Whitby on the North York Moors. All my scenes were mainly in part of a hospital at Otley, Nr. Leeds, or in the studio, housed in a converted mill in Farsley, between Leeds and Bradford.

" ABOUT FACE" 1990; " EMMERDALE" 1999

On  18th October 1990, I was at the Albert Hall, Nottingham for my second day of filming episode 3 " Requiem" of the Central TV sit-com " About Face" starring Maureen Lipman.
I mentioned yesterday that I had auditioned to play the part of her husband in this episode but was unsuccessful.
In the scene that was being shot, I was sittin in the third row from the stage, behind some of the principal actors in that episode. Maureen Lipman's character, Anne is on stage singing an operatic solo and the seat in front of me is empty. When the song is over and the performance continues with the next item. Anne's husband, who has been to a Rotary Dinner arrives too late to see his wife's performance and he sits down in the vacant seat in front of me.

9 years later in 1999, I was in Leeds for my 23rd day on " Emmerdale
I watched last night's episode of that programme and was very impressed with the drama that was created by the characters who were performing in all of that water, those in the cellar scene and those getting absolutely drenched outside.

" ABOUT FACE" 1990; "PEAK PRACTICE" 1997; " EMMERDALE" 2000

On 17th October 1990, I was in Nottingham to be in a scene of the series " About Face" starring Maureen Lipman.
"About Face" was a series of 12 half-hour unconnected sit-coms by Central TV.
I had been called in to the Nottingham studios about a month previously, to audition for the part of Keith playing opposite Maureen Lipman. I was unsuccessful but was given two days as a supporting artiste on that episode.
It was episode 3 of series two called " Requiem" and about Anne, a shop assistant and amateur opera singer, who wants her husband Keith to come and see her perform solo, but he wants to attend a Rotary Lunch.
That episode was screened on 21st January 1991 and also starred Stephanie Cole. This was my first day of two on that episode filmed at the Albert Hall, Nottingham.

7 years later I was at the Iron Bridge on the River Severn in Shropshire for an episode of " Peak Practice" in 1997. The scene that I was in was filmed on the banks of the river, directly under the shadow of that magnificent Iron Bridge built by Thomas Telford in 1779 and opened in 1781.

Another 3 years later in 2000, I was in Leeds to be part of " Emmerdale", my 30th day of involvement on that show.
 I watched last night's episode( 16th October 2013), the siege of the Woolpack, what brilliant acting from everyone -  GREAT.

"LOVEJOY" 1992-"THECHIEF" 1993-"THE CHOIR" 1994-"HALIFAX ADVERT" 1999-"EMMERDALE" 2008

On 15th October 1992, I returned to Braintree, Essex, for my second day's filming of an episode of "Lovejoy" which  I mentioned yesterday.
On this same day , a year later I was in Norwich for my 5th episode of "The Chief" starring Tim Piggott-Smith.
The following year, I was in Gloucester to film my second day of involvement in "The Choir" starring James Fox in the drama written by Joanna Trollop. The scene I was involved with was filmed in tha magnificent Gloucester Cathedral.
Three years later, in 1999, I was on my second day of the "Halifax" advert, where we appeared to be aimlessly walking around and suddenly form the shape of a human "X" , which is the Halifax Building Society logo.
9 years later, on 15th October 2008, I was again in Leeds for my 63rd day of involvement in my favourite programme "Emmerdale".

" THE CHIEF" 1990- "LOVEJOY" 1992-" HALIFAX ADVERT" 1999- " EMMERDALE" 2009 & 2010

On 14th October 1990, I had arrived at the Anglia Studios in Norwich and was taken by coach to a location in the city for an episode of "The Chief" starring Tim- Piggot-Smith. This was the second episode of the series that I had been seen in. Later series in 1993 starred Martin Shaw, I appeared in 5 episodes between 1989 and 1993.
On 14th October 1992, I was in Braintree, Essex to be in my first day of two in "Lovejoy" the popular series about a shady antiques dealer in East Anglia. The programme also starred Phyllis Logan who is currently playing a major role in "Downton Abbey".
I returned home that nigh and returned the next day to the same location a total of 370 miles.
On 14th October 1996, I returned to Manchester to be inolved for my second day in " Born to Run", the programme about an amateur athlete competing in a marathon in the North of England.
Also on this day in 1999, I was in Acton, North London to appear in an advert for " Halifax". This was my first day on that advert and I returned to the studio the following day for further involvement.
It was the "Halifax advert where we are all walking aimlessly around and then suddenly group together to form a huge "X" being the Halifax logo.
On 14th October, 10 years later in 2009, I was in Leeds again to be on my 73rd day in " Emmerdale" and again, one year later, to the day, in 2010 I was in Yorkshire to be on my 81st day of filming in this ever popular serial.

" INSPECTOR ALLEYNE" 1992 - " EMMERDALE" 2003

On 13th October 1992, I arrived at the Railway Station in Arley, Nr. Nuneaton, North Warwickshire, for an episode of "Inspector Alleyne Mysteries" starring Patrick Malahide. It was a crime,drama. mystery that ran for 2 series between 1990 and 1994.The series was based on the books by Ngaio Marsh and our scene was being shot on the station platform at Arley, on the Leicester to Birmingham line.
My journey on that day was a 206 mile round trip.
11 years later on 13th October 2003, I was up in Leeds again for my 43 day of filming on that very popular programme. This week has been another nostalgia trip for me because I was back on stage again after 20 years, as the compere for a Charity Show at the Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

" DALZIEL & PASCOE" 1997

On 12th October 1997, I was in Wolverhampton for my third episode of "Dalziel & Pascoe" starring Warren Clark & Colin Buchanan.
 From 1995 to 2004, I appeared in 14 episodes of that programme, and on this day particular day we were filming in an Hotel in Wolverhampton. This was my only day on that series during 1997, I was not on it again until my further involvement in 4 episodes in 1998 and a further 7 episodes over the following 6 years until my final one on July 8th 2004.

