On 31st March 1997, I was in Warwick to be in my 6th episode of " Dangerfield " starring Nigel Le Vaillant in a series about the life and times of a small town family practitioner and police surgeon.
There were 6 seasons of 50 minute episodes from 1995 until 1999. The series also included Nigel Havers and Jane Gurnett.
My first episode had been filmed on 4th May 1994 and my 9th and final episode was filmed on 25th June 1998.
My most prominent appearance was in an episode with Nigel Havers, where he was playing the part of a Member of Parliament and I was one of his security men.
Monday, 31 March 2014
Friday, 28 March 2014
" EMMERDALE " Over 14 years, this is Emmerdale week
On Wednesday 26th March, I was in the YTV studios in Leeds for my 98th day in an episode of
" Emmerdale ".
Since my first episode on " Emmerdale " on 14th June 1993, I have been involved in the filming of scenes 7 times on this particular week of the year.
26th March 2012, 26th March 2014, 27th March 2009, 28th March 2000, 29th March 2001 and 30th March 2009.
Over those 21 years, I have always travelled via the A14 to the M1 and up to Leeds, a return journey of 276 miles. After my visit last week, on 20th March, I mentioned to some friends who live near Sheffield that I would be driving up to Leeds again on Wednesday 26th March for a continuity scene from the previous week.
My friends suggested that I drove via the A43 to the A1 and up to Pontefract then across the M62 to Leeds.
I had left home at 4.15 am and arrived at the studios at 6.50 am. - a much shorter journey in time due partly to the journey being 10 miles less and the previous weeks journey being hampered by 50 miles of road subject to 50 mph variable speed restrictions.
I will be driving via the A43 and A1 route every time from now on.
" Emmerdale ".
Since my first episode on " Emmerdale " on 14th June 1993, I have been involved in the filming of scenes 7 times on this particular week of the year.
26th March 2012, 26th March 2014, 27th March 2009, 28th March 2000, 29th March 2001 and 30th March 2009.
Over those 21 years, I have always travelled via the A14 to the M1 and up to Leeds, a return journey of 276 miles. After my visit last week, on 20th March, I mentioned to some friends who live near Sheffield that I would be driving up to Leeds again on Wednesday 26th March for a continuity scene from the previous week.
My friends suggested that I drove via the A43 to the A1 and up to Pontefract then across the M62 to Leeds.
I had left home at 4.15 am and arrived at the studios at 6.50 am. - a much shorter journey in time due partly to the journey being 10 miles less and the previous weeks journey being hampered by 50 miles of road subject to 50 mph variable speed restrictions.
I will be driving via the A43 and A1 route every time from now on.
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
" THE BILL " 1993
On 25th March 1993 I was on an industrial estate in Merton, South London, in the studio for " The Bill ", to be in my 6th episode of that series.
"The Bill " ran from 1984 to 2010 and was about uniform officers and detectives from an inner city London Police Station, Sun Hill, as they enforce the Law & Order on a day to day basis.
My first episode had been filmed on 16th July 1991 and my tenth and final episode was recorded on 7th December 1996.
"The Bill " ran from 1984 to 2010 and was about uniform officers and detectives from an inner city London Police Station, Sun Hill, as they enforce the Law & Order on a day to day basis.
My first episode had been filmed on 16th July 1991 and my tenth and final episode was recorded on 7th December 1996.
Saturday, 22 March 2014
" KINSEY " 1992
On 22nd March 1992, I was on location in Corporation Street, Birmingham for an episode of " Kinsey ".
This was my second day on this series, my first had been on 17th October 1990, when I was also on location in Corporation Street, opposite the Courts of Justice.
This second day we were filming in a Public House, and I asked Leigh Lawson if he was pleased to be filming a second series, two years after the first one. He asked me what I did in my previous episode and I told him that I was only playing a "passer by " as he walked into the Law Courts.
This second day in 1992 involved him walking into the Public House and someone planting some drugs in his pocket. The Director was not happy with the action and suggested that Kinsey should recognise someone in the bar to suggest to the television viewer that regulars recognised him as a regular also.
This was after we had spoken earlier and he had asked me what my name was. Leigh suggested to the Director that, as he entered the pub he looked at me and said " Hi Bob " and I responded with " Hello Kinsey ". The director agreed and told me to remember to call him Kinsey and not Leigh.
I was made up to 'Walk on 2' ,which was a higher fee, and I thanked Leigh for recommending me for that involvement.
This was my second day on this series, my first had been on 17th October 1990, when I was also on location in Corporation Street, opposite the Courts of Justice.
This second day we were filming in a Public House, and I asked Leigh Lawson if he was pleased to be filming a second series, two years after the first one. He asked me what I did in my previous episode and I told him that I was only playing a "passer by " as he walked into the Law Courts.
