David Mitton, the children's TV producer who brought The Rev. Wilbert Vere Awdry's bedtime stories of Thomas the Tank Engine to lucrative, oddly animated life, has died.
But Thomas Schmomas, the guy also did The Thunderbirds! That means Thomas is two degrees of separation from Team America World Police. We may have to break down and buy some after all.
David Mitton, a Creator of ‘Thomas’ for TV, Dies at 69 [nyt]
There's a tribute to Mr. Mitton on YouTube I found. I agree with your "oddly" comment: Something about the animation style of Thomas the Train has always seemed kinda creepy. Not the content of the animation, but, like your example photo above, the panicked faces are kinda haunting.
Cheers,
Trev
http://elliotts.eachday.com