"PICNIC" 1987 - "CASUALTY" - " NATURAL WORLD" 1998

On the 11th October 1987, I had been booked to be a car driver, passing by a cyclist, in a BBC play called "Picnic". The scene was shot at night-time, by the River Nene at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
I was required to drive my own car past a lady cyclist, who was the main character, being played by Billie Whitelaw. My own car was being repaired at a local garage and my daughter's boy-friend offered to drive me to Wisbech and allow me to drive his car for the scene I was in. That day became a memorable date because earlier at lunchtime,my daughter and her boy-friend became engaged and the two of them spent a cold night on that riverbank in Wisbech, watching me driving up and down the road for numerous takes of that scene that was not completed until the early hours of the next morning.
On 11th October 1995, I was in Bristol again, for another episode of "Casualty", As I was in many episodes of that series, this was one of those times where I do not remember any significant details about that day.
Similarly on 11th October 1998, I was again in Bristol to film an episode of "Natural World". It was filmed in an old part of Bristol called Christmas Steps which was a very steep lane that led down o a small shopping mall. It was not about the Christmas period but all I can remember about that day was that we were under a rain machine and got soaked through to the skin. I was surprised to find that they did not provide any drying facilities and had expected us to take a change of clothing, a fact that I was never told. I had to drive home in a very damp state and was pleased that I did not catch a serious cold from that experience.

"CROSSROADS" 2001

Since my first Supporting role in "Crossroads" in 1985,I have been in  7 episodes and my my final visit to the Birmingham Studios had been on 24th September1987 my 46th Birthday. This original series ran from 1964 to 1988.
In 2001 Carlton TV brought back the series and re-set it in Nottingham in March 2001. Some members of the original cast were kept on including Kathy Staff, Tony Adams and Jill Harvey. Incoming cast included Emma Noble and Sherrie Hewson. This 2nd series only ran from 2001 to 2003 and filmed from the V=Carlton studio in Lenton Lane Nottingham. I met Paul Henry(who played Benny Hawkins) at a Golf Club in Whitchurch. He was the owner of that Golf Complex when I was the Toastmaster at a Wedding Reception at that venue on 26th July 2003.

" VALENTINE PARK" 1987

On the 8th October 1987, I was booked to be on a Central TV programme , filmed at Lenton Lane Studios in Nottingham, called "Valentine Park". I was due to be there for 7.30am that morning and had started out to travel from home to Nottingham via Melton Mowbray. I had passed the town of Melton and was nearing the outskirts of Nottingham, when I was hit by another car coming that drove straight over the crossroads without stopping. I had to be rescued through the side window and was taken back to Melton Mowbray.
After being treated for shock I called my agent and told him the circumstances. He advised me to hire a taxi to the studios, who he subsequently notified, and I eventually arrived late at the Studios.
I was ushered into my own dressing room and looked after very well by the staff, who seemed very concerned about my accident.
That episode of " Valentine Park" was a live broadcast, with a studio audience. I had missed the morning rehearsals but was called into the studio for the final run through before the doors were opened for the audience. A comedian then kept the audience amused until almost transmission time. The programme was screened live later that evening and seemed to be well received by the live audience.
That series, Series 2, revolved around the Head Gardener, Tom, (played by Ken Jones) who worked in a large Public Park, loves his job and is proud of his blooms, especially his marigolds. Also working in the Park is Max ( David Thewlis), Bodie ( Danny Peacock) and Doyle ( Bernard Patton). Max rents a room in a house owned by mad landlady Mrs. Giles (played by the wonderful Liz Smith).
The programme ran for only two Series between1987 and 1998.
At the end of the show I was informed that my car was a write off, but my Wife and Son-in-in Law came to  the Studio to gave me a lift home.

"PEAK PRACTICE" 1996 - "HEARTBEAT" 1999

4th October 1996 was the day after I had been in Birmingham for " Crossroads" when I had arrived at a Hotel near Matlock to be in an episode of " Peak Practice".
The scene that I was in on that day was set in the ballroom of the hotel at a Dinner/Dance occasion.
Some of us  had been chosen to dance a Waltz whilst the other Supporting Artistes were sat at tables surrounding the dance floor. Michael Elphick and Neil Morrissey, playing the parts of Ken Boon and Rocky were the principal actors in the scene.
 The call time had been 7.30am and, as I had been called for 8.30am the previous day in Birmingham for "Crossroads" and not returned home until later that evening, I had only managed a few hours sleep before I was on the road again up into North Derbyshire.
The day on "Peak Practice" had been a longer day for me than the previous one had been and when the 2nd Assistant Director was about to call a "wrap", he aked for about 8 of us to remain for one more scene.
His excellent choice for retaining those 8 people was based on how far we had travelled to the venue.
As my one way journey had been almost 100 miles it meant that I was not needed to stay longer into the night. The 8 people that remained were those within the shortest distance from Matlock.