This second day in 1992 involved him walking into the Public House and someone planting some drugs in his pocket. The Director was not happy with the action and suggested that Kinsey should recognise someone in the bar to suggest to the television viewer that regulars recognised him as a regular also.
This was after we had spoken earlier and he had asked me what my name was. Leigh suggested to the Director that, as he entered the pub he looked at me and said " Hi Bob " and I responded with " Hello Kinsey ". The director agreed and told me to remember to call him Kinsey and not Leigh.
I was made up to 'Walk on 2' ,which was a higher fee, and I thanked Leigh for recommending me for that involvement.
Friday, 21 March 2014
" A LANDING ON THE SUN " 1994 - " CIVVIES " 1992 - plus 3 other shows
The date 20th March has been one of the busiest over the past 20 years. Yesterday I was in Leeds once more to be in another couple of episodes of " Emmerdale ", but on this same date in 1994, I was in the Foreign Office in Westminster ( it was a Sunday ) playing the role of a Civil Servant in a Screen 2 Television play " A Landing on the Sun ". We were issued special passes to enable to be inside the building - an unusual feeling being in the corridors of power.
The story was about a civil servant, called Jessell, in the Cabinet Office, is asked to investigate the mysterious death of the civil servant Steven Summerchild 20 years earlier. Summerchild was working on a Cabinet project under the Oxford philosophy don Elizabeth Serafin, to find the 'quality of life' in Britain.
Jessel finds a box of audio tapes from the project containing all the discussions up to the time Summerchild fell off the Admiralty building.
It starred Robert Glenister, Susan Fleetwood and Roger Allam and was screened on 8th June 1994.
6 years previously on this same date, I had been in Nottingham to be in episode 5 of Series 1 of " Tales of Sherwood Forest ".
The episode was called " Stag Night " and the scene that I was in was at a Dinner where a new member was being brought into a Fraternal group.
The story revolved around Eric, the owner of a nightclub in Nottingham, who is obsessed by the film "Casablanca" and dreams of being Rick Blaine.
It starred Pete Postlethwaite as Eric, and David Troughton and Robin Soans. I was to meet Pete Postlethwaite at a later date when I was in a series called " The Sins " plus I had also been in a scene with him in the splendid film " Brassed Off ".
Also 4 years later in 1992, I was in the Ely district of Cardiff to be in a TV series called " Civvies ".
" Civvies " was about a group of former soldiers in Britain's elite Parachute Regiment who struggle to come to terms with civilian life after leaving the army. It starred Jason Isaacs, Lennie James, Peter O'Toole and Peter Howitt ( from 'Bread').
The scene that I was in was about a supermarket being blown up and I was playing the role of the Fire Chief and Peter Howitt was one of the firemen. The film was shot in the early hours of the morning in a district of Cardiff called Ely.
Again on this same date in 1995, I was in Redditch to be in my first episode of " Dangerfield " starring Nigel le Vaillant. Between 20th March 1995 and 5th August 1999 I appeared in 11 episodes of " Dangerfield ".
Yesterday I was on location in the 'village' for my 96th episode of " Emmerdale ".
I had left home at 4.20 am and arrived at the studio at 7.10.am, we were wrapped at 4.20 pm. and my journey home was hampered by the great volume of traffic and many miles of reduced speed restrictions on the M1 motorway, high winds and heavy rain. I eventually arrived back home at 8.10pm.- a 16 hour day.
The story was about a civil servant, called Jessell, in the Cabinet Office, is asked to investigate the mysterious death of the civil servant Steven Summerchild 20 years earlier. Summerchild was working on a Cabinet project under the Oxford philosophy don Elizabeth Serafin, to find the 'quality of life' in Britain.
Jessel finds a box of audio tapes from the project containing all the discussions up to the time Summerchild fell off the Admiralty building.
It starred Robert Glenister, Susan Fleetwood and Roger Allam and was screened on 8th June 1994.
6 years previously on this same date, I had been in Nottingham to be in episode 5 of Series 1 of " Tales of Sherwood Forest ".
The episode was called " Stag Night " and the scene that I was in was at a Dinner where a new member was being brought into a Fraternal group.
The story revolved around Eric, the owner of a nightclub in Nottingham, who is obsessed by the film "Casablanca" and dreams of being Rick Blaine.
It starred Pete Postlethwaite as Eric, and David Troughton and Robin Soans. I was to meet Pete Postlethwaite at a later date when I was in a series called " The Sins " plus I had also been in a scene with him in the splendid film " Brassed Off ".
Also 4 years later in 1992, I was in the Ely district of Cardiff to be in a TV series called " Civvies ".
" Civvies " was about a group of former soldiers in Britain's elite Parachute Regiment who struggle to come to terms with civilian life after leaving the army. It starred Jason Isaacs, Lennie James, Peter O'Toole and Peter Howitt ( from 'Bread').
