Studio History

Manchester, England-based Cosgrove Hall Films, considered one of Europe's largest model and drawn animation studio, is looking to expand into new business areas, including feature films and multimedia. Already established in television specials and series, CHF has an extensive slate of programs both in production and development.

Recent productions from the acclaimed studio include the British Animation Award winning Foxbusters, based on the book by Dick King Smith, the author of Babe, and starring the voice talent of Whoopi Goldberg: Lavender Castle a space animation series by Gerry Anderson: Brambly Hedge: Rotten Ralph and Noddy for the BBC and The Animal Shelf, a pre-school 3D model animated series for the UK's ITV.

Currently in production are Fetch The Vet, a 3D model animation for the UK's ITV, further episodes of Rotten Ralph for the BBC and a fourth series of The Animal Shelf, commissioned by ITV and currently running in the It's itsy bitsy Time block on Fox Family. Albie, presented at europe's Cartoon Forum last year, a drawn animation about the adventures of a six year old boy and his explosive imagination has just gone into pre-production following a commission by ITV and a pre-sale to the French channel TF1.

Cosgrove Hall is famous as the birthplace of Danger Mouse, Count Duckula, Avenger Penguins, and the animated versions of Cinderella, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Wind in the Willows and Noddy. The studio has been well recognized for its efforts, having won British Academy Awards, International Emmys and Prix Jeunesse.

The studio began in 1976 when animators Mark Hall and Brian Cosgrove got together with John Hambley of Thames Television. They began with a crew of six and have grown to employ more than 70 people specializing in drawn animation, model animation and CGI.

Originally known as Cosgrove Hall Productions Ltd., the studio was a wholly owned subsidiary of Thames TV. Operating out of a converted tobacco warehouse, the company's early years were spent on commercials and an occasional special. Danger Mouse, an animated series satirizing secret agents, was the studio's passport to international recognition. It remains one of television's most popular animated shows.

In 1993 Cosgrove and Hall teamed with ITEL, the London-based international distributor owned by United News and Media and created a new company Cosgrove Hall Films. In partnership with ITEL, Cosgrove Hall Films has become one of the most respected names in international animation with programmes produced at the Manchester studios transmitted around the world.

Cosgrove Hall is currently housed in 25,000-square-foot custom-built studios, including two 3,500-square-foot model animation stages with computer-controlled motion camera rig and complete lighting and filming production facilities, plus workshops for puppet construction, wardrobe and set building. Complete drawn production facilities are also based in-house and include full editing backup. Additionally, the studio is fully equipped with the ANIMO animation system.