Happy Birthday Brenda Loader, 29 January

Big Happy birthday to Brenda Loader, GBCT member for nearly 30 years and now retired after a long, varied and illustrious career.

Brenda started in the Drama Department of the BBC, where she was Verity Lambert’s secretary for 2 years. When Verity left to work on Budgie, starring Adam Faith, she recommended that Brenda take the BBC Production Assistants (P.A's) Training course, which she duly did.

Brenda on a Captain Birdseye shoot in the Bahamas Not quite virtual production!

At that time, P.A.s worked on projects from start to finish and were expected to act as Continuity during shooting. Brenda worked on multiple BBC projects from 1969 to 1978, including Z Cars, Hadleigh and Dickens of London. The most significant one was Dr. Who, where she met and fell in love with Stephen Hall, the Editor. They were married for 48 very happy years.

Brenda went freelance in 1978 to work on Danger UXB. Her 2^nd job and first feature was Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'

It was a baptism by fire, not solely due to the searing Tunisian heat. The shoot took twelve weeks and was great fun, as well as a brilliant and terrifying experience in equal measure. She smashed it, of course, and worked steadily thereafter.

Another great experience was Give My Regards to Broad Street, written by and starring Paul McCartney.  It garnered the 1985 BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Song, but was otherwise expensively unsuccessful. The shoot at Elstree Studios went on for over a year and The Lyceum Ballroom was entirely re-constructed on one of the stages. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was shooting on the adjacent stage and Harrison Ford was a regular visitor.

The Fever released in 2004 and starring Vanessa Redgrave, directed by her son Carlo was Brenda’s film swan song. In the meantime, she had also fitted in working on over 2000 commercials during the 80’s and 90’s and directed, notably, a Drink Drive campaign - “The Casualty” for the Central Office of Information.  This gained her entry in the prestigious Design and Art Direction book, as well as a British Television Advertising Award and nomination for a Golden Break Award.

Brenda’s still embracing new adventures and is currently exploring Chile and Argentina for a couple of months.

Wishing you safe travels, a great time and some very fine Malbec tasting.

Cheers to you, Brenda!