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Mitton directed 180 out of 182 episodes of the seven series made between 1984 and 2003, as well as writing the scripts once the show began to deviate from adapting Awdry's work in 1991. Mitton was able to move each engine's eyes in real time – not stop-frame animation– by using a radio control linked
245:. He served with the RAF at Christmas Island, and at Honolulu before returning to serve at Southern Region Air Traffic Control, RAF Uxbridge, later he served at RAF Riyan up-country from Aden in what is now Yemen. He also served in Cyprus with the
159:(27 February 1939 – 16 May 2008) was a British director, producer, writer, model maker and special effects technician. He was best known for producing and directing the children's television programmes
349:. Allcroft approached Mitton to develop a pilot for a television series, and in a joint partnership between her production company (known as The Britt Allcroft Company) and Clearwater Features, they made
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had been available before the television programme, but the programme created a new multimillion-pound industry and became an unstoppable phenomenon which could be seen in 145 countries worldwide.
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On his return from RAF service in the early sixties, Mitton embarked on a career in children's television. He began working as a special effects technician on a series of programmes created by
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commercials of the seventies in the United
Kingdom and began directing animated television commercials himself. In the mid-seventies, he established a company called Clearwater Films (later
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to a motor mounted behind them, and there was a sculpted mask that could be changed to give different facial expressions. The role of the narrator was played by
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Mitton and Lane had been working on several projects prior to the former's death, including the production of the animated 26-part TV series
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Mitton died on 16 May 2008, having suffered a heart attack. He was 69 years old. His death wasn't announced until 28 May.
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between 1984 and 2003. On 1 January 1991, Clearwater
Features became part of The Britt Allcroft Company, and in 2002,
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As Gerry
Anderson moved away from puppet animation, Mitton became freelance. He worked as assistant director to
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team, displaying a special skill in setting up the electronics necessary to blow up buildings on cue in
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Adventures on Orsum Island (2006/2008; unfinished) - creator, director, concept director, producer
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The show became an instant success on
British television, and in 1989, Allcroft helped created
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1987: Nominated for Best
Animated Film for Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (shared with
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1985: Nominated for Best
Animated Film for Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (shared with
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Another commercial for "Prize Guys” yoghurt attracted the attention of television producer
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British director, producer, writer, model maker and special effects technician (1939–2008)
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In 2006, Mitton started another company, Pineapple
Squared Entertainment, with director
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which preserves concept art, extended episode cuts, and the original models.
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by Robert D. Cardona. TUGS remains popular online and has an exhibition at the
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Portrait of a People: Impressions of
Britain (1970) - assistant director
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241:. On leaving school, he briefly attended art school before joining the
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618:(1989-1995) - director (Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends segments)
422:. Mitton was a creative consultant for the models used in the film.
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270:. Mitton was a member of the supervising visual effects director
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897:"Press Release: Star Tugs Exhibition to Open in March 2014!"
400:. Because of the sequences that introduced the stories from
804:"David Mitton, a Creator of 'Thomas' for TV, Dies at 69"
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became a successful television show. Merchandise for
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service, and then left the Royal Air Force in 1962.