The scene that I was in was about a supermarket being blown up and I was playing the role of the Fire Chief and Peter Howitt was one of the firemen. The film was shot in the early hours of the morning in a district of Cardiff called Ely.
Again on this same date in 1995, I was in Redditch to be in my first episode of " Dangerfield " starring Nigel le Vaillant. Between 20th March 1995 and 5th August 1999 I appeared in 11 episodes of " Dangerfield ".
Yesterday I was on location in the 'village' for my 96th episode of " Emmerdale ".
I had left home at 4.20 am and arrived at the studio at 7.10.am, we were wrapped at 4.20 pm. and my journey home was hampered by the great volume of traffic and many miles of reduced speed restrictions on the M1 motorway, high winds and heavy rain. I eventually arrived back home at 8.10pm.- a 16 hour day.
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
" ANNIE'S BAR " 1996 - " IN THE RED " 1998
On 19th March 1996, I was at the studios in Teddington for my second day running on an episode of
" Annie's Bar " , the politically based up-to date drama about a newly elected Conservative Member of Parliament. My first day on an episode of this series, I was playing the part of a front bench Member of Parliament and this particular episode included the actual Member of Parliament for Grimsby, Austin Mitchell, who thought that those of us playing Members of Parliament were looking like the genuine article.
Two years later in 1998, I was in Oxford to be in an episode of " In the Red", a BBC Two series of 60 minute episodes starring Rachel Fielding, Siobhan Redmond, Sally Phillips and Rebecca Front.
" In the Red " was about a series of killings of bank managers that has London in turmoil, all the way up to Parliament. The killer regularly calls about his handywork, but only to a street-wise and usually rather tipsy, radio reporter,about to be sacked for his habitual irreverence toward his station and the BBC.
While everything seems to point to a lead singer of a rock group famous for the " In the Red " music which has been connected to the killings, in a typical British mystery fashion, there are also other sub-plots to be considered.
" Annie's Bar " , the politically based up-to date drama about a newly elected Conservative Member of Parliament. My first day on an episode of this series, I was playing the part of a front bench Member of Parliament and this particular episode included the actual Member of Parliament for Grimsby, Austin Mitchell, who thought that those of us playing Members of Parliament were looking like the genuine article.
Two years later in 1998, I was in Oxford to be in an episode of " In the Red", a BBC Two series of 60 minute episodes starring Rachel Fielding, Siobhan Redmond, Sally Phillips and Rebecca Front.
" In the Red " was about a series of killings of bank managers that has London in turmoil, all the way up to Parliament. The killer regularly calls about his handywork, but only to a street-wise and usually rather tipsy, radio reporter,about to be sacked for his habitual irreverence toward his station and the BBC.
While everything seems to point to a lead singer of a rock group famous for the " In the Red " music which has been connected to the killings, in a typical British mystery fashion, there are also other sub-plots to be considered.
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
" ANNIE'S BAR " 1996 - " EMMERDALE " 2002
On 18th March 1996, I was at the Television studios in Teddington for my first day of two in an episode of
" Annie's Bar " , a TV drama series of ten, 30 minute, episodes about the misadventures of a newly elected Conservative Member of Parliament at Westminster.
The series starred Dominic West and Larry Lamb and was screened later on that same evening, in order to include the actual events that occured in the House of Commons on that same day.
I was in 7 episodes out of the 10, mostly filmed at Teddington, but also near Reading in a former hospital where the corridors looked very similar to Westminster.
At the time of filming in 1996 I had been a Borough Councillor from 1991 to 1995 at Kettering Borough Council but had never been to visit Westminster.
I became a Borough Councillor again in 1999 and became the Mayor in 2001 when I did get invited to the House of Commons and spent a very enjoyable day in those magnificent buildings.
On the same date in 2002, I was in Leeds for my 38th day in an episode of " Emmerdale ".
My first day on "Emmerdale " was on 14th June 1993, and later this week, I will be on location in Leeds for my 97th day on that series.
" Annie's Bar " , a TV drama series of ten, 30 minute, episodes about the misadventures of a newly elected Conservative Member of Parliament at Westminster.
The series starred Dominic West and Larry Lamb and was screened later on that same evening, in order to include the actual events that occured in the House of Commons on that same day.
I was in 7 episodes out of the 10, mostly filmed at Teddington, but also near Reading in a former hospital where the corridors looked very similar to Westminster.
At the time of filming in 1996 I had been a Borough Councillor from 1991 to 1995 at Kettering Borough Council but had never been to visit Westminster.
I became a Borough Councillor again in 1999 and became the Mayor in 2001 when I did get invited to the House of Commons and spent a very enjoyable day in those magnificent buildings.
On the same date in 2002, I was in Leeds for my 38th day in an episode of " Emmerdale ".
My first day on "Emmerdale " was on 14th June 1993, and later this week, I will be on location in Leeds for my 97th day on that series.
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