The 4th October 1999, was one of my most enjoyable days on "Heartbeat". I had arrived at the YTV studios in Leeds and had been taken by coach to Ripon in North Yorkshire for my first day of two on that episode. The scene was set in a dis-used Court House near to Ripon Cathedral and I was playing the role of a Magistrate. Jason Durr was in the leading role as the young policeman and Bill Maynard was in the dock playing the role of Greengrass. The actress playing the role of the chief witness was Sylvia Sims, who had starred with John Mills and Anthony Quaill in that excellent film " Ice Cold in Alex".
That episode of " Heartbeat" is still being occasionally repeated on British Television during their afternoon schedules.

" CROSSROADS" 1985 & 1986

From 3rd April 1985 and 3rd October 1985, I had only been in one Training Film for Kodak, "Marjorie & Men" for Anglia TV, my first "Crossroads" on 11th July and "Lovejoy" on 13th August and 24th September for BBC.
 I arrived at the ATV studios in Broad Street Birmingham on 3rd October 1985 for my second appearance in "Crossroads". Birmingham was a lot different in those days than it is today. I parked my car in the multi storey car park situated on the bottom left-hand side of Bridge Street. Walking back up towards Broad Street, on my left had side was the James Brindley public house and on the top left hand side of the road was another public house. The right hand side of Bridge Street housed the Central Television Studios which were surrounded by spear railings that were painted in the yellow ,red and orange colours of  the ITV Studios.
Today the James Brindley public house has been refurbished and the area behind it, which was originally the Gas Street Basin, has been developed into Brindley Place, which now stretches from the Mail Box to the Indoor Arena. The area between it also houses the Symphony Hall and the Indoor Conference Centre.
The public houseat the top left hand corner of Bridge Street and New Street and the building below it leading to the James Brindley pub have since been demolished and the tall Hyatt Hotel now stands dominantly over that area opposite exterior of the Indoor Conference Centre Complex housing the Symphony Hall with the Repertory Theatre standing on the other side of a plaza re-created from a former parkland which existed in that place in the 1980's.
By 1985, he main characters had changed from the original cast and when I began to be involved Noel Gordon, who had played Meg Richardson, the owner of the Crossroads Motel, had been replaced by Gabriella Drake but Susan Hanson was still playing Miss Dianne, Paul Henry as Benny and Tony Adams as Adam Chance.
By 3rd October 1986, exactly on year later, I had only been involved in 4 more days of filming.
My first "Boon" was on 8th January 1985 followed by my 3rd "Crossroads" on 25th April 1986, " Forgotten Dreams" with Paul Freeman and Judy Lowe, filmed at Sutton Park on 30th June 1986 and , up to this date, my 4th Crossroads on 3rd October 1986.
These  early days were invaluable in gaining experience of working on Television programmes, I was still performing as a Cabaret Artiste travelling throughout the Country as a Singer/Comedian/Impressionist, plus  I had also become a professional Toastmaster in 1980.

"CASUALTY" 1991 - "WOOF" 1996 - "HOLBY CITY" 2000

On 2nd October 1991 I was at Bristol Airport to be in a night-shoot of "Casualty". The episode focused on an aircrash and my first two days had been spend in an aircraft in a disused hanger near Swindon.
The airport at Bristol closed to the public after the last outgoing flight and we were then taken out to a disused runway that had been made to look like a motorway and the nose of the plane was embedded in the embankment. The set was very realistic and it looked eerie in the bright lights that lit the area.
The scene that I was involved with required me and those playing other passengers to enter the plane and line up near the emergency exit from which an inflated slide/chute was attached from the plane to the ground.
On " action" we jumped out of the plane onto the chute with our arms folded over our chests and slid th the ground where ambulances were situated to take us to hospital. Some of the supporting artistes seemed to think it was great fun jumping out of the aircraft and were smiling as they jumped. The director hastily pointed out that they should be acting scared and apprehensive , as it was a serious scene. The scene involved many "takes" that evening and we were there until it started to get light the next morning.
October 2nd  1996 was the only day I was involved in the Children's TV series "Woof", which was a fantasy series about a young boy who changed into a dog and rescued people from awkward situations.
The scene was filmed in the grounds of Belvoir Castle, the stately home of the Duke of Rutland, and a few tents had been erected for a village fair setting. It involved a lady pushing a pram containing a baby, she somehow lets go of the pram and it starts to roll down a hill towards some tents. The young boy changes into the dog and chases after the pram and safely guides it into one of the tents.
It seems unbelievable but the series was very popular for quite a few years in the 1990's.
October 2nd 2000 was my 4th day since 22nd September that year on an episode of " Holby City".
I have mentioned the "putdown " about my age in earliert blogs and have never accepted any work on that programme in those 13 years.

" THE BILL" 1992 - " PEAK PRACTICE" 1995

On 1st October 1992, I was in Merton, South London for my 4th appearance in the police drama " The Bill". My first appearance had been in 1991 and from that date to 1995 I appeared in 10 episodes.
I was always a passer-by or an onlooker in street scenes and never got to be seen in any courtroom scenes or police station close ups.
On 1st October 1995, I was in Belper, Derbyshire for my 7th day on "Peak Practice.
My first day on that programme had been in 1992 and between 1992 and 2001. I appeared in 26 episodes.
I was nearer to the camera on many of those episodes and occasionally recognised in scenes in public houses or doctor's surgeries scenes.
This day in Belper was a street scene but many of the episodes that I was involved with were filmed in Matlock, Crich, and Ripley, all in the Peak District as well as the many scenes filmed in the studio at Codnor in the Amber Valley.

