Janice Burgess, creator of the beloved animated youngsters’s present The Backyardigans, has died on the age of 72.
Burgess’ dying was introduced by way of Instagram on March 4. Fracaswell Hyman, a writing veteran within the business, posted the heartbreaking information with a touching picture of his fallen buddy. He spoke fondly of his former boss, describing her as having “acid-tongued wit.”
“Janice Burgess 1952-2024. I met Janice Burgess early in my profession after I was head author on GULLAH GULLAH ISLAND, and he or she was assigned to be our Govt in Cost of Manufacturing. That is the individual the community sends to the set to verify the cash will not be going to waste. Janice swept in together with her acid-tongued wit, flowing Hermes scarves and omnipresent cigarettes. “
Hyman continued bragging concerning the producer, “As a substitute of an overseer, she grew to become a buddy. She acknowledged my magic earlier than I did and made positive I used to be within the room and into account for lots of the exhibits that got here my manner, together with LITTLE BILL and TAINA. Janice created THE BACKYARDIGANS and guided numerous different exhibits for Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, Disney and Apple TV. Her script/story critiques have been astute, clear and constructive – and I actually thank her for that.
Janice, Maria Perez-Brown and I developed exhibits collectively, gossiped collectively and, oh, how we laughed! I’ll miss my pricey buddy. RIP. Oh, how we laughed,” Hyman wrote concerning the present’s creator.
Burgess turned 72 on March 1. Information of her dying rapidly hit social media, the place followers of her exhibits, particularly followers of Gullah Gullah Island and The Backyardigans, shared the reactions and greatest reminiscences from the sequence that touched so many youngsters and adults due to its intentional illustration of city youngsters and tradition.
Burgess was an eight-time Daytime Emmy nominee, profitable an Emmy in 2008 for Excellent Particular Class Animated Program for The Backyardigans and in 2004 for Excellent Youngsters’s Animated Program for Little Invoice. The gifted producer and showrunner first joined Nickelodeon in 1995, coming from public tv.
The Backyardigans premiered on Nickelodeon on October 11, 2004, and Burgess served because the present’s govt producer, working her manner as much as senior vice chairman of Nick Jr.
“The Backyardigans has turn into type of like an journey that I’m going on with my pals. In fact, we receives a commission, however we do get to be carefree in our work, take pleasure in one another, grasp round loads, journey just a little bit, and make up stuff.”
The favored youngsters’s present had 5 characters– Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, Austin and Uniqua (her character was primarily based on the producer’s actual life rising up in Pittsburgh.) Her adventures in her neighborhood impressed the experiences on the present.
Listed below are a few of our favourite bops from The Backyardigans!
