On 21st April 1997, I was at the Bray studios in Berkshire to be in a scene in " Velvet Goldmine ".
a film which was released in 1998 and starred Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, Eddie Izzard and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
I was in a scene with Ewan McGregor and Eddie Izzard and I was playing the part of a member of a Welsh Choir.
The story was - 1971: Glamrock explodes all over the world and challenges the seriousness with the flower power generation by means of glitter and brutal music. Brian Slade, a young rock star, inspires numerous teenage boys and girls to paint their nails and explore their own sexuality. In the end Slade destroys himself, unable to escape the role he has created for himself, he plots his own murder. When his fans discover that his murder is a fake, his star falls and he is forgotten about.
1984: Arthur, a journalist working for a New York newspaper, gets assigned the story about the fake murder of Brian Slade. When Arthur was young and grew up in Manchester he was more than a fan of Slade. Reluctantly he accepts the assignment and starts to investigate what happened to his old Glamrock hero.
Monday 21 April 2014
Sunday 13 April 2014
"BARBARA " 2000
On 13th April 2000, I was in the village of Ashlockton, 12 miles east of Nottingham for a scene from the TV series " Barbara " starring Gwen Taylor in the tile role.
" Barbara " was a British sitcom and a pilot had been broadcast in 1995,three series were then televised between 1999 and 2003. It was made by Central Television and filmed at their Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham in front of live studio audience.
The majority of the location scenes were filmed in various suburbs of Nottingham with additional scenes filmed in nearby Derbyshire.
I was in a scene from an episode in series two which involve Barbara , played by Gwen Taylor descending in a parachute into an open grave in a graveyard.
I was playing the part of one of the mourners and the coffin was already in the open grave waiting to be filld in with earth, when Barbara accidentally parachutes into it.The name on the coffin was Les, and during the rehearsals somebody asked if Les had a surname. I said it was short for Lesurus and he might come back to life. The crew were very quiet but Gwen Taylor started laughing and said that it was quite funny, then everyone else started to laugh. - I was not in any future episodes.
" Barbara " was a British sitcom and a pilot had been broadcast in 1995,three series were then televised between 1999 and 2003. It was made by Central Television and filmed at their Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham in front of live studio audience.
The majority of the location scenes were filmed in various suburbs of Nottingham with additional scenes filmed in nearby Derbyshire.
I was in a scene from an episode in series two which involve Barbara , played by Gwen Taylor descending in a parachute into an open grave in a graveyard.
I was playing the part of one of the mourners and the coffin was already in the open grave waiting to be filld in with earth, when Barbara accidentally parachutes into it.The name on the coffin was Les, and during the rehearsals somebody asked if Les had a surname. I said it was short for Lesurus and he might come back to life. The crew were very quiet but Gwen Taylor started laughing and said that it was quite funny, then everyone else started to laugh. - I was not in any future episodes.
Wednesday 9 April 2014
" VANITY FAIR " 1998 and previously 1987
On 9th April 1998, I arrived at St. Paul's Walden Bury, Near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, for my third day at this location for an episode of " Vanity Fair ".
St. Paul's Walden Bury is famous for being the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother , her family , the Bowes Lyons still live there as they have since 1725.
My first and second days had been at the same location over the previous two days and I was to be involved in a further 3 days of filming " Vanity Fair " on 13th May in Islington, North London, 27th May at Gloucester Docks, a night shoot and my 6th day in Alcester, Warwickshire.
This 1998 version was a TV mini series and starred Natasha Little as Becky Sharpe, Frances Grey as Amelia Sedley, Philip Glenister as William Dobbin, Nathaniel Parker as Rawdon Crawley and Michele Dotrice as Mrs. Smedley.
I had also been in three days of filming around the grounds of Norwich Cathedral for the 1987 version of
" Vanity Fair ", a 16 episode series of 30 minutes each.
This earlier version had starred Eve Matheson as Becky, Rebecca Saire as Amelia, Simon Dormandy as William, Jack Klaff as Rawdon and a superb performance by Freddie Jones as Sir Pitt Crawley.