"CASUALTY" 1991 - "RUMBLE" 1994 - "PEAK PRACTICE" 1995

On 30th September 1991, I arrived at a disused airfield near Swindon for an episode of "Casualty".
Our scene was filmed inside an aircraft and we were passenger on the plane that was about to crash onto a motorway. This was my first day of four on this episode, other days were filmed at Bristol Airport during the night when the airport was closed to passengers. Part of a runway that was not used was made to look like a motorway and the nose of the plane was embedded inside the embankment of that motorway. I will describe this scene later this month, It was very interesting being in that part of an exciting episode.
On this same date in 1994, I was in a Leisure Centre in Maidenhead to be in a Comedy drama about Wrestling called " Rumble". I was playing the part of the Timekeeper and sitting next to the Actor playing the part of the Compere. The Actor was the very talented Brian Glover, the former Wrestler/Teacher who had starred in the popular film of it's day "Kes", as the football mad teacher who thought he was Bobby Charlton.
This was the first day of two on that episode and I was to return to Maidenhead in November to finish the scene. Famous Wrestlers in that episode involved Jackie Pallo a very prominent Wrestler on  television in those days. I saw that Brian Glover was writing quite a lot that day and I asked him if he was writing another script. "No", he said, " I write for the Yorkshire Post, I get paid well for that".
The actress who played the part of the Wrestler's manager was Leslie Joseph who starred in "Birds of A Feather".
On 30th September 1995, I was in Nottingham to be in an episode of "Peak Practice". It was my first day of two on that programme, I drove home that night and returned the following day to Belper to film the final part of the scenes in that episode.

"HOLBY CITY" 2000 - "CASUALTY" 1991 - "EMMERDALE" 2004

On Friday, two days ago, I was in Leeds for another episode "Emmerdale" and and did not arrive back home until 9.30pm therefore my blog was late being posted that day. Yesterday I was in Cambridge being involved with the new film being made about Stephen Hawkin and having arrived in the city for 9.30am and returning home at 8pm. am now catching up on the backlog of reports.
On 28th September 2000, I was on my third day of four on "Holby City". I have mentioned earlier about being called an "old man" when I was not yet 60 years old and following my fourth and final day on that episode I have never worked on that programme since.
On 29th September 1991 I was in Bristol for my fourth episode of "Casualty" in that years series. The last time I was in that studio was on 23rd September 2004, my 57th day on that programme 9 years ago.
" Casualty" is now filmed  at the BBC studios in Cardiff, where "Doctor Who" is also filmed.
On 29th September 2004 I was in Leeds for yet another episode of "Emmerdale". Two days ago Friday 27th, was my 94th day of filming at those studios.

"CHANCER" 1989- "OASIS" 1992-"NEWMAN & BADDEIL" 1993- " BERNARD'S WATCH" 1999

On 27th September 1989, I was in Birmingham to be part of an episode of " Chancer", the ATV series starring Clive Owen. I was only in 2 episodes of that series, my second one was two years later in 1991.
On 27th September 1992, I was in Woolwich, London to be in an episode of "Oasis", a CITV drama series about a group of children who ran an inner city farm, it was also set in wasteland in South London.
The drama series ran from 5th January to 8th March 1993 with 10 episodes made by Zenith North, the team behind "Byker Grove". It starred Peter McNamara and Dean Gaffney( who went on to star in "Eastenders"
Also on 27th September 1993, I was at the BBC television studios in Shepherd's Bush to feature in two scenes in the comedy show " Newman & Baddeil", starring Rob Newman & David Baddeil.
In the first sketch I was one of three factory workers in a German factory ( all three of us had been chosen because we all looked almost identical. We were painting miniature models and our Supervisor, played by David Baddeill enters and is not happy with our work. He picks up the black paint and flies into a tirade concluding with him getting pain on his finger and brushing it under his nose. The punch line was that he looked like Hitler.( I did not think that it was very funny). The second sketch involved me with others standing in a circle and the camera was in the middle of us supposedly looking down on a body on the floor.
Some comment was made by Rob Newman that created his kind of comedy which in those days appealed to the student population in the early 1990's.
On this day in 1999, I was in Nottingham to be in another episode of " Bernard's Watch" the ATV children's series about a boy who owned a magic watch that would suspend time so that he could change situations.

"CASUALTY" - 1994 - 5th day as Christmas Tree Fancy Dress Character

Today I would like to welcome all my new Page-viewers from Indonesia. Are you able to receive all the TV programmes that I have been  writing about so far ? Which are your favourites?
On 27th September 1994, I was in Bristol once again for my fifth day of filming in my Christmas Tree fancy dress costume. As I put it on, it fell down from my neck to my ankles in the shape of an upright pyramid.
It was decorated with candles, baubles and miniature christmas presents and on my head was a headband with an upright wire on top of which was a silver star. Many comedy actors look for opportunitues to increase the comedy with the aid of props and I thought that by nodding my head as if I was drunk, would add to the character that I was playing. The Director liked the idea and let me use it when we were filming the scenes. The episode was screened during the period leading up to Christmas 1994, so I do not expect many people now involved with "Casualty" will still remember that concussed character 19 years ago.
In a few days time I will be writing about my involvement in a specific comedy series where I was picked out to play a part in two scenes from the comedy show " Newman & Baddeil" in  1993.

