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RINGO STARR
UK/US - 1984 to 1989
Legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr was highly sought after by Britt Allcroft when
she heard his voice on Parkinson back in the early 1980s, but Ringo wasn't so sure to begin with. He was intially reluctant
to do the job, but with some persuasion took up the gig and gained what was probably his second most famous role besides being
the Beatles drummer.
Ringo was also invited by Britt Allcroft to continue his narrative role in the USA,
starring as the first Mr Conductor in her Shining Time Station Series, before declining the opportunity to do a third series
in favour of touring with his All-Starr Band. However, despite leaving, the little blue engine will always have a place
in his heart, and Ringo has said in interviews that he is proud to have been a part of Thomas's world.
RINGO STARR LINKS:
MICHAEL ANGELIS
UK 1991 - Present
US 2004 (New Friends For Thomas release)
Michael Angelis took over from Ringo Starr to provide the UK/AU storytelling in Series
3. Angelis showed a great deal of enthusiasm for the series and characters by providing them with their
own individual voices, accents and dialects.
Although never as famous as Ringo Starr, Angelis has had numerous television roles, most
notably in the Liver Birds between Series 5 and 9, and in the revived Auf Weidershen Pet as villain Mickey Startup.
More recent roles have seen him provide the voice of father ant in the Post Office advertisements and a carrot for McDonalds!
He was married for a number of years to Coronation Street's Helen Worth (Gail Platt), but they subsequently split in 2001,
and he has since remarried to model Jennifer Khalastchi.
Despite numerous changes in the makeup of the series, and his axed voiceovers in
the Magic Railroad film, Angelis stayed steadfast and faithful to the series.
While reported to be standing down in 2007 in favour of Pierce Brosnan, Michael was asked to come back to voice the series
again, and remains the UK storyteller.
MICHAEL ANGELIS LINKS:
GEORGE CARLIN
US 1991 - 1995
In 1991, it was decided that the US would receive its own storyteller
for the series, feeling that an American voice would be more apt to satisfying the American people. However, it was
a bit of a controversial choice. George Carlin is more famous for his rude
and crude standup comedy routine than entertaining children, so there was bound to be sceptacism surrounding his appointment.
However, Carlin proved to be somewhat popular with the fans of the
series, and even did renarrations of the episodes that Starr had done before to suit the ear of the average American.
Carlin also took over from Starr in the part of Mr Conductor in Shining Time Station, starring for two series.
George left in 1995 to place greater attention upon his stand up comedy
routine and to persue other projects. Since then he has starred in films such as Dogma and numerous others.
Sadly, George left us at the age of 71 on the 22 June, 2008
due to heart failure. Both Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow, for whom George contributed as storyteller to Thomas the Tank
Engine and Friends and as Mr. Conductor on Shining Time Station have wriiten lovely tributes to the man. Rick's homage can
be read here: Memories of George Carlin on Shining Time Station
GEORGE CARLIN LINKS:
ALEC BALDWIN
US 1998 - 2002
Alec Baldwin had a long and varied career in the movie industry
prior to becoming part of the Thomas brand. Although, he did appear to have less enthusiasm for the product than the
storytellers before him.
One of the main controversies and standouts surrounding Baldwin during
his time as a Thomas storyteller was his portrayal of James, who was made to sound comedically gay, for which he
was joking picked up on by Conan O'Brien on his US chat show.
Baldwin was the last American storyteller to undertake the role of Mr
Conductor, playing the character in Mr Conductor's Thomas Tales and in the feature film, Thomas and
the Magic Railroad in 2000.
Baldwin left the Series in 2002 following Series 6 to persue further movie
roles.
ALEC BALDWIN LINKS:
MICHAEL BRANDON
US 2004 - Present
Star of cop drama Dempsey and Makepace in the 1980s, Michael
Brandon was starring in Jerry Springer The Opera when he was approached by HIT Entertainment to become their new
storyteller.
The world's first introduction to Brandon's storytelling was in the newly transformed
Series 8, which saw him entering the series with a style that wasn't totally off that of George Carlin, doing what seemed
like a rush job in doing the narrative for two series at the one time (Series 7 was being released similtaneously!).
Brandon has also said in an interview with our own James Gratton, that he was familiar
with the series before coming to work for HIT, having read the stories aloud to his children when they were young.
Aside from Thomas and Dempsey and Makepace, Brandon has starred alongside Pheonix
Nights star Dave Spikey in short-lived comedy Dead Man Weds, as well as taking numerous roles in Catherine Tate's comedy series.