I still vividly recall Freddie acting in a scene that I was in which involved him opening the door of his house and having a confrontation with another character. It was a brilliant shakespearian performance from him and I still think about that scene in Norwich every time I appear in scenes with him when I am working in " Emmerdale ", where Freddie is currently playing the part of Sandy, the father of Ashley the former vicar.
St. Paul's Walden Bury is famous for being the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother , her family , the Bowes Lyons still live there as they have since 1725.
My first and second days had been at the same location over the previous two days and I was to be involved in a further 3 days of filming " Vanity Fair " on 13th May in Islington, North London, 27th May at Gloucester Docks, a night shoot and my 6th day in Alcester, Warwickshire.
This 1998 version was a TV mini series and starred Natasha Little as Becky Sharpe, Frances Grey as Amelia Sedley, Philip Glenister as William Dobbin, Nathaniel Parker as Rawdon Crawley and Michele Dotrice as Mrs. Smedley.
I had also been in three days of filming around the grounds of Norwich Cathedral for the 1987 version of
" Vanity Fair ", a 16 episode series of 30 minutes each.
This earlier version had starred Eve Matheson as Becky, Rebecca Saire as Amelia, Simon Dormandy as William, Jack Klaff as Rawdon and a superb performance by Freddie Jones as Sir Pitt Crawley.
I still vividly recall Freddie acting in a scene that I was in which involved him opening the door of his house and having a confrontation with another character. It was a brilliant shakespearian performance from him and I still think about that scene in Norwich every time I appear in scenes with him when I am working in " Emmerdale ", where Freddie is currently playing the part of Sandy, the father of Ashley the former vicar.
Saturday 5 April 2014
" NICE WORK " 1989 - BBC TV mini-series
On 5th April 1989, I arrived at a factory site in Great Bridge, Birmingham to be in my first scenes of a BBC Television series called " Nice Work ". My call time on this first day was 8.30 pm and e filmed through the night until 6.15am the next morning.
The following day I arrived for a call time of 1.45am and the scene was completed by 3.15 am.
This scene that took two nights to film involved me as one of 5 company directors in a board meeting.
I had been made up to Walk -on One and was in a smoke filled boardroom with Warren Clarke, Hadyn Gwynne and John Forgeham and others.
The First Assistant Director was William Hartley, and whenever I have met him since he still recalls that smoke filled room scene.
My third day was from 7.45 am to 3.15 pm and was still continuity for this first scene, and my fourth day was from 8 am until 6.45pm at which point the scene was completed.
On my fifth, and final day , I was filmed in a dream sequence with nymphs, which was shot on the campus of Birmingham University in Edgbaston. The call time was 8 am. and we were wrapped at 7pm having completed 5 very enjoyable days and learning a lot about certain parts of acting from some of the main cast.
The " Nice Work ", was a 4 episode BBC Television mini-series based on a novel written by David Lodge and starred Hadyn Gwynne as Dr. Robyn Penrose who is a lecturer in English at Rummidge University. Vic Wilson, played by Warren Clarke, is the Managing Director of Pringles, an engineering firm in Rummidge.
They meet when Robyn is told by her Head of Department to " shadow " Vic as part of Industry Year.
They are initially hostile to each other but gradually come to understand each other's point of view.
The series was repeated on BBC about a year later, and because I had been " made up " to Walk on One,
I received extra repeat fees for my role in the series. A very worthwhile and rewarding 5 days/nights in Birmingham 25 years ago.
The following day I arrived for a call time of 1.45am and the scene was completed by 3.15 am.
This scene that took two nights to film involved me as one of 5 company directors in a board meeting.
I had been made up to Walk -on One and was in a smoke filled boardroom with Warren Clarke, Hadyn Gwynne and John Forgeham and others.
The First Assistant Director was William Hartley, and whenever I have met him since he still recalls that smoke filled room scene.
My third day was from 7.45 am to 3.15 pm and was still continuity for this first scene, and my fourth day was from 8 am until 6.45pm at which point the scene was completed.
