Denis Lawson (The Future Hour) appears at Collectormania, 26 May 2013

Actor Denis Lawson, best-known in genre circles for appearing in all three original Star Wars films, but equally well-known to Survivors fans for his guest-starring role in series one Survivors episode The Future Hour, appeared at the Collectormania 19 event at Milton Keynes on 26 May 2013.

Denis Lawson (left), The Future Hour
Denis Lawson (left), as Norman in The Future Hour, Survivors series one

Survivors fan gathering at Hampton Court, Saturday 29 June 2013

Survivors fan Steve Clutterbuck is organising an informal gathering for fans at Hampton Court in Herefordshire on Saturday 29 June 2013. Says Steve:

If anyone fancies a trip out to visit Hampton Court near Leominster, enjoy a walk around the grounds and get a chance to meet fellow Survivors fans, there is an informal picnic being arranged on Saturday 29 June 2013. On Friday 28 June, if anyone’s interested, we could perhaps arrange to visit some other nearby Survivors filming locations. If anyone is interested in joining in on either day, please get in touch via my website.

Updated: Organiser Steve Clutterbuck has shared a video of the tour of the castle interior which fans joined on the day –
 

The Survivor range of mobile and tablet cases boasts striking logo design

A range of hard-wearing, protective cases for iPads, smartphones and other mobile devices, marketed by Griffin Technologies boasts impressive and striking brand styling.

The Survivor range benefits from a strong stencil-style logo which aims to emphasise the durability and resilience of its products. It is an effective and memorable case of (trade-marked) product branding, about which Griffin Technologies’ lawyers would certainly not encourage us to comment.

The Survivor brand - from Griffin Technologies
The Survivor brand – from Griffin Technologies

Another Survivors filming location that has gone away…

The garage and workshop visited by Abby in the opening minutes of Survivors‘ series one episode Corn Dolly (located in the Herefordshire village of Llangrove) has been demolished.

Corn Dolly - the garage and workshop where Abby and the group encounter Charles Vaughan
Corn Dolly – the garage and workshop where Abby and the group first meet Charles Vaughan

The exterior of the building was used as a filming location during the first series on-location filming block in January 1975 (while the interior sequences were shot on video at BBC Television Centre several weeks later).

The workshop, located adjacent to the village school and close to the Post Office, remained in active use until at least 2005, but has since closed and been boarded up.

The building has now been demolished, the land cleared, and the site put up for auction.

The garage and workshop in Llangrove has gone away - April 2013
The garage and workshop in Llangrove has gone away – April 2013

Survivors’ video sleeve illustrator Pete Wallbank creates new artwork

Artist Pete Wallbank, who created the sleeve artwork for the Sovereign VHS release of series one of Survivors in 1998, has been commissioned by fan David Tulley to create a new original piece of Survivors art.

In the style of a Survivors video sleeve cover, Pete has produced a new and original design inspired by the classic series three episode The Last Laugh, which the artist and new owner have kindly agreed can be published on the Survivors: A World Away site.

Pete Wallbank - The Last Laugh
Pete Wallbank – The Last Laugh

With thanks to Pete Wallbank; from the collection of David Tulley

To learn more about his work on the Sovereign video release of Survivors, read an interview with Pete from 2007.

Lucy Fleming joins events to mark World Book Night

Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards, Survivors) was a guest-speaker at events marking this year’s World Book Night at London’s Southbank (24 April 2013). To coincide with World Book Night 2013 a “half a million books were given away across the country to support the nation’s love of reading”.

The niece of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Lucy read from her uncle’s essay How To Write A Thriller (see video below).

Lucy Fleming at World Book Night 2013
Lucy Fleming at World Book Night 2013
Lucy Fleming and authors at World Book Night 2013
Lucy Fleming and authors at World Book Night 2013

Lucy Fleming reads Ian Fleming's 'How to Write a Thriller'

Original Survivors Mad Dog script up for auction

Survivors‘ scriptwriter Don Shaw is selling off a number of original copies from his personal archive of his own TV scripts – including his own copy of his script for the series three classic Survivors episode Mad Dog.

Don recently sold a signed copy of one of his Doomwatch scripts for more than £200, while a copy of an signed script from his contribution to the Hammer House of Horror anthology sold for more than £400.

Of the Mad Dog script he is now auctioning off Don says:

“It comes with a 3 page lengthy analysis and synopsis, cast list, viewing figure, locations. transmission date and time etc. It will also have my letter signed by myself to the winning buyer giving something of the background as I remember it with a tale of an actor in risk of hypothermia as we shot footage near Ilam in the Peak District. It’s in very good condition. I’m looking for offers above £250.”

If you are interested in making a bid on the Mad Dog script, please register your interest via the contact form on the Survivors: Mad Dog site, by the end of Tuesday 14 May. (Please note, the Survivors: Mad Dog site is just helping Don to get word out to Survivors‘ fans about this offer – and won’t receive a penny from any sale).

If no suitable offers are received directly from the Survivors fan community (which is receiving first sight of the sale), then the script will be auctioned off on eBay.

UPDATE: 28 May 2013: The auction of Don Shaw’s original script for Mad Dog has concluded – and the successful highest bidder will shortly receive their signed manuscript in the post. Don has expressed his pleasure that the script has a new owner “within the Survivors fan community”. Thanks go to everyone who took part in the auction, or expressed an interest.