The book 'Funnily Enough' is largely set at my parent's house in the Cotswolds, revolving around the real life antics of my mother in 1991. Twenty-four years later she is still going strong.
Having recently appeared in Broadchurch, playing Charlotte Rampling's ancient mother, Mum has just finished filmingCold Caller, a short film by Philip Cook, shot on location in her own garden, which was very convenient.
It is a chilling tale shot by Matt Bigwood and produced by George Collings. Mum plays Marjorie, an old lady who receives a call from a certain security expert who does not take his gloves off when he accepts a cup of tea. It is soon clear why the director wanted to use a garden with a deep lake.
It has been fun following the development of this short film inthe pressand on Facebook.
We were driving home when the car radio came on - by itself, which was rather surprising. I thought it was a traffic alert but the BBC was playing Carly Simon singing You're so vain, bet you think this song is about you. My husband changed the channel to listen to the 8 O'clock News but I changed it back as I rather like singing along to, I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee.
When the song ended I found we were listening to the Mark Forrest Evening Show. He was talking about Laurie Lee, the British author and poet born in Gloucestershire 100 years ago. I couldn't believe what I was hearing: it was not exactly about me but described a scene I'd been involved in forty-three years ago.
Sophie Neville, aged 10, outside Slad Village School in 1971
A chap called Dave had rung in from Milton Keynes to say that he had been in the BBC play 'Cider with Rose' directed by Claude Whatham back in 1971, when Rosemary Leach played Mrs Lee. It was filmed on location at Slad, the village where Laurie Lee grew up near Stroud in the Cotswolds. Although his character was not given a name he played a big boy at the village school who was slapped around the face by his teacher. He didn't mind because the director slipped him 50p 'Danger Money' after each take, but she drew blood. Later he was seen in the school playground being given an offer he couldn't refuse by a buxom girl who took him behind the bike sheds.
When we reached home, a few minutes later, I rushed inside and rang up the BBC.
'I was there, in that classroom!' I explained. 'I played the little girl called Eileen Brown who was sitting at the desk next to Laurie Lee.' The producer checked the International Movie Data Base, rang me back and put me on the air.
I explained that I had been cast in the part of Eileen Brown because I could play the piano. Later in the story Laurie Lee played his violin at the parochial village tea. I accompanied him, tripping over the complicated cords.
The author Laurie Lee, who was around at the time, explained that he quite fell for Eileen as they walked off stage. 'She was the first girl I fell in love with.'
'It was Oh, Danny Boy, the tune that always made Mrs Lee cry.'
I told him that Dave had been terribly brave because the small lady who had the role of the teacher really slapped him very hard. 'In the book, as well as in the BBC play, the boy simply picked the teacher up, put her on the window sill and walked out.' Claude Whatham who was directing the drama didn't tell us children what was going to happen. We were genuinely shocked. It was quite violent.
In Slad with director Claude Whatham
What made this all the more poignant was that we were sitting in the real school that Laurie Lee went to as a child. It was a true story. I read the book again recently. The boy Dave played walked off and never to returned to school again.
Claude Whatham ended up receiving a BAFTA nomination for Cider with Rosie, which was widely regarded as an avant garde, ground-breaking drama. Two years later he cast Sten Grendon, who played Little Laurie Lee, as Roger Walker in the Theatre Projects/EMI movie 'Swallows & Amazons'. He chose me to play Titty, his elder sister. The film score was composed by Wilfred Josephs who also wrote the theme music for Cider with Rosie (1971), which you can listen to here:
Wilfred Joseph's music for 'Cider with Rosie'
The actors John Frankly-Robbins and Mike Pratt also appeared in both dramas. I later worked with Rosemary Leach and met up with the set designer Michael Howells who had a small part as one of Laurie Lee's elder brothers.
The version that Dave and I appeared in was special in that Laurie Lee was in it, as himself - right at the end.
Why our car radio came on when it did, I do not know but listening to Dave speak about Claude Whatham was extraordinary, a piece of my own history. It seemed apt that we had just returned from The Chalke Valley History Festival. I am hoping to give a talk there next year on growing up in the 1920s and 1930s - which is exactly what Laurie Lee did.