On my fifth, and final day , I was filmed in a dream sequence with nymphs, which was shot on the campus of Birmingham University in Edgbaston. The call time was 8 am. and we were wrapped at 7pm having completed 5 very enjoyable days and learning a lot about certain parts of acting from some of the main cast.
The " Nice Work ", was a 4 episode BBC Television mini-series based on a novel written by David Lodge and starred Hadyn Gwynne as Dr. Robyn Penrose who is a lecturer in English at Rummidge University. Vic Wilson, played by Warren Clarke, is the Managing Director of Pringles, an engineering firm in Rummidge.
They meet when Robyn is told by her Head of Department to " shadow " Vic as part of Industry Year.
They are initially hostile to each other but gradually come to understand each other's point of view.
The series was repeated on BBC about a year later, and because I had been " made up " to Walk on One,
I received extra repeat fees for my role in the series. A very worthwhile and rewarding 5 days/nights in Birmingham 25 years ago.
Thursday 3 April 2014
" MARJORIE AND MEN " 1985 - Now completed 29 years on TV
On 3rd April 1985, I arrived on location at the Cafe de Paris in Cromer,North Norfolk, for my first ever appearance in a Television series.
" Marjorie and Men " was a 30 minute comedy series of six, 30 minute episodes starring Patricia Routledge and Patricia Hayes as mother and daughter with 6 different male guest stars as the "men " in each episode.
I was in episode 4, " Taking the Waters " which co-starred Mark Kingston as Mr. Beresford.
It was a 215 mile round trip and my call time was 7.30am. The wrap time was 5 pm.
My agent was Carl Adams of Anglian Agency, based near Yarmouth, and this day was my first of only 4 dates for that agent.
Since this day in 1985, I have now worked for 27 Agents plus direct work from the BBC and YTV companies, a total of 635 days either on location or in the studio.
" Marjorie and Men " was a 30 minute comedy series of six, 30 minute episodes starring Patricia Routledge and Patricia Hayes as mother and daughter with 6 different male guest stars as the "men " in each episode.
I was in episode 4, " Taking the Waters " which co-starred Mark Kingston as Mr. Beresford.
It was a 215 mile round trip and my call time was 7.30am. The wrap time was 5 pm.
My agent was Carl Adams of Anglian Agency, based near Yarmouth, and this day was my first of only 4 dates for that agent.
Since this day in 1985, I have now worked for 27 Agents plus direct work from the BBC and YTV companies, a total of 635 days either on location or in the studio.
Tuesday 1 April 2014
" HOLBY CITY " 2003
On 1st April 2003, I was at the BBC TV studios in Borehamwood to be in my 6th episode of
" Holby City ", a British medical drama TV series screened weekly on BBC One.
" Holby City" is about life on the wards of Holby City Hospital , following the highs and lows of the staff and patients.
" Holby City" was first screened on 12th January 1999, my first episode had been recorded on 2nd February 1999 and my most recent episode was filmed on 4th April 2003, which was my second day on the episode that I attended on this day in 2003.
It has now been 11 years since I was last at those studios when I was playing the part of a hospital patient on one of the wards. The Director asked the actress playing one of the nurses to re-act to some action as she passed " the old man in the bed ". At that time I was 61 years old and was not happy with his comment.
I have never been back to Borehamwood since that date.
" Holby City ", a British medical drama TV series screened weekly on BBC One.
" Holby City" is about life on the wards of Holby City Hospital , following the highs and lows of the staff and patients.
" Holby City" was first screened on 12th January 1999, my first episode had been recorded on 2nd February 1999 and my most recent episode was filmed on 4th April 2003, which was my second day on the episode that I attended on this day in 2003.
It has now been 11 years since I was last at those studios when I was playing the part of a hospital patient on one of the wards. The Director asked the actress playing one of the nurses to re-act to some action as she passed " the old man in the bed ". At that time I was 61 years old and was not happy with his comment.
I have never been back to Borehamwood since that date.
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