VICTOR PEMBERTON
Victor Pemberton was an actor who turned his hand to writing fairly early in his career. Most of his work has been for television (especially "Doctor Who " and "Timeslip", a children's programme) but he has written a number of radio plays.
His first science fiction story was a submission to the BBC TV series Doctor Who in 1964 of a script entitled "The Slide". Although it was rejected by script-editor David Whittaker, Pemberton re-wrote it and submitted it as a radio serial. It was commissioned by future Doctor Who producer Peter Bryant and was broadcast on the Light Programme from 13th February 1966 to 20th March 1966, with Roger Delgado, Maurice Denham and David Spenser.
Victor wrote further serials and plays for BBC Radio including Eyes of the Buddha (1972), Escape to Lhasa (1973), The Fall of Mr. Humpty (1975), Night of the Wolf [a splendid creepy tale with Vincent Price] (1975) and The Trains Don't Stop Here Anymore (1978).
In 1976 he wrote a short radio version of a Dr. Who series entitled "The Pescatons" starring Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen and Bill Mitchell. It was released as an LP.
Victor and his long time friend, David Spenser, formed the production company "Saffron Productions" whose output included a well-received Omnibus profile of the comedian Benny Hill which was made in 1991.
In 1989, Victor wrote some semi-autobiographical radio plays under the title "Our Family" which he adapted into a novel. Since then he has written other novels of a similar type.
RADIO PLAYS
| *The Beano | R4 | 22.08.1962 |
| *Eyes Of The Buddha | R4 | 16.12.1972/2030 |
| *Shadow of the Pharoah | R4 | 30.09.72 |
| Escape To Lhasa | R4 | 22.12.1973/2030 |
| *The Fall of Mr. Humpty | R4 | 22.1.1975 45m |
| *Night Of The Wolf (w. Vincent Price) | R4 | 9.8.1975/2030 |
| *The Trains Don't Stop Here Any More | R4 | 8.7.1978/2030 |
| *Our Family - pt. 1 "Trains Don't Stop Here Any More" | R4 | 7.1.1989/1945 |
| *Our Family - part 2 "Don't Talk To Me About Kids!" | R4 | 14.1.1989/1945 |
| *Our Family - part 3 "Down By The Sea" | R4 | 21.1.1989/1945 |
compiled from info. supplied by Roger Bickerton. Asterisked plays known to exist in VRPCC collections.
NOTES ON SOME OF THE PLAYS
*THE SLIDE....1966
13.2.1966 - 27.3.1966, with Maurice Denham/Roger Delgado/Allan McLelland/Marion Mathie. This is a 7- episode science fiction serial. It begins with an earthquake in Southern England. Then the local wildlife starts to disappear. 7 x 30m. Producer John Tydeman.
EYES OF THE BUDDHA....1972
Family mystery story, 90m. With David Spenser, and set in Ceylon in the days of colonial rule
SHADOW OF THE PHAROAH....1972
Adventure story set in ancient times; 6 x 30m.30-Sep-1972; Sean Barrett , David Valla, John Bentley, Sheila Grant , Betty Baskomb, John Westbrook, John Ruddock, Martin Friend, William Eedle, Katherine Parr, produced by Graham Gauld.
ESCAPE TO LHASA....1973
An adventure thriller for radio by Victor Pemberton. With Mary Morris, Rolf Lefebvre, Joanne David and Terry Scully. An air crash in the Himalayas. Talk of treasure. Two spies escape from prison far too easily. A strange meeting in Kathmandu. Then on to Tibet and sudden deaths . . .
Cast: Martin Gilbert- Terry Scully, Valerie Nichols - Joanne David, Cmdr. Straker - Rolf Lefebvre, Robert - Mary Morris, McCloud - Fraser Kerr, Losang - David Spenser, Ningha - Heather Emmanuel, Gulliver - Sam Dastor, Prison Governor- Timothy Bateson, Superintendent - Nigel Graham, Police Sergeant - David Timson, Lady Portland - Elizabeth Morgan, Producer - John Tydeman.
NIGHT OF THE WOLF...1977
Exciting story of a monster in human form. Vincent Price is
the werewolf-hunter. 90m, 18 Jun 77, Saturday Night Theatre.
THE TRAINS DON'T STOP HERE ANY MORE....1978 and 1989
"A love story based on real people and actual events" ... begins
at the time of the first War, and goes up to the mid-30s; interesting
story of marriage between two different classes. With Nerys Hughes as
Lettie, Nigel Anthony as Ollie; also stars Wendy Richard, Sheila Grant,
Malcolm Hayes, Eric Seaton, Bill Monks, Adam Godley, Kenneth Shanleigh,
Eve Calfe, Eric Allan, Robert Trotter; pianist Mary Nash. Directed by
John Tydeman.
DOWN BY THE SEA....1989
Third play in the trilogy "Our Family". The later part of a long and happy marriage, which ends in a bungalow by the sea.. 21 Oct 89, SNT.
Cast:
Nerys Hughes................Letty Hobbs
Nigel Anthony...............Oliver Hobbs
Sheila Grant................Beatrice
Spencer Banks...............Mick
Sean Barrett................Eddie
Karen Archer................Mary
Rory McNicholl..............Jonathan
Michael Tudor Barnes........Bill Brooks
Emily Richard...............Tilly Brooks
Norman Bird.................Fred Golding
Joan Matheson...............Gladys Golding
John Baddely................Cypriot Man
Julie Berry.................Cypriot Woman
Kim Wall....................Reporter
Steven Harrold..............Doctor
Dance Band: The Les Brown Trio. Pianist Mary Nash.
Produced by David Spenser.
Victor Pemberton's website is at:
www.victorpemberton.com
where a more comprehensive (and more accurate) summary of his radio work can be found.
Nigel Deacon/2008
