The comments from Anthony Pedley quoted here come from an e-mail he sent me a couple of weeks back (and I've forgotten several times to upload) in response to one I sent him after putting info on him onto "his page" here and saw that he had a contact e-mail address. The text of his response is worth quoting in full as I asked him for any particular memories. (The first line about the character being called Harry Cook was due to a brainstorm of mine where I said that was what the name was and I've since written back, explained and apologised!!) -
- Dear John,
- Many thanks for getting in touch with this lovely 'blast from the past'!!
- Funnily enough, I thought the character's name was Harry Scott......and I've been telling people that for years! Never mind, Cook will have to do, and I'm sure your info is far better than my memory!
- I often wonder how my life might have turned out had it not been for that strike, because I was scheduled to appear for many more episodes as a possible love interest with Thelma's Mavis - just think, Derek would have been Harry!! I remember all too well those episodes where I took my shirt off to rescue a budgie from up her chimney (with the help of Geoffrey H), and she, Thelma that is, went all of a twitter. Even called the budgie Harry after me, and then found out it was female and renamed it Harriet!!
- The ITV strike happened and I wasn't able to go back to the programme afterwards because I'd taken other work, and they wrote me out - telling Mavis that Harry's work had called him elsewhere. Pity, but then again I may not have had the opportunity to play all those different roles over the years, what with the BBC Shakespeare series, and especially the BFG for over 1700 perfs, plus the spin-off with my one-man 'A Taste of Dahl' - funny how life pans out. Not rich or famous, but very happy with what I do!
- Sadly, not much in the way of anecdotes, though I do remember being quite fearful of Violet Carson when first introduced (something about that hairnet), and also thinking how smashing Thelma and Barbara were......they were really welcoming. I also seem to recall playing playing several rounds of golf with Johnny Briggs, and even beating him on one occasion....much to his chagrin! In those days there was a lovely atmosphere, despite the pressure, and I certainly enjoyed my all too brief sojourn.
- So, thanking you once again for the interest, and it's good to know that some aspects of my life will live on in Wikipedia!!!
- All the best,
- Anthony........on tour as The BFG in Whitley Bay! Ah, the glamour of it all!!!!
Hope this of interest.--Jtomlin1uk 13:27, October 20, 2009 (UTC)
- Brilliant! David 15:38, October 20, 2009 (UTC)