Welcome, Guest. Please Login
YaBB - Yet another Bulletin Board
  To join this Forum send an email with this exact subject line REQUEST MEMBERSHIP to bbcstaff@gmx.com telling us your connection with the BBC.
  HomeHelpSearchLogin  
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Doomwatch crew 1970-1972 (Read 5580 times)
Michael Seely
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline



Posts: 5

Doomwatch crew 1970-1972
Nov 1st, 2011, 2:16pm
 
Hello!

My name is Michael Seely and I am currently researching a book on the subject of BBC1's "Doomwatch" drama which ran between 1970 and 1972.

It was the first time the BBC had done a drama about the consequences of runaway science and technological hazard, and soon became a more standard ecological piece.    It was created by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, and produced by Terence Dudley.  During the early days of the second series, the creators fell out with Terence Dudley in quite a spectacular fashion over the direction the programme should go.  That first series had such lovely things as a plastic eating virus that threatened to bring down a plane, man-eating rats, test tube babies, chemical waste at sea, and a nuclear bomb washed up underneath a seaside pier that polished off Robert Powell's character, much to the dismay of thousands of housewife fans!  It was a hugely influential programme and gave the language that word to sum up eco-disasters.

As well as Robert Powell, it starred John Paul, Simon Oates, Joby Blanshard, Vivienne Sherrard, John Nolan and in the last series, John Bown and John Barron.  

I have been in touch with its associate producer, Glyn Edwards, and several production members like Adele Paul and Judy Hall, as well as writers, the surviving directors and actors, including Darrol Blake.  

Understandably, after forty odd years, memories are hazy.  The programme itself, although still fondly remembered, and there is an interest in it out there, is rapidly in danger of becoming a four paragraph footnote in the history of the 1970s!

If anyone can help or share a memory, no matter how seemingly insignificant or general, or can point me towards others who worked on the programme, then please get in touch.  

I'm also on the hunt for photographs since very few were taken by the BBC on or off set, and what there is, we can't afford to clear!

On top of all that, if anyone recollects the producer, Terence Dudley, or Dr. Kit Pedler (who, as a result of the programme became a regular talking head pundit on science and the environment,) I would be very interested in hearing from you, as I am writing his fascinating biography, with the full support of his family.

Many, many thanks!

Michael Seely
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Amigo
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 174

Re: Doomwatch crew 1970-1972
Reply #1 - Nov 1st, 2011, 8:14pm
 
I was a Boom-operator on the series- I'll contact you directly.

Next time you fly, make sure the plastic is not disintegrating......
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Michael Seely
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline



Posts: 5

Re: Doomwatch crew 1970-1972
Reply #2 - Nov 1st, 2011, 9:16pm
 
Many thanks, Amigo.

Incidentally, the first time I read up on Doomwatch was an article from some old magazine - and I was on a plane at the time.  I did have a quick nervous glance around.

There is a website devoted to Doomwatch to which I have contributed, which may jog some memories for those who worked on it, or just interested in a slice of BBC heritage!

www.doomwatch.org
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print