"COMMON PURSUIT" 1990- "BERKELEY SQUARE" 1997- "HOLBY CITY" 2000

On 25th September 1990, I was in Oxford to take part in a British Drama "Common Pursuit", following the lives of a group of friends who met at University. The TV programme starred Stella Gonet, Kevin McNally, Tim Roth and Stephen Fry.
Seven years later in 1997, I was in Bristol taking part in a British Drama TV series "Berkeley Square", originally broadcast on BBC One. Set in 1902, it focussed on three young women who were all employed as nannies by wealthy families living on exclusive Berkeley Square in the West End of London.
It was filmed in Chevenage House, Tetbury, Gloucestershire: Priddy in Somerset: Stanway House, Gloucestershire and Bristol. The scenes in which I was involved were all filmed in Bristol. The series starred Clare Wilkie, Victoria Smurfit, Tabatha Wady and  Rosemary Leach.
Another 3 years later in 2000, I was at the BBC Elstree studios for my second day of three in "Holby City", where I had been referred to as " an old man" three days earlier. I was to return three days later on 28th September and also on 2nd October to film other parts of that scene. I have never been back since.

"LOVEJOY" 1985 - " CROSSROADS" 1987

The 24th September is my Birthday and I have only worked on two programmes on this day in 28 years.
1985 and I was in Debenham, Suffolk, about 20 miles north of Ipswich, to be in my 3rd episode of "Lovejoy", the series about a dodgy antiques dealer starring Ian McShane as Lovejoy.
My first episode on this series had been on 22nd May 1985, which was only my second experience of being on a Television series.
Two months later in July 1985, I had gone to Birmingham to have an interview with the Casting Agent for "Crossroads", Barbara Plant. I had taken a publicity photograph of myself as a "pop singer" and had arrived wearing a smart suit. I found the interview quite an experience and became very optimistic about the outcome until she asked if I had brought a photo. When I showed her the photo of me in a stage suit, she said "Have you got one with yourself just looking casual ? This one is not really acceptable." My heart sank and I thought that this interview was going to be a failure. I then told her that I had already been involved in a training film for "Kodak" employees, an episode of "Marjorie and Men" for Anglia TV and an episode of "Lovejoy". "That's more experience than a lot of people I interview", she replied. "Are you free next Thursday, for an episode of "Crossroads"?. I immediately said "Yes" and she then asked me to arrive at the ATV studios in Birmingham by 8.30am the following week.
Thursday 11th July 1985 was my first involvement with "Crossroads" and from that date in 1985, Barbara booked me for 7 episodes of " Crossroads" before that first series came to an end, but also booked me for 14 episodes of "Boon" , and 2 episodes of "Chancer" starring Clive Owen.
I have never worked on my Birthday since that day in 1987 ( 26 years ago).

" FORD ADVERT" 1993- "CASUALTY" 1994-"CASUALTY" 1997-"PEAK PRACTICE" 1999-"CASUALTY" 2004

The 23rd September 1993 was my second day on the Ford Advert with the Cosworth Racing Team cars at Ladybower Dam in Derbyshire. The Location was the site where the famous Dambusters Squadron practiced their low level bombing before hitting the Dams in the Ruhr Valley in Germany during the 2nd World War.
One year later I was on my third day as the Man in a Fancy Dress Christmas Tree outfit, which was referred to for many years after when I was filming later episodes of that "Casualty" series.
3 years later on 23rd September 1997, I was again in Bristol involved in episode 15 of that year's series.
2 more years and I had returned to the Peak District of Derbyshire for another episode of " Peak Practice". The location on that day was the village of Ashover and was another one of the 26 episodes that I was in between 1992 and 2001.
5 more years later I was again in Bristol for another one of the 60 episodes that I was in between 1988 and 2004.

"CASUALTY" 1994 - "HOLBY CITY" 2000 - "EMMERDALE" 2005

On the 22nd September 1994, I was in Bristol for my second day as a concussed man dressed in a fancy dress costume as a Christmas Tree in an episode of " Casualty" screened around the Christmas Period of that year. My head-wear was an elasticated headband with a wire star rising upwards which, when I nodded my head, swung in all directions to the amusement of all that saw it. That episode contained a motor=cyclist that had died in a road accident, a premature baby death, and various other unsavoury incidents. The following scenes would see me in the background, trying to operate a lift, staggering around the casualty reception area looking at Christmas cards and generally giving a humourous break from the intense story line.

On 22nd September 2000, I was at the BBC Elstree Studios to be in an episode of " Holby City", a spin-off series from "Casualty". I was playing the part of a patient in bed on one of the wards. This was my first day of four days within two weeks when I was involved in this episode.I was not very happy with the Director who was directing a young actress playing the part of a nurse. " He said to her " Can you just pause and look at the old man in the bed as you walk past?" I thought, ' Old Man? cheeky sod, I was only in my late 50's,
since those 4 days I have never accepted any further work on "Holby City".

On 22nd September 2005, 8 years ago, I was at the YTV Studios in Leeds for my 58th day on "Emmerdale".
 The crew, Directors, and Actors are all very friendly and it is a pleasure fro me to be able to continue to accept work on that programme. Other Supporting Artistes tell me that they experience the same friendly welcome themselves.

"HOWARD'S WAY" 1989 : "ALL QUIET ON THE PRESTON FRONT" 1994

The 21st September 1989 was my second day at the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham for an episode of " Howard's Way", the very popular BBC drama series about a yacht-building firm on the South Coast of England. My first day of involvement had been on the previous day and my yesterday's blog hopefully gave you a reasonable amount of information about the programme.
On the 21st September 1994, I was in Kidderminster for my second day of involvement in "All Quiet on the Preston Front". This was a BBC comedy drama about a group of friends in the fictional Lancashire town of Roker Bridge and their links to the Territorial Army infantry patrol. It was created by Tim Firth and starred Alistair McGowan, Colin Buchanan, Stephen Tompkinson, Caroline Catz and Kate Gartside.
The first episode was screened on 4th January 1994 and the final episode on 8th September 1997.

