R.I.P. Britt Allcroft, creator of Thomas & Friends
Britt Allcroft, the producer behind the beloved Thomas the Tank Engine TV series Thomas And Friends, has died. Brannon Carty, a filmmaker who made the documentary An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas The Tank Engine, announced the news on Twitter/X at the behest of her family. She was 81 years old.
"Britt was an adoring mother and wife. A visionary producer. She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth," Carty wrote in part in the social media statement. "As a way to honor Britt's legacy, her family [has] asked that you consider making a charitable donation to your local chapter of the ASPCA in Britt's name. While I am devastated by her passing, we can all find comfort in the certainty that her legacy will endure forever through Thomas and his fans around the world. Rest in Peace."
Allcroft began her career in British television and was introduced to Thomas the Tank Engine when she met the author, Reverend Wilbert Awdry, while making a documentary about the Bluebell Railway. According to The Independent, multiple producers were interested in adapting Thomas, but she successfully convinced Awdry that she was the right person for the job. After securing the rights, she and her husband, fellow TV producer Angus Wright, spent four years securing funding for their program.
The result was Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends (later shortened to Thomas & Friends), which first aired on ITV in October 1984 with narration from former Beatle Ringo Starr. The series became a huge success, eventually running for 24 seasons and 584 episodes over 37 years. It spawned several spin-offs, including the U.S. show Shining Time Station (George Carlin and Alec Baldwin served as narrators for the U.S. series) and Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales. Allcroft went on to write and direct the 2000 feature film, Thomas And The Magic Railroad, starring Baldwin, Peter Fonda, and Mara Wilson.
In the wake of a poor box office performance for the film, Allcroft resigned from her production company The Britt Alcroft Company, per The Guardian. The company was eventually sold to HiT Entertainment, which itself was later acquired by Mattel. In 2021, Mattel rebooted the show as the 2D animated series Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
"Mattel is deeply saddened by the news of visionary producer and Thomas & Friends TV show creator Britt Allcroft's passing. Britt's contributions to children's television and Thomas & Friends cannot be understated," Mattel said in a statement to Newswire. "Bringing the Rev. W. Awdry's Railway Series books to television for the first time, Britt introduced the beloved characters of Thomas the Tank Engine and friends to a new global audience and touched millions of children and adults. Mattel is grateful for Britt's legacy and impact and send our sincerest condolences to Britt's family and friends."