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928:– includes photograph of Mitton with "Duck" and "
737:"'Thomas the Tank Engine' director: David Mitton"
321:set in an orbiting space station and another for
266:'s AP Films that used a puppet technology called
357:bought out Allcroft and retitled the programme
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517:(1968-1969) - special effects technician
505:(1967-1968) - special effects technician
493:(1965-1966) - special effects technician
396:(1989–1995) in the United States on the
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634:Jack and the Sodor Construction Company
630:(2000) - model unit creative consultant
221:Mitton was born on 27 February 1939 in
636:(2006) - model consultant (uncredited)
994:People educated at Strathallan School
309:), with former Thunderbirds director
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984:Military personnel from East Lothian
969:20th-century Scottish businesspeople
449:In 1989, inspired by the success of
410:Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends
402:Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
351:Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
547:(1970) - special effects technician
535:(1969) - special effects technician
529:(1969) - special effects technician
511:(1968) - special effects technician
499:(1966) - special effects technician
171:. During the 1960s, he worked with
964:20th-century British screenwriters
554:Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
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579:Producer (130 episodes) (seasons
559:Director (180 episodes) (seasons
541:(1969) - third assistant director
503:Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
280:Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
192:Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
1014:Scottish animated film directors
371:for the first two series in the
979:British male television writers
974:British animated film producers
589:Model Consultant (2 episodes) (
569:Writer (147 episodes) (seasons
745:. 28 June 2008. Archived from
379:. Ringo Starr was replaced by
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1029:Scottish television producers
1024:Scottish television directors
628:Thomas and the Magic Railroad
622:Bookmark (documentary series)
419:Thomas and the Magic Railroad
183:technician on series such as
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398:Public Broadcasting Service
313:and American-born producer
157:David Nelson Godfrey Mitton
47:David Nelson Godfrey Mitton
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479:Adventures on Orsum Island
383:in the United Kingdom and
114:special effects technician
1019:Scottish company founders
1004:Royal Air Force personnel
556:(1984-2003) - co-creator
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523:(1969) - special effects
999:People from Prestonpans
404:to American audiences,
1044:Special effects people
989:Miniature model-makers
660:Awards and nominations
387:in the United States.
347:Reverend Wilbert Awdry
604:Director (9 episodes)
345:from its author, the
616:Shining Time Station
451:Thomas & Friends
431:Thomas & Friends
414:Thomas & Friends
406:Shining Time Station
393:Shining Time Station
360:Thomas & Friends
330:Thomas & Friends
162:Thomas & Friends
925:The Daily Telegraph
874:The Daily Telegraph
607:Writer (6 episodes)
497:Thunderbirds Are Go
307:Clearwater Features
809:The New York Times
533:The Secret Service
461:Salty's Lighthouse
342:The Railway Series
288:The Secret Service
235:Strathallan School
204:The Secret Service
685:Robert D. Cardona
678:Robert D. Cardona
601:(1989) - creator
521:Battle of Britain
355:HiT Entertainment
315:Robert D. Cardona
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122:Years active
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624:(1995) - Himself
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381:Michael Angelis
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150:Jonathan Mitton
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125:1965–2008
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869:"David Mitton"
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879:. Retrieved
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751:. Retrieved
747:the original
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666:BAFTA Awards
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527:Doppelgänger
491:Thunderbirds
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258:Early career
231:East Lothian
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186:Thunderbirds
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82:(2008-05-16)
69:East Lothian
25:David Mitton
18:
959:2008 deaths
954:1939 births
881:27 December
842:27 December
816:27 December
753:27 December
485:Filmography
369:Ringo Starr
290:(1969) and
227:Prestonpans
139:Joan Ferris
111:model maker
96:Occupations
80:16 May 2008
65:Prestonpans
948:Categories
936:Obituary:
923:Obituary:
692:References
472:David Lane
325:tea bags.
311:Ken Turner
239:Perthshire
217:Early life
71:, Scotland
53:1939-02-27
938:The Stage
439:Series 12
90:, England
932:" models
591:season 6
435:Series 8
427:Series 7
375:and the
286:(1968),
147:Children
105:producer
102:Director
323:PG Tips
223:Preston
130:Spouses
61:Preston
930:Oliver
838:. 2008
515:Joe 90
284:Joe 90
253:Career
198:Joe 90
108:writer
88:London
652:Death
319:Hovis
303:Hovis
179:as a
173:Gerry
918:IMDb
883:2012
844:2012
836:IMDB
818:2012
755:2012
676:and
599:TUGS
456:TUGS
207:and
175:and
168:TUGS
165:and
136:Judy
77:Died
43:Born
916:at
545:UFO
437:to
429:of
292:UFO
237:in
210:UFO
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
