Andrew Davenport
Andrew Davenport | |
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Born | |
Occupation(s) | Actor and children's TV creator |
Andrew Davenport (born 10 June 1965) is an award-winning English producer, writer, composer, puppeteer and actor specialising in creating television and publishing for young children.
Davenport has been dubbed ‘the J. K. Rowling of the under fives’[1] following the extraordinary international success of Teletubbies and In the Night Garden....
Davenport created Teletubbies (first broadcast in the UK in 1997) with Anne Wood, and wrote all of the 365 episodes.
He created In the Night Garden...[2][3] (first broadcast in the UK in 2007), wrote all of the 100 episodes, and composed the title theme and incidental music.
He is renowned for creating high-volume and technologically pioneering character-based productions, designed for developmentally specific audiences that appeal successfully to their target age group [citation needed].
In March 2012 Andrew Davenport became CEO of Shine Group’s children’s venture focusing on creating both traditional and interactive content for children, initially for the pre-school market.[4]
Biography
Andrew Davenport was born in Folkestone, Kent. He went to Hayes School then studied BSc Speech Sciences (vocational training for Speech Therapists) at University College London,[5] and the National Hospitals College of Speech Sciences (NHCSS).
He was President of University College London Drama Society in 1986/7, and on graduating he set up a theatre company with performing partner Kate France, appearing at the Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Serpentine Gallery, London, the Théâtre de la Bastille, Paris, and the Yermolova Theatre, Moscow.
In 1992, Davenport was filmed dancing on a Soho roof for a short film Joy by Mehdi Norowzian, a performance that inspired the Anticipation Guinness advertisement.
Davenport is the model in the 1992 Gilbert & George work ‘Eyes’.
TV career
1993-1998 Davenport created and puppeteered Tiny in the double BAFTA winning series Tots TV and wrote two[6] of the 298 episodes.
1994 Davenport appeared as Rascally Robber in two episodes of the series Brum as writing several episodes of series 2.[6]
1997-2001 Davenport co-created Teletubbies with Anne Wood, and wrote all[6] of the 365 x 25 minute episodes.
2002-2003 Davenport wrote the BAFTA winning series Teletubbies Everywhere (52 x 10 minutes)[6]
2007-2008 Davenport and wrote two episodes and composed music for eight episodes of the double BAFTA winning In the Night Garden... (100 x 30 minutes)[6]
Awards
- BAFTAs In the Night Garden... - Best Pre-school Live Action Award 2007[7] and 2008[8]
- BAFTA Teletubbies Everywhere - Best Pre-school Live Action Award 2002[9][10]
- Royal Television Society Teletubbies - Best Pre-school and Infants Award 2000[11]
- BAFTA Teletubbies - Best Pre-school Programme 1998[12]
- Royal Television Society Teletubbies - 24th Japan Prize International Contest, Grand Prize-winner, Pre-school Education Category 1997[13]
- Royal Television Society Teletubbies - Children's Entertainment Award 1997[14]
- BAFTA Tots TV - Best Pre-school Programme 1996[15] and 1997[16]
References
- ^ "Andrew Davenport: Ooo, what's all the fuss? - Telegraph", The Telegraph, 17 January 2008.
- ^ "In the Night Garden: Bedtime for Teletubbies – The Independent", The Independent, 18 April 2007.
- ^ "Night Fever – The Observer Magazine", The Observer Magazine, 25 November 2008.
- ^ "Andrew Davenport". shinegroup.tv. Shine Group. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
- ^ "FIRST PERSON: IN THE NIGHT GARDEN". UCL PEOPLE (July–December 2008): 10. Archived from the original on 2010-04-10.
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- ^ http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations/?year=2007 "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Live-Action Award - In the Night Garden...", 2007.
- ^ http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations/?year=2008 "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Live-Action Award - In the Night Garden...", 2008.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Live-Action Award - Teletubbies Everywhere", 2002.
- ^ Awards for Andrew Davenport at IMDb
- ^ "Royal Television Society – Best Pre-school and Infants Award - Teletubbies" Archived April 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, 2000.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Programme Award - Teletubbies", 1998.
- ^ "24th Japan Prize International Contest, Grand Prize-winner, Pre-school Education Category - Teletubbies" Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, 1997.
- ^ "Royal Television Society – Children’s Entertainment Award - Teletubbies", 1997.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Programme Award - Tots TV", 1996.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Programme Award - Tots TV", 1997.
- In the Night Garden Live: A theatrical spectacular - for toddlers, The Telegraph, 25 July 2013
- An interview with Andrew Davenport - 'In the Night Garden...',, The Observer, 25 November 2007
- Channel 4 News interview with Andrew Davenport following the death of Oliver Postgate