Angus Wright (producer)
Encyclopedia
Angus Wright - British television producer; co-founder and managing director of The Britt Allcroft Company plc until his retirement in 1999.
Educated at Durham School, after serving two years national service in the Durham Light Infantry he read law at Trinity College, Oxford
from 1954 to 1957. After graduation he joined the BBC as a sound studio manager, moving to BBC Television
Light Entertainment and then to Southern Television, the commercial television franchise for the south and south east of England. He remained in Southampton
where he worked in Jack Hargreaves’ children’s television department. As producer and director he was responsible for one of ITV’s longest-running children’s favourites ‘How’ as well as ‘Little Big Time and ‘Oliver in the Overworld’ starring Freddy Garrity and the Dreamers. With the change of the Southern TV franchise he stayed on at Southampton, becoming Head of Religious programmes first for TV South and then for Meridian Television.
In 1984 he resigned from network television to join an independent production company which he had founded with his then partner Britt Allcroft
, in 1981. In course of a freelance assignment, Allcroft met The Rev: Wilbert Awdry and together she and Wright acquired a license of television rights for Awdry’s ‘Railway Series’ of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine
. As creative producer, Allcroft commissioned David Mitton of The Clearwater Film Company to create films for the scripts which she developed from Awdry’s stories. Mitton’s brilliant live model animation films, using standard gauge 1 electric locomotives with interchangeable faces housing the famous swivelling eyes, which he animated in real time with a radio remote control, played a vital part in promoting Thomas the Tank Engine from a well-known but modestly popular children’s character to a children’s favourite known worldwide now for over 20 years. Allcroft achieved a major coup when she persuaded Ringo Starr to be the voice-over story-teller for her films. Starr’s gravelly Liverpool tones proved the perfect accompaniment to the quirky animation style.
With the support of Lewis Rudd, then of Central Television, the first series of Thomas the Tank Engine films launched on UK ITV in November 1984 to growing acclaim and demand for further films.
The acquisition of the necessary rights and venture capital finance, was achieved in 1985 and the fledgling company began the character licensing operation which was to prove the foundation of its fortune, leading to a London stock market flotation in 1996.
In 1986 the company was joined by Price Waterhouse accountant William Harris becoming Finance Director in 1988, and in 1989 Sue Sangway joined from Southampton Art Gallery, becoming Marketing Director in 1995.
In 1989 after long negotiation, Allcroft and Wright established Thomas the Tank Engine on the US Public Television Network, home of children’s TV classic Sesame Street
. The resulting success of the characters enabled them to be established in Japan on Fuji Television
.
In just over ten years the Britt Allcroft Company grew from a two-person start-up to a worldwide operation with offices in New York City
, Tokyo
and Toronto
. At the time of its launch on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 it was producing £6.3 million gross profit on annual turnover of £5.3million. Further productions followed: Britt Allcroft’s Magic Adventures of Mumfie in 1994; Wright himself acted as executive producer for Kate Canning’s ‘James the Cat’ and John Carey’s production of ‘The New Adventures of Captain Pugwash’ in 1998.
In 1999 at age 65, Wright retired from the company. He and Allcroft were divorced that year. He moved to France while she moved to California. In 2001, Wright and Sangway were married in France where they still live.
Educated at Durham School, after serving two years national service in the Durham Light Infantry he read law at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
from 1954 to 1957. After graduation he joined the BBC as a sound studio manager, moving to BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
Light Entertainment and then to Southern Television, the commercial television franchise for the south and south east of England. He remained in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
where he worked in Jack Hargreaves’ children’s television department. As producer and director he was responsible for one of ITV’s longest-running children’s favourites ‘How’ as well as ‘Little Big Time and ‘Oliver in the Overworld’ starring Freddy Garrity and the Dreamers. With the change of the Southern TV franchise he stayed on at Southampton, becoming Head of Religious programmes first for TV South and then for Meridian Television.
In 1984 he resigned from network television to join an independent production company which he had founded with his then partner Britt Allcroft
Britt Allcroft
Britt Allcroft is the multi- award-winning creator of a trio of children's entertainment produced in the 1980s and 1990s: "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends", , "Shining Time Station" and "Britt Allcroft's Magic Adventures of Mumfie".She was born Hilary Mary Allcroft, in Worthing, England and, at...
, in 1981. In course of a freelance assignment, Allcroft met The Rev: Wilbert Awdry and together she and Wright acquired a license of television rights for Awdry’s ‘Railway Series’ of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
. As creative producer, Allcroft commissioned David Mitton of The Clearwater Film Company to create films for the scripts which she developed from Awdry’s stories. Mitton’s brilliant live model animation films, using standard gauge 1 electric locomotives with interchangeable faces housing the famous swivelling eyes, which he animated in real time with a radio remote control, played a vital part in promoting Thomas the Tank Engine from a well-known but modestly popular children’s character to a children’s favourite known worldwide now for over 20 years. Allcroft achieved a major coup when she persuaded Ringo Starr to be the voice-over story-teller for her films. Starr’s gravelly Liverpool tones proved the perfect accompaniment to the quirky animation style.
With the support of Lewis Rudd, then of Central Television, the first series of Thomas the Tank Engine films launched on UK ITV in November 1984 to growing acclaim and demand for further films.
The acquisition of the necessary rights and venture capital finance, was achieved in 1985 and the fledgling company began the character licensing operation which was to prove the foundation of its fortune, leading to a London stock market flotation in 1996.
In 1986 the company was joined by Price Waterhouse accountant William Harris becoming Finance Director in 1988, and in 1989 Sue Sangway joined from Southampton Art Gallery, becoming Marketing Director in 1995.
In 1989 after long negotiation, Allcroft and Wright established Thomas the Tank Engine on the US Public Television Network, home of children’s TV classic Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. The resulting success of the characters enabled them to be established in Japan on Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
.
In just over ten years the Britt Allcroft Company grew from a two-person start-up to a worldwide operation with offices in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. At the time of its launch on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 it was producing £6.3 million gross profit on annual turnover of £5.3million. Further productions followed: Britt Allcroft’s Magic Adventures of Mumfie in 1994; Wright himself acted as executive producer for Kate Canning’s ‘James the Cat’ and John Carey’s production of ‘The New Adventures of Captain Pugwash’ in 1998.
In 1999 at age 65, Wright retired from the company. He and Allcroft were divorced that year. He moved to France while she moved to California. In 2001, Wright and Sangway were married in France where they still live.