The famous animator Janice Burgess has died. She was 72 years old.
Many people have said nice things about the screenwriter, who was best known for making the Nickelodeon show The Backyardigans.
Written and produced Fracaswell Hyman praised Burgess for her biting wit.
“I met Janice Burgess early in my career when I was head writer on Gullah Gullah Island and she was assigned to be our Executive in Charge of Production,” on Instagram, he said.
There is someone the network sends to the set to make sure the money isn’t wasted.
“Janice walked in with her sharp tongue, full Hermes scarves, and endless cigarettes.”
“She went from being a boss to a friend.
“She recognized my magic before I did and made sure I was in the room and under consideration for many of the shows that came my way including Little Bill and Taina.”
Hyman said Burgess’s comments on the stories were smart, clear, and helpful.
He said he would miss his excellent friend.
The cause of Burgess’ death has not been proven yet.
She died a few days after turning 72.
Burgess, who is from Pennsylvania, became executive-in-charge of production at Nickelodeon in 1995. She also worked as a story editor on the adventure show Winx Club in 2004.
According to Nickelodeon, she said that the Backyardigans came from her own backyard when she was a child.
A friend of hers and she would play hide-and-seek and pretend they were chasing wild animals, she said in jest.
Fans were quick to honor Burgess in their own ways.
“Why did she make the Backyardigans?” I was a child at the time. Someone said, “I loved her so much.”
“The Backyardigans was – and still is – one of my most remarkable memories from my childhood… this is a huge loss,” a mourner said.
“She had a huge impact in [sic] my life.”
We can’t find the right words to thank Janice for making The Backyardigans and Gullah Gullah Island and being a part of our childhood. We will all miss you so much! A third fan told them to “fly high.”