Category Archives: TEP

Interview 55: Meeting Louise Gold, British Muppeteer and actress

On Sunday 7th, Bob and I travelled into London to record our 55th interview as a project! We are so lucky to have had the opportunity to film with Louise Gold.  We spent just over two hours with her, and asked her about her time working at ATV Studios in Borehamwood when she worked on The Muppet Show.  Louise told us about Jim Henson and how he encouraged his whole crew to do well, and getting to sing with Jerry Nelson, as well as when she met Danny Kaye. After The Muppet Show ended, Louise continued with the production team across the road to EMI Elstree Studios, where they made The Great Muppet Caper and The Dark Crystal back-to-back.  ...
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The Elstree Project interviews film star Simon Pegg at Elstree Studios

Yesterday we visited Elstree Studios to record an interview with actor Simon Pegg - star of the Star Trek and Mission: Impossible franchises. We had a great time talking about the filming of The World's End - the final film in the unofficial "Cornetto trilogy" - which was made locally in Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City, and used Elstree Studios for the studio based filming.  Three pub interiors were recreated on the stages at Elstree, including the titular pub at the climax of the film. Simon also worked on a new film, still yet to be released, called Man Up at the studios.  A recurring theme for Simon appears to be the filming of scenes set in toilets at Elstree - he's filmed three so far!  We joked that he should convince JJ Abrams to film a Death Star toilet scene at Elstree with Simon as the Stormtrooper attendant - after all, it wouldn't be a "true" Star Wars film if it didn't have at least...
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From Borehamwood to Hollywood film trailer now online, cast and crew, topics

This week the trailer for Howard Berry's documentary for the centenary of filmmaking in Borehamwood and Elstree went online.  From Borehamwood to Hollywood: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Elstree tells the story of the studios in the two towns from the opening of Neptune Studios in 1914 right through to the present day success stories of the BBC Elstree Centre and Elstree Studios. Topics include the silent film era, Hitchcock's "Blackmail", the fires at British and Dominions and EMI Elstree Studios, the arrival of commercial television, Lew Grade's ATV and ITC Entertainment, ABPC, Stanley Kubrick, EMI Films, Danziger's New Elstree Studios, The Gate Studios, MGM-British Studios, the financial slump of the early 1970s, the arrival of LucasFilm, The Muppet Show, Star Wars, the BBC and EastEnders, the closure of Elstree Studios and the S.O.S. campaign and the rescue by Hertsmere Borough Council, recent successes including Big Brother, The Worlds End and Strictly Come Dancing. Interviewees include cast, crew...
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The Elstree Project badges arrive for our interviewees and alumni

For a while we've been thinking of ways of saying thank you to our interviewees and close supporters, and we came across the idea of giving each interviewee a "welcome pack" when they agree to be interviewed - telling them about the project, the history, aims, who else we've met etc. - and also a "thank you pack" after we finish filming with them. To go with the latter, we thought it would be a nice touch to give each interviewee a pin badge, so - with thanks to the help and support of UH Arts and Paul Upson - we've just received a whole bunch of lovely badges! Let us know what you think in the comments below!...
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