David Mitton
Encyclopedia
David Nelson Godfrey Mitton (27 February 1939 - 16 May 2008) was a British
television producer
and director
, and an experienced model maker and author, best known for directing and producing the children's television shows TUGS
and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
. He also worked with Gerry
and Sylvia Anderson
as a special effects technician on such shows as Thunderbirds
.
Mitton was born in Edinburgh
, and educated at Strathallan School
. He had his own company Clearwater Features (1986) Ltd
with Robert D. Cardona
and later became part of The Britt Allcroft Company in 1991 and HIT Entertainment
in 2002. He retired after the last episode of the seventh season
of Thomas the Tank Engine. He later had his own company with David Lane
called Pineapple Squared Entertainment and worked on a new CGI show called Adventures on Orsum Island
.
On 16 May 2008, Mitton died of a heart attack.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
, and an experienced model maker and author, best known for directing and producing the children's television shows TUGS
TUGS
TUGS is a British children's television series, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized tugboat fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who...
and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
. He also worked with Gerry
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
and Sylvia Anderson
Sylvia Anderson
Sylvia Anderson , born 25 March 1937, is a British voice artist and film producer, most notable for collaborations with Gerry Anderson, to whom she was married from 1962 to 1975....
as a special effects technician on such shows as Thunderbirds
Thunderbirds (TV series)
Thunderbirds is a British mid-1960s science fiction television show devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by AP Films using a form of marionette puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation"...
.
Mitton was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and educated at Strathallan School
Strathallan School
Strathallan School is an independent boarding and day school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 9–18. The school has a campus at Forgandenny, a few miles south of Perth. It typically takes 50 minutes to travel to the school from Edinburgh and 1:15 hours from Glasgow.The school has 99 full time...
. He had his own company Clearwater Features (1986) Ltd
Clearwater Features
Clearwater Features Ltd. was a British film production company that produced the first two seasons of the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends from 1984 to 1986, for The Britt Allcroft Company. Clearwater is also known for creating the hit children's TV show TUGS...
with Robert D. Cardona
Robert D. Cardona
Robert D. Cardona is an American writer, producer, director and animator. Cardona co-founded Clearwater Features, along with David Mitton, in 1980.-Career:...
and later became part of The Britt Allcroft Company in 1991 and HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
in 2002. He retired after the last episode of the seventh season
Thomas and Friends - Season 7
Thomas and Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W...
of Thomas the Tank Engine. He later had his own company with David Lane
David Lane (director)
David Lane is a British television and film director, best known for his association with series produced by Gerry Anderson's AP Films.Lane directed several episodes of the Thunderbirds television series, including "Attack of the Alligators!", as well as the two cinema films Thunderbirds are GO and...
called Pineapple Squared Entertainment and worked on a new CGI show called Adventures on Orsum Island
Adventures on Orsum Island
Adventures on Orsum Island was a planned British CGI children's television series created by former Thomas and Friends and TUGS director and producer, David Mitton. This was Mitton's last work before his death in 2008. The show was being produced by Pineapple Squared Entertainment, which was...
.
On 16 May 2008, Mitton died of a heart attack.
External links
- Obituary: The Independent
- Obituary: New York Times
- Obituary: Telegraph – includes photograph of Mitton with Duck and Oliver models