"HOWARD'S WAY" 1989 : "CASUALTY" 1994

On 20th September 1989 I was at the BBC Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham for my first day of two to film an interior scene of "Howard's Way". The  exterior scenes were filmed on location on the South Coast.
In 1985 BBC One launched a new Sunday evening drama set on the South Coast of England "Howard's Way" ran for six seasons and was one of the biggest TV hits of the decade.
It was based around a yacht-building company set in the fictional town of Totton and starred Maurice Colbourne as Tom Howard, Jan Harvey as his wife Jan, with supporting roles from Glyn Owen as Jack Rolfe, Dulcie Gray as Kate Harvey, Nigel Davenport as Sir Edward Frere and Kate O'Mara as Laura Wilde.
My scene was filmed in Birmingham and the set was a room in a pub overlooking the sea and I was in a group of people singing the song "Sailing". It seemed strange sitting in the studio in the centre of England and it being so realistic that I was in a pub on the South Coast looking out at a sea view.
During one of the breaks in filming, I was sitting in the foyer outside the studio when an actor friend of mine, Arnold Peters, who played Jack Wooley in the radio series "The Archers" came into the room and was surprised to see me there. He asked me what I was involved with and when I told him it was on "Howard's Way" he asked where Maurice Colbourne was. I told him the he was still in the studio but then I asked Arnold what he was doing at Pebble Mill. He told me that Pebble Mill housed the sound studios where they recorded "The Archers".( I should have known!)
"Film Night" with Barry Norman was being filmed in an adjoining studio to the one where we were filming and celebrities from all walks of life were often on that programme. After Arnold had left the room I went to sit back in my seat but found that the England cricketer, Ian Botham was sitting in it. I was just about to tell him that he was sitting in my seat but, when I recognised  who he was, I decided to find another seat.
On 20th September 1994, I was again in Bristol  for my first day of three in an episode of " Casualty".
I had been told that I would be wearing a Father Christmas outfit for that episode which was being screened in December. I was taken to the wardrobe department but could not see a Father Christmas outfit. The wardrobe mistress then told me that I would be wearing a Christmas Tree fancy dress outfit. Initially, I was very surprised but then decided I could do my own comedy input by nodding my head on which I was wearing a headband with a star attached to a wire. As I nodded my head the star wobbled in all directions.
It made the other supporting artistes laugh when I went back to the Green Room but when I went on to the set, I kept nodding my head and when you genuinely make the crew laugh you know that it is really funny.
I was supposed to be a man who had gone to a Fancy Dress Party and had fallen over and became concussed. I acted like a drunk person for all the three days I was on that episode and when we were filming other scenes around the streets of Bristol, the public wondered whatever I was doing in that costume.
Over the following months when I was in subsequent episodes of " Casualty", I was always referred to "Here's the drunk Christmas Tree".

"VOTE FOR THEM" 1988- "CASUALTY" 1994- "BORN & BRED" 2003

On 19th September 1988, I arrived at Bridgenorth, a railway station on the Severn Valley Railway, for an episode of " Vote for them". It was a three part drama series from BBC Pebble Mill set amongst Allied troops in Cairo during the 2nd World War who consider what sort of world they want after the war and form "parties" holding debates and elections. I was in a scene on the station platform made to look like a 2nd world war station with an authentic steam train and coaches. My second scene in that programme was to be filmed in the studios at Pebble Mill, Birmingham one month later on October 23rd.
The three episodes were screened on 2nd,9th and 16th June 1989.
On 19th September 1994, I was in Bristol for my first day of two in an episode of "Casualty".
On multiple days of filming, I would always book into accommodation for a night or two in order to reduce the car travelling to and from the studio and home, which would otherwise commence around 4.30am and conclude with my return at 10.30pm.
On 19th September 2003, I was at Bray Studios near Windsor to be in my 11th and final day of filming in "Born & Bred", the comedy series was actually set in Lancashire and was about a Family Doctor's Practice run by a Father and Son played by James Bolam and Michael French. It centred around that family and the cast also included Maggie Steed, Clive Swift and John Henman. It also centred around a Station Master's house and his daughter, the station master was played by John Henman.
I was in 6 episodes of that series, which ran from 2002 to 2005.

"CASUALTY" 1999:"CASUALTY" 2001: "EMMERDALE" 2003

On the 18th September 1999, I was in Bristol to be filmed in my first day of two in my 45th day of  involvement in "Casualty", Episode 15 of that years series. My call time was 7.30am and the wrap time was 8pm.( over twelve hours in the studio on that day.)
The 18th September 2001 and I was again in Bristol for my 55th day on "Casualty", Episode 21 of that year's series. My call time on that day was 10.30am and the wrap time was 7.15pm, just under 9 hours on that day.
On 18th September 2003, I was in Leeds for my 74th episode in " Emmerdale". On this day my call time was 7.30am. and the my wrap time on that day was 4pm.
I have mention call times and wrap times to highlight the time spent on location or in studios and in addition to those hours is the time spent travelling to and from those locations.
Exiting news from yesterday, when it was confirmed that I have won the part of a Cambridge University Professor in a film now in production about Stephen Hawkin starring Eddie Redmayne ( Marius- in Les Miserables) in the lead role.

