Britt Allcroft
Allcroft (* 14. December 1943 in Worthing , West Sussex , England as Hilary Mary Allcroft ) is a British film producer , director , screenwriter and actress . She became known as the author and producer of the children's television series Thomas, die kleine Lokomotive and Mamfie's adventures .
Career
Allcroft was born in 1943 in Worthing, England with the name Hilary Mary Allcroft . At the age of 16, when she began her film career, she changed her name to Britt Allcroft . She worked on some television programs from the BBC and ITV and also on some theater productions at the London Palladium and Drury Lane Theaters .
In 1979 Allcroft was working on a documentary about steam locomotives . The film was initiated by the book A Guide to the Steam Railways of Britain Wilbert Vere Awdry , whom Allcroft wanted to interview for the documentary. Awdry was known for his children's book series The Railway Series , which is about the animated locomotives of the fictional island of Sodor. Before meeting Awdry, Allcroft read some of these books and found them suitable for a television series. Awdry was hesitant at first as previous attempts to adapt his books to television were unsuccessful, but Allcroft prevailed, secured funding over the next three years and put together a team. The first season of Thomas, The Tank Engine & Friends ( Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends ) was released in 1984 and was a complete success.
Allcroft founded the Britt Allcroft Company with then-husband Angus Wright to secure the merchandising and rights to the TV series. After Clearwater Features , the production company for the first two seasons, closed in 1990, the Britt Allcroft Company took over production of the third season. In 1988 Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow created Shining Time Station , an offshoot to publicize Thomas in the United States. In 1994, Allcroft and her company Mamfies Abenteuer , a remake of Here Comes Mumfie .
Thomas, the little locomotive deviated more and more from the books, and after Awdry's death in 1997, Allcroft and David Mitton wrote exclusively their own stories and introduced their own characters. Allcroft was planning a movie about Thomas, the little locomotive that the fifth season was supposed to prepare for. Thomas, the fantastic locomotive was written by Britt Allcroft, she directed and spoke the character Lady in the English version. However, the film turned out to be a failure.
After the movie, Allcroft resigned as chairman of her company and the company was renamed Gullane Entertainment . For the sixth season, Allcroft was still involved as executive producer. During the production of the seventh season, she sold the rights to the series in full to HiT Entertainment and was no longer involved in the production of the series.
Allcroft lives in Santa Monica , California , USA and serves on the Advisory Boards of Southern California Public Radio and the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.
Filmography
- 1984–2003: Thomas, the little locomotive & his friends (author, producer)
- 1994–1998: Mamfie's Adventure (producer, director)
- 2000: Thomas, the fantastic locomotive (author, producer, director)
- 2015-2017: Stories from Whisker Haven (producer)
Awards and nominations
- 1985: Best Animated Short Film , nomination for Thomas, the Little Locomotive & His Friends , with David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona
- 1993: Gemini Award ; Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series for Shining Time Station , with Rick Siggelkow and Nancy Chapelle
- 2015: The WIFTS Television Pioneer Award for "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" (1984)
Web links
- Literature by and about Britt Allcroft in the catalog of the German National Library
- Allcroft in Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia (English)
- Official website (English; archived)
- Buckingham Covers
Individual evidence
- ↑ https://www.buckinghamcovers.com/celebrities/view/613-britt-allcroft.php. Retrieved August 3, 2020 .
- ^ The Sad Story of Henry (1953). Accessed August 2, 2020 .
- ^ Thomas the Tank Engine (1976). Accessed August 2, 2020 .
- ↑ David Mitton. Accessed August 2, 2020 .
- ↑ HiT Entertainment, Mattel Creations , accessed August 3, 2020.
- ^ The TV Series. Retrieved August 3, 2020 .
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Allcroft, Britt |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Allcroft, Hilary Mary (maiden name) |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British film and theater producer, director, screenwriter and actress |
DATE OF BIRTH | December 14, 1943 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Worthing , West Sussex , England |