Elstree Calling

John Maxwell Building at Elstree Studios. Photo: © Paul Burton

During the Sixties, the television series' which took to the stages at Elstree included The Saint, The Avengers and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

Their popularity continues today as digital channels such as BBC4 and ITV4 continue to regularly broadcast them.

As suave as he was back in the Sxties, it is hard to believe that the actor Sir Roger Moore is now in his 80s.

Moore has never lost his love of Elstree, and returned there to unveil a plaque in his honour in the autumn of 2006.

Back in the Sixties, Moore, as Saint, was one of many actors to benefit from appearing in scenes filmed on the town set built on the back lot at Associated British Pictures Corporation (A.B.P.C.), in Shenley Road, Borehamwood.

Thus one week he could be in France and the next apparently in Switzerland, as the set was adapted.

To increase production facilities at the studios for television production, stages 7, 8 & 9 were built, a along with the new administration, restaurant, bar and cafe complex, these days known as the Andrew Mitchell Building, the site was finally ready for use at the beginning of 1967. 

In 2007, I asked Gary Morecambe, son of the late comedian Eric Morecambe, about his memories of the various television series' made at the studios.

He said: "my childhood TV diet consisted of The Saint, The Avengers, The Champions and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

"It is ironic that today I find myself making weekly visits to a production company based there, Magician Pictures, as we are working on the early stages of a film project together.

"On top of this is the knowledge that just a spit away are the studios, now owned by the BBC, where Morecambe & Wise made their ATV shows for Lew Grade. So now I am not just touching the present activity of the studios, but touching a part of my family history."

In 1969, Central Casting agents sent a jobbing supporting artist down to ABPC to do some tests on an action series they were about to make.

The series was Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Harry Fielder was the supporting artist in question. I asked him what happened when he went to take part in the tests.

He said: "The tests were for special effects being tried out, such as walking through walls.

"I was to be Randall and a chap called Doug Lockyer was to be Hopkirk.

"We did the tests over a week and the following Monday the series got going for real. I was asked to stand in for Mike Pratt (Randall). I wasn't going to say no to a year's work.

"We got on like a house on fire from the first day. We used to have a sing-song in the dressing room or wherever we could."

Last year (2007), I helped to arrange a trip for Harry to return to the studios on a visit.

He said: "It was like coming home after 40 years, except half the home was missing.

"It was quite a shock to see a lot of the stages now taken over by a supermarket.

"While I worked at Elstree I travelled the world on shows like The Saint and travelled the universe on Star Wars.

"I'm so glad that my life worked out the way it did, and I would like to thank the many crews and artists for making me feel welcome on the shows I got to work on."

© Paul Burton 2008

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