Britt Allcroft (born Hillary Mary Allcroft, on 14th December 1943 in Worthing, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom) is an English producer, writer, director, and actress who is the multi-award-winning creator and adapter of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (based on the Railway Series by Wilbert Awdry) and Shining Time Station.
She founded "The Britt Allcroft Company" with then-husband Angus Wright (they were married from 1973 to 1997), known as Britt Allcroft Limited (later renamed Gullane Entertainment) which was sold and acquired by HiT Entertainment in 2002.
She was also the screenwriter, a producer, and director of Thomas and the Magic Railroad, and supplied the voice of Lady. She also created the American animated television show "The Magic Adventures of Mumfie" and in the late 1990's remade the classic series "Captain Pugwash".
She currently lives in Santa Monica, California, USA. She is also on the advisory council of Southern California Public Radio and the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.
Career
Allcroft served as executive producer for the first two series. She took Robert D. Cardona's place as producer from the third to fifth series after Clearwater Features closed down in 1990. In May 2000, Allcroft was a director and advisor of Gullane and she returned for the sixth series as executive producer alongside Peter Urie and had script consulting duties on the seventh series after the performance of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. By 2003, (a year after Gullane Entertainment was sold and acquired by HiT Entertainment, as well as the same year when Series 7 was released), Allcroft had resigned from her remaining positions with the company and did not return for the eighth series after HiT had brought the rights to Thomas. This was attributed to the poor reception and successful merchandising of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. She also served as "Storyteller Director" for the show.
She also served as a producer for the first series of Shining Time Station and an executive producer for the second and third series and the Family Specials, both alongside Rick Siggelkow.
She also worked on a live-action kids show called "The Scoobs" and created a British-American animated show for Disney and Disney Junior called "Whisker Haven Tales with the Palace Pets", a spinoff to the "Disney Princesses" franchise.
Allcroft, along with Rick Siggelkow, are currently trying to get Shining Time Station onto DVD or back on television. She is also working on reviving "The Magic Adventures of Mumfie".
Episodes Written
Series 1
- Thomas' Christmas Party (co-written with David Mitton)
Series 3
Both episodes were co-written with David Mitton.
Series 4
- Rusty to the Rescue (co-written with David Mitton)
Series 5
All 26 episodes were co-written with David Mitton; these nine episodes were co-written with Mitton and David Maidment.
- A Better View for Gordon
- Lady Hatt's Birthday Party
- James and the Trouble with Trees
- Gordon and the Gremlin
- Baa!
- Haunted Henry
- Double Teething Troubles
- Busy Going Backwards
- Duncan Gets Spooked
Movie
Producer
Series
- Series 1
- Series 2
- Series 3
- Series 4
- Series 5
- Series 6 (as executive producer)
- Series 7 (as script consultant)
Movie
Director
Movie
- Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Voices
- Lady (Thomas and the Magic Railroad)
Filmography
Films
- "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" (2000)
- "Mumfie's Quest" (2000)
Television
- "Magic Adventures of Mumfie" (1995-1999)
- "Storytime with Thomas" (1999)
- "Whisker Haven Tales with the Palace Pets" (2015-2017)
Awards and nominations
- Honouree - The WIFTS Television Pioneer Award, 2015, for "Thomas & Friends".
- Won - Gemini Awards - Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series, 1993, for "Shining Time Station", shared with Rick Siggelkow and Nancy Chapelle. Two times.
- Nominated - British Academy of Film and Television Arts - Best Animated Film, 1985, for "Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends", shared with David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona.
Trivia
- Similar to how Wilbert Awdry was critical of "Henry's Forest", Allcroft was critical of Thomas and the Royal Engine, and criticised its marketing, particularly where Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex was involved. After watching the special, however, she changed her thoughts and praised Michael White for his writing of the special.