You can read more about Claude Whatham and 'Cider with Rosie' (1971) in 'The Making of Swallows & Amazons'please click here and find a free sample of the first chapters.
To read about the real Rosie, as profiled in Cotswold Life magazine please click here
To listen to the Thursday Mark Forrest Evening Show - slide the cursor to 02:12:20 please click here
I start speaking about Swallows & Amazons at 02:14:20
Dave is on before the News at 01:53:00
Mum appears at the beginning of this trailer for The Invisible Woman, directed by Ralph Fiennes.
'Truly, Mr Dickens,' she assures him. 'It is never so alive as when it is spoken by its author.'
The hectic scene was shot on location at Harrow School where her grandson was a pupil. Her wig was originally made for Judy Dench and she rather liked the bonnet.
'Have you seen the film, Mum?'
'Seen the film? I was invited to the premier!'
They had cast party on a barge going down the Thames - and I could have gone!
Daphne Neville (left) appearing as Emma in 'Die Rose von Kerrymore'
Angela Howard-Bent, CEO of Dashwood Film Productions, became well known for her enthusiasm to adapt Rosamunde Pilcher's bestselling romantic novels. In the year 2000 she co-produced The Rose of Kerrymoreas a dual language production with German television. To the delight of the cast and crew this was shot on location in Dorset, featuring some of the most beautiful scenery in England .
My mother played Emma the housekeeper, enjoying the opportunity to see around the historic churches and interesting country estate where the story was set. She was the only member of the cast who was not German.
Matthias Zahlbaum, (above) known for Drunter und Druber, Das Schlob meins Vaters and Zwei Manner am Herd played Dr Tom Winter. Jenny Jurgens played Sally, the girl who fell in love with him, while Dietmar Schonherr had the role of grumpy old Lord Kerrymore. Mum was thrilled to be acting as his housekeeper.
When the series was broadcast in 2001, Matthias Zahlbaum wrote enthusiastically from Hamburg, saying that 6 million people had watched the ninety minute drama. He was very pleased with the viewing figures. We rang to congratulate Angela Howard-Bent, who had worked so hard on the project.
While Die Rose von Kerrymore was directed by Axel de Roche, who only had time to direct one further episode, the screenplay was written by Marlies Ewald, who went on to adapt many more well-loved Rosamunde Pilcher novels for the screen. It proved a hugely successful series, running for years. ZDF produced more than 100 of her stories for German television viewers.
Distributed by ZDF Enterprises, Die Rose von Kerrymore was a co-production with Steamship Films, FFP Media Entertainment, Zweiters Deutsches Fernsehen, Osterreichischer Rundfunk, MediaTrade, Videx International and Mainostelvisio (MTV3)
Daphne Neville is a leading character in Funnily Enough, the true story, recently serialised in eleven issues of iBelieve magazine.
Forty years after she enchanted film-goers as Titty in Swallows And Amazons, Sophie Neville has found a new audience with an ebook telling the behind-the-scenes secrets of the film of Arthur Ransome classic children’s novel.
‘After all these years, I’ve gently lifted the lid on the antics of the adult cast and crew,’ she tells me.
‘And I’m thrilled because it has outsold Julian Clary and Stephen Fry in Amazon’s bestsellers list!’
The Secrets Of Filming Swallows And Amazons is based on diaries, letters and old photographs which Sophie has turned into a heart-warming account of making the movie
The Secrets Of Filming Swallows & Amazons is based on diaries, letters and old photographs which Sophie has turned into a heart-warming account of making the movie, which starred Virginia McKenna and Ronald Fraser and was set in the Lake District.
‘Looking back, it was an interesting experience promoting a major film as a child star, adds Sophie, now 53.
‘There were also some funny experiences, too, such as being with Ronald Fraser, who played the pirate and was a truly drunken sailor!’ To read more please click here:
For someone who is never ever ill, and hates even the idea of hospital, it is rather surprising to digest the fact that Mum loves playing a patient.
Daphne Neville with Roy Dotrice
She doesn't seem to mind what she looks like on the screen. Here she is playing Louise, an A&E patient in 'Casualty', the long-running hospital drama made by BBC TV.