" Moonstone" 1996 and 6 other programmes

First of all today, thank you for all the page-viewers especially the large majority of whom are in the U.S.A.
On this day the 17th September, I have worked on 7 different programmes.
1991 - Witchcraft : 1993 - House of Elliott: 1995 - Call Red: 1996 - Moonstone: 1998 - Emmerdale: 1999 Casualty and 2012 - Emmerdale.
I have already mentioned 6 of these programmes which I have been involved with on other dates.
On 17th September 1998, I arrived at Burghley House, Nr. Stamford to be in a scene in the TV movie " The Moonstone" starring Greg Wise and Keeley Hawes.
the story was about " When the fabulous Moonstone Diamond is stolen, all the suspects apparently have alibis. Even the young girl who owns the diamond won't say whom she saw took it.
Other stars in the film includes Antony Cher, Patricia Hodge and Peter Vaughan.

"PRESTON FRONT" 1994: " EMMERDALE" 2002: " SINGING CACTUS" 2004

On 16th September 1994, I arrived at the location in Coventry to be involved in another episode of " All Quiet on the Preston Front", a comedy series starring Colin Buchanan who later starred as Pascoe with Warren Clarke in " Dalziel & Pascoe".
On 16th September 2002, I was again in Leeds for my 38th day of filming on "Emmerdale".
On 16th September 2004, I was at the BBC Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham to be in an Afternoon Play,
Season 3 episode 5 entitled "The Singing Cactus" starring Peter Capaldi ( the new Dr. Who), Melanie Hill ( Aveline from Bread) and a 16 year old Ray Quinn ( Tony Murray in Brookside).
The programme was screened on 28th January 2005.

" BOON" 1989 & " EMMERDALE" 2005

On 15th September 1989, I was in Nottingham to be in my 7th episode of "Boon", a modern day western about a motor cycle dispatch rider Ken Boon and his side-kick Rocky, starring Michael Elphick as Ken & Neil Morrissey as Rocky, also David Daker as Harry and Brigit Forsyth as Helen.
I was in 13 episodes between 1986 and 1992 with the first couple of years in Birmingham and the latter ones in Nottingham. The catchy theme tune was "The Lone Ranger" and the episode names were a play on words. "Don't buy for me Argentina"- "One re-born every minute"- "Walking off-air"- "The fall and rise of the Bowman Empire" and the episode that I was in on that day "Do not forsake me" which was screened on 20th November 1989.
Then also on 15th September 2005, I was in Leeds for my 57th day of involvement in " Emmerdale".
I have now been in so many episodes of "Emmerdale" that I cannot remember precisely what I was doing on that day other than I was there at 7.30am. and left at 6.15pm. having been involved in filming part of two episodes either in the Studio or on location in the village.

"EMMERDALE" 2009

The 14th September 2009 and I am back in Leeds for my 71st day on a set for "Emmerdale".
The only information I can find is that I was involved in 2 episodes on that day. Since that day 4 years ago, I have attended 21 more days nd been in 44 more episodes.
Since filming my first episode on 14th June 1993, I have appeared in 169 episodes over the past 20 years.

" HOUSE OF ELLIOTT" 1991 & " THE LAST SALUTE" 1997

The 12th September 1991 was my third and final day on that episode of "House of Elliott". Our two dance routines had been honed to perfection and we spent all of that day shooting the two scenes that involved those dances. Over those past days I had been returning to stay the night at the home of a Toastmaster colleague of mine at Stroud in Gloucestershire. It was a pleasant journey and saved me the long return journey that would have been another 135 miles to Kettering and therefore made them very long driving hours after a lengthy filming day in Bath.
6 years later, on this day in 1997, I arrived at RAF Warrington, 4 miles south of Swindon, to be in an episode of "The Last Salute", a comedy TV series about an on-the-road comic adventures and roadside dramas of a group of rival AA & RAC patrol men, each out to prove that they are the best in the business in Britain in the 1960's. The series starred Paul Brown, Philip Jackson, Jo Unwin and Claire Cox.
The scene that I was involved with was set on a Main Road ( which was actually a dis-used runway on the Airfield that had been set to look like an accident on a busy road.)
The only series of that programme was screened in 1998.

"HOUSE OF ELLIOTT" 1991 & "CASUALTY" 2002

11th September 1991 and I am back in Bath for my second day of dancing the on-step and the waltz in an episode of  "House of Elliott" starring Louis Lombard & Stella Gonet.
Although the choreographer had supervised our rehearsals throughout the previous day, she was still not happy with our performances and so we again continued to practice our dances before the Director requested a "Take". My dancing partner was a dancing teacher from Leicester who enabled me to improve my dancing skills with her expertise and friendly advice.
Twelve years later on 11th September 2002, I was in Bristol for my 58th episode of "Casualty.  My first episode was in 1991and my last one was in 2004, which was my 60th appearance on that programme.
Included in those episodes I have played only one credited role as a Boxing Master of Ceremonies/Referee, and minor speaking roles as a Security Guard, and a Drunken Reveller from a Christmas Party (Dressed in a Christmas Tree fancy dress costume).