MICHAEL BRANDON LINKS:
PIERCE BROSNAN
UK/US 2008 - The Great Discovery
DVD
Pierce Brosnan became the latest
in a long line of famous men to take up the role of Thomas storyteller in 2008, previously starring as James Bond for
many years prior to being usurped by the producers in favour of new star Daniel Craig.
Brosnan also said he shares an interest and love of the characters,
having read the stories with his children when they were young, much like that of Michael Brandon.
Taking advantage of Pierce's global A-List fame status, for the first time in over fifteen years, all English speaking territories were to share
the same narrator for the 2008 onward series. However, since initial press statements were made, his involvement with
Thomas has been cut back to 'Special Guest Narrator' solely for The Great Discovery DVD, and it appears that he has
abandoned the series completely, with Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon resuming their duties as the storytellers for the
series.
PIERCE BROSNAN LINKS:
In the early 1960s, Delyse Records
launched a series of Railway Series recordings, the first eight books read by Johnny Morris, with the remaining Rev.
Awdry volumes read by Willie Rushton. Further recordings were commissioned of Christopher Awdry's books by Egmont
Books in the early 1990s.
JOHNNY MORRIS
Railway Series Volumes 1 to 8
Like the another famous Thomas storyteller, Johnny Morris
was initially reluctant to do the recordings of the Railway Series books. However, Isabella Wallich (Founder
and manager of Delyse Records) convinced him to do it through the success of the books, as well as assuring
him of his ability to bring the characters to life through his own voice. Her assurance wasn't far wrong, with Morris
giving each character their own individual and distinctive voicing. He also built upon the Rev. Awdry's style of repititions, improvising and enhancing his recordings with his own unique range of whistles,
puffs, chugs and great bursts of steam.
However, much like Ringo, Johnny found the experience to be extremely
rewarding and forged a common bond with fellow steam buff, the Reverend Awdry. Johnny
recorded eight volumes of the Railway Series books from The Three Railway Engines to Gordon the Big Engine.
Johnny hosted a number of popular programmes, including Johnny's Jaunts
(Radio) and Animal Magic (Television). He died in May 1999.
WILLIE RUSHTON
Railway Series Volumes 9 to 26
The initial recordings of the Railway Series books worked
very well, and when the opportunity arose to do more, it was found that Johnny Morris wouldn't be available. Instead,
Willie Rushton took over the recordings.
However, unlike Johnny, Willie confessed that his voice range was far
more limited and would probably only be able to do around five or six voices for the characters at hand, and felt
initially perturbed by the Reverend's presence in the recordings. His anxt was soon resolved when Willie set to work,
recording the volumes in the "fruitest of tones" and raising a bit of a chuckle with the Reverend, who he described
as a "sweetie".
Willie also recorded adaptations of Asterix books and Alice in Wonderland, he was also highly acclaimed storyteller
for children's television series Jackanory. Willie
was also recognised as a very talented artist, comedian and also lended his vocal talents to another memorable children's
series - Trap Door. Willie died in December 1996.
TED ROBBINS
Railway Series Volumes 27 to 38
Ted Robbins took up the mantle of a Railway Series storyteller
in the early 1990s, doing recordings of Christopher Awdry's books. While the recordings were conceptually
similar to what Johnny Morris and Willie Rushton had done before him, at the same time, they were more aimed at children in
the way they were presented with Ted introducing the stories and their own little jingle theme tune.
Ted Robbins has had a varying career in media with roles in dramas such
as Holby City, Merseybeat, Doctors, Brookside, Lead Balloon. But
one of his most famous and best roles was the universally hated Den Perry (or Den of Enequity as he's known in "Clubland"!) -
in Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, where he played a rival club owner who burnt down the Pheonix Club. Ted is also the other link Thomas has with the Beatles after Ringo, he's the cousin of Beatles
legend Paul McCartney.
TED RAY
Various - Jackanory (1970)
Between the period of 20 September and 2 October 1970,
regular viewers of the BBC Children's program Jackanory were treated to Ted Ray's storytelling of
a few Railway Series volumes - namely:
The Three Railway Engines (28 Sept.)
Thomas the Tank Engine (29 Sept.)
Duck and the Diesel Engine (30 Sept.)
Toby the Tram Engine (1 Oct.)
The Eight Famous Engines (2 Oct.)
The stories were adapted for television and directed by Howard Kennett,
and would have likely involved illustrations or recreations of the ones found in the Railway Series volumes. Unfortunately,
these programs are not readily publicly available, and whether they still survive in the BBC's archives is not known.
Ted was a well-known comedian and radio personality during post-war
Britain, with appearances in film such as Carry on Teacher (1959) and various British television shows.
He is credited as a storyteller on 14 episodes of Jackanory between 1966 and 1971. Ted passed away on the
8 November, 1977.
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