Cosgrove Hall Films was a British animation studio founded by Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall, headquartered in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. Cosgrove Hall was a major producer of children's television and animated programmes/films, which are still seen in over eighty countries. The company was wound down by its then owner, ITV plc, on 26 October 2009. It was mainly known for its series Danger Mouse, The Wind in the Willows and Count Duckula.

History

Stop Frame Productions

Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall first met while both were students at Manchester College of Art and Design, which is now part of Manchester Metropolitan University. They later became co-workers at Granada Television, where they produced television graphics. Nearer the end of the 1990's, ownership was placed under ITEL itself, with then-Anglia owners United News & Media purchasing HBO's stake in November 1999.

In 1997, Cosgrove Hall Films produced two series for Channel 4 based on Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music, two novels from Pratchett's Discworld series.

One of the studio's specialities was producing programmes for young children, such as Oakie Doke, Bill and Ben, and Andy Pandy for the BBC. The latter two series were based on classic characters from the 1950s. In the mid 2000s, Cosgrove Hall worked on a new version of Postman Pat. The studio also animated Ghosts of Albion, the BBC's first fully animated webcast. Website visitors could learn about the production and help to develop the story. Cosgrove Hall produced Scream of the Shalka, a Doctor Who animated story for the BBC website. In 2005, Cosgrove Hall, with Zinkia Entertainment and Granada Kids, produced the Spanish-British children's series, Pocoyo, making this their first ever CGI production. In 2006, they animated the missing first and fourth episodes of the Doctor Who serial The Invasion for a DVD release.

ITV started reducing its children's department in 2006 and towards the end of 2008 it began winding down the operations of Cosgrove Hall. All except six staff were made redundant by ITV, and Cosgrove Hall moved 'in house' to the Granada Television Studios in Manchester, ending over 30 years of the studio in Chorlton, with many ex staff moving to Chapman Entertainment. ITV said Cosgrove Hall currently had no work but believed “It is on the verge of a commission that will lead to the next recruitment drive.” However the UK was going thought its deepest recession and ITV

was not interested in investing in Cosgrove Hall. A financial review decided that the company was no longer viable.

The company was again put under review by ITV plc in October 2009, being absorbed, and ceasing to exist a few months later. Cosgrove Hall was developing Theodore, a CGI-animated series, when ITV absorbed the company. Despite being absorbed, the company is still classified as an "Active" business on Companieshouse.

Legacy

The land occupied by Cosgrove Hall's studios, in Albany Road, Chorlton, adjacent to the town's telephone exchange, which had stood empty for two years, was finally sold in the summer of 2010 to a housing development company. The intention was to demolish the historic studios and build retirement flats. During 2012, the studios were eventually demolished as part of the above development. Urban explorers who visited the site during the demolition found and photographed some models and backgrounds used in previous productions. Coincidentally, during April of that year it was announced that during the past summer, prior to the death of Mark Hall, he and Brian Cosgrove had pitched the idea of resurrecting the brand to possible investors.

Brian Cosgrove became the executive producer at CHF Entertainment, (defunct 2019), as was Hall until his death. On 18 November 2011, Cosgrove Hall Films closed down due to Mark Hall’s death of cancer at the age of 75.

  • Mouth and Trousers (2000)
  • The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew (2001)
  • Porter and Daughter (2001) (Engie Benjy pilot, co-production with ITEL)
  • Junglekids (2001)
  • F1: Race for the Future (2001)
  • Saturday Night Livestock (2001)
  • The Inbreds (2002) (pilot for adult animated series, once launched an official website)
  • The Kittens (2002) (Failed pilot for an Atomic Kitten animated series)
  • Shelltown (2003)
  • CodeWarriors (2004) (co-produced with Granada)
  • The Wumblers: Bertrum's Color Day (2004) (co-production with Peak Entertainment and The Silly Goose Company)
  • The Rag Pack (2004) (co-production with VGI Entertainment)
  • The Slums (2004) (co-production with Streetplay Design Ltd)
  • Super Hero High (2004)
  • Harold's Planet (2004)
  • Beat Freaks (2004) (co-production with Spin Entertainment and Mainframe Entertainment)
  • Octopus and Worm (2005)
  • The Carrotty Kid (2005) (once launched an official website)
  • Wobbly Horse (2005)
  • The Mystics (2005)
  • The Boy Who Kicked Pigs (2005)
  • Hamster in a Cage (2006)
  • A Break From The Old Routine (2007) (co-production with S4C)
  • My Neighbour is an Evil Genius (2007)
  • Roger to the Rescue (2007)
  • The Princess Bumblees (2007)
  • Squidge and the Hardnuts (2008)
  • Ruby to the Rescue (CBeebies, 2009) (co-production with Nelvana)
  • Theodore (2010) (was about to be developed for ITV during their absorption with the company)

Other

  • I Love 1981 (2001) (Danger Mouse's interview animation for BBC documentary)
  • The Oddkinsons - A United Family (2003) (webcast, co-production with Manchester United)
  • Doctor Who (2003 - 2007) (Scream of the Shalka webcast, an animated reconstruction of The Invasion and the televised serial The Infinite Quest)
  • Ghosts of Albion (BBCi, 2003) (Legacy webcast)
  • Sorted (2004) (3-minute animated fill-ins for Libra Television and Discovery Kids UK)
  • Love on a Saturday Night (2004) (additional animated fill-in graphics for LWT)
  • Top 10 Conspiracy Theories (2004) (animated graphics for Liberty Bell and Channel 5)

References

  • Some text modified from the Animation Gallery of the National Media Museum
  • Official Cosgrove Hall Films Site