HOUSE OF ELLIOTT" 1991:"BRITTAS EMPIRE" 1996:"JUDGE JOHN DEED" 2001

On 10th September 1991, I had arrived in Bath for my first day of three in another episode of  "House of Elliott". The location was a large Victorian Ballroom in the centre of Bath. On this first day some of us were auditioned to be ballroom dancers and I was successful. We rehearsed the one-step and a waltz with a professional choreographer who put us through our paces throughout the morning and afternoon.
No filming was done on that day but on the following two days we were filmed performing both dances in separate scenes for that episode.
5 years later in 1996, I arrived at a Leisure complex in Ringwood near Bournemouth to be in an episode of "The Brittas Empire", a British sit-com about an incompetent manager of a leisure centre. The main role was played by Chris Barrie, who was famous for his role in "Red Dwarf".
The scene I was involved with involved him working on repairing a faulty roof and eventually falling off into a pile of manure in the car park of the leisure centre where I was playing the part of a member of the fitness centre. This popular series ran from 1991 to 1997.
5 more years later in 2001, I was in Bushey, Hertfordshire, near to Elstree Studios for an episode of " Judge John Deed", a BBC legal drama starring Martin Shaw, Jenny Seagrove and Donald Sinden.
The series ran from 2001 to 2007 and I was in an episode of series one.
The only thing that I can remember about that day was the catering. Martin Shaw is a vegetarian and our breakfast and lunch were all vegetarian options, even the pet dog of the director was given vegetarian food.
I was only involved in that one episode over those 7 years.

"ANIMAL ARK" 1997

On 9th September 1997 I had arrived at Frampton-on-Severn in Gloucestershire to be in a scene in "Animal Ark", a Television series based on a popular book series by Lucy Daniels about a veterinary surgeon's daughter and her friend who rescue animals in their village .
Frampton-on-Severn was very close to The Wildfowl Trust in Slimbridge which had been set up by Sir Peter Scott and my journey to that location had taken me through the beautiful Cotswold Hills in the early morning of that day as the dawn began to break and the mist was hovering over the hills in an early autumn serenity.
The parts of the daughter and her friend were played by Karianne Henderson and James Simmons and the scene I was involved with was filmed on the village green of that pretty Gloucestershire village.
Tomorrow, I reflect on the first of a three day run on "House of Elliott" in 1991, my only episode on the comedy series "The Brittas Empire" in 1996 and a day on the set of "Judge John Deed " in 2001 with Martin Shaw.

"NO BANANAS" 1995 :"THE CHOIR" 1994

On the 7th September 1995, I drove down to Tonbridge Wells in Kent to be in an episode of "No Bananas", a wartime mini-series starring Alison Steadman,Stephanie Beacham, Michael Elwyn and Rachel Power.
It was a round trip of 257 miles taking me through the Dartford tunnel en route both ways. It was another long day that had begun at 3.30 am and ended on my return later the same day. My added consolation was that, because it was a war-time drama, I was paid an extra fee for having my hair cut in a short back and sides fashion.
On 7th September 1994, one year earlier, I had driven to Gloucester to be in a mini-series called " The Choir", written by  Joanna Trollope. I arrived at the location which was Gloucester Cathedral for a scene that involved many of the principal actors including James Fox, Peter Vaughan and David Warner.
Our scene was inside the Cathedral which filmed a large procession of clergy and a very dramatic sermon from the James Fox character. The local newspaper had printed an article informing the local residents that this scene was being filmed in Gloucester and inviting them to participate if they wished.
Our relaxation area was on a Double Decker bus parked outside in Archdeacon Street which was also being used by the administration assistant. My journey home was via Cheltenham, Banbury and Northampton which took 3 hours on that 200 mile round trip with the added awareness that I would need to make the trip again in mid October for another scene in the Cathedral.

"WITCHCRAFT" 1991 & "HONEY FOR TEA" 1993

On 6th September 1991, I was again in Aston Subedge  for my third day on the TV series "Witchcraft".
I have described my experiences on this production over the past two blogs but have not yet mentioned the main characters that were played by Peter McEnery, Alan Howard and Clive Wood.
Two years later on 6th September 1993, I was in Cambridge to be in an episode of "Honey for Tea", a mini series starring the very attractive Felicity Kendal.
The scene that I was involved in was filmed on the banks of the River Cam, opposite The Backs at Trinity College. The male co-star of that episode was Nigel Le Vaillant ( who I had acted alongside previously in many episodes of the very popular TV medical drama "Casualty").

"WITCHCRAFT" 1991 : "EMMERDALE" 2001

5th September 1991 was my second day on the BBC TV drama "Witchcraft" which was on location in Gloucestershire. My day had begun at 3.30am and my 148 mile journey took me via Northampton, Banbury, Stowe on the Wold to the village of Aston Subedge. In those days before sat-navs, when you were reasonable close to the location you had to look out for a "unit sign", a temporary roadside arrow with a letter on it. For "Witchcraft" it was the letter W, but on the second morning I saw a unit sign with ED on it and further along the road was the sign for "Witchcraft". I was later informed that the ED sign was to the location for " The Mystery of Edwin Drood", a film that was released in 1993, that was being filmed near Chipping Camden which was very close to where our location was situated.
I recall on one of my 4 days on "Witchcraft that a couple of hikers who were walking in the area came across our set and said that they had lived in that area all their lives and did not realise that there was a village in the area. It did look very realistic and they were told that it was only a film set that had been specially constructed for the film.
Ten years later on 5th September 2001, I was again in Leeds for my 34th day on "Emmerdale". It was only two weeks ago that I was in Leeds for my 92nd day on the programme. I believe that I will be seen in an episode of "Emmerdale", in the Woolpack, either tonight (thursday) or tomorrow, sitting behind Bernice and Steve and Nicola and Jimmy.