Props and sets from the Wallace and Gromit films are believed to have been destroyed in a warehouse blaze. Fire crews were called to Oscar-winning Aardman Animations' Bristol site, which contained the firm's "entire history", early on Monday.
Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park said it was "dreadful" for the company but , compared to the earthquake in Pakistan and floods in Central America, was "not a big deal".
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, the new Wallace and Gromit film, has just gone to the top of the US box office chart.
Company Spokesman Arthur Sheriff said: "It couldn't have come on a worse day - we were supposed to be celebrating, but instead our history has disappeared in a couple of hours.
"Everything has gone, from as far back as Morph and all the way through to Chicken Run, including all the Wallace and Gromit films, Creature Comforts, it's all there. Everyone is devastated."
Mr Park said: "Even though it is a precious and nostalgic collection and valuable to the company, in light of other tragedies, today isn't a big deal."
― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Monday, 10 October 2005 10:35 (twenty years ago)
you'd think they would have duplicates of much of this stuff housed elsewhere, i mean 'hello?'
― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 10 October 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)
Compare and contrast with the anguished gnashing of teeth when that art warehouse in Leyton was torched a couple of years ago.
― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Monday, 10 October 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)
i'm glad no people were killed. but i'm sure this will be a blow to many people's livelihoods.
― glasgow coma score (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 10 October 2005 10:44 (twenty years ago)
I collect W&G stuff. Mr Park is very welcome to have my duplicate Gromit bath plug if he likes.
― C J (C J), Monday, 10 October 2005 10:44 (twenty years ago)
Nuh-huh Steve:
The company's entire IT infrastructure, an ageing IBM 486 under some canvas in the props cupboard, was also destroyed.
― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 10 October 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)
three years pass...
Morph, the animated plasticine character who appeared with the late Tony Hart, has returned for a magazine fashion shoot.
To celebrate Morph's 30th birthday, Esquire's fashion department and Aardman Animations spent three months preparing photographs of the character in "this season's key pieces".
Aardman co-founder Peter Lord helped to stage the five scenes for Morph and his badly-behaved cousin Chas.
Esquire said that the pictures will be a "timely salute" to Hart, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 83.
The Morph Esquire issue goes on sale on February 5.
― O Supermanchiros (blueski), Friday, 30 January 2009 15:09 (seventeen years ago)