Playing a patient called Louise in 'Casualty'
The call now is for old ladies in need of comfort. This was a short WWII mystery movie called Lost Hearts shot on location near Malvern in Worcestershire in 2011.
Katrina Norbury and Daphne Neville in 'Lost Hearts'
She absolutely adored being in 'Doctors' for BBC TV - you can tell from this photo.
Daphne Neville and Tony Adams in 'Doctors'
Things were once different. She always enjoyed being a medic, although appearing as Nurse Fisher in the film 'Diagnosis Murder' with Christopher Lee did not do much for her career in that area.
Daphne Neville as Nurse Fisher in 'Diagnois Murder'
I am sure she did something terrible to the poor man in the wheel chair. He didn't look very well at all.
Playing a mid-wife for BBC TV back in 1994
There even was a time when she played a doctor. That was alarming.She played Dr Machin in the ATV soap opera Crossroads. So many people though she was a real doctor she could hardly go to the supermarket.
Playing Dr Hilary Machin in 'Crossroads'
For a more comprehensive credit list please click here
It can be rather a shock. There we are, innocently watching television and Mum appears - with George Cole.
In 'Minder' with George Cole
Then my friends ring to ask if it was true.
'Is she working as a receptionist now?'
'Not, exactly. She was just playing the part of a receptionist on 'London's Burning'.'
or
'We saw your mother in tears, terribly upset!'
'Oh, dear, have they been repeating 'Prime Suspect'?'
'Yes! That's what is was. Helen Mirren was the detective.'
It was a bit confusing when Mum appeared as a Magistrate when she was one in real life.
Chariman of the bench in 'Close Relations' for BBC TV
She was rather shocked to see herself with a Mrs Thatcher hair-do but I told her that it would probably lead to another part. Instead she ended up wearing this curly wig. Theatrical wigs tend to be terribly itchy.
Playing the Headmistress in 'House of Elliott' for BBC
with Louise Lombard and Stella Gonet
She loves climbing into a costume but would rather wear a hat.
On location with Gregor Fisher filming 'Rab C.Nesbitt'
With Roderick Smith in 'Dangerfield'
Filming 'To The Manor Born' one chilly day
And to give her her due, she gets to meet interesting people in interesting places. She readily admits that appearing on television is her hobby as well being her job. She loves it. We just have to be stoic viewers.
Playing Laura's Mum in 'Secret Smile' for Granada
with David Tennant
To see more about Daphne Neville's work in film and television please click here.
It all started when Mum played Mad Mary in the She-Wolf of London. My sisters were mortified.
She then appeared as 'a lovely Babooska' in The Saintwith Val Kilmer for Paramount Pictures. He was dressed up as a babushka too, trying to escape from some baddie, you'll have to tell me who.
Things got worse. Here she is in The Ghost of Greville Lodge, but what shocked her friends recently was seeing her looking hideous as the Dowager Duchess in a TV movie Maggie Smith starred in called Capturing Mary. It was directed by Stephen Poliakoff. At least she was drenched in jewels.
Seeing Mum on Casualtywas somehow more appalling. She played a pathetic character called Doreen Oaken in one episode but said it was quite restful as she spent most to the time being pushed around on a gurney.
Her best part was playing Miriam in The Chasedirected by Sue Tully, who I worked with years ago when she was in Eastenders. The Chase is a BBC drama series about a veterinary practice in Yorkshire. Mum adopted the accent, and was given a terrible haircut, to play a resentful woman on community service who found fulfillment when she came across a baby otter trapped in rubbish and managed to rescue it. Needless to say it was her own tame otter. She must have spent days in a costume comprised of fisherman's waders over a red zoot suit but has never been happier.
Mum's lastest role was playing a nun for the BBC. I just hope my sisters do not see the result.
Click here for more photos of this mad life or read the true story - snatches of which are in Funnily Enough.
It is a chilling tale shot by Matt Bigwood and produced by George Collings. Mum plays Marjorie, an old lady who receives a call from a certain security expert who does not take his gloves off when he accepts a cup of tea. It is soon clear why the director wanted to use a garden with a deep lake.
It has won a number of awards:
