'Gromit was nearly a cat!': Secrets from 50 years of Aardman
Aardman Animations celebrates its 50th anniversary by revealing behind-the-scenes stories about its iconic characters like Wallace and Gromit. The studio reflects on how creative compromises and chance decisions shaped their success in stop-motion animation.
Why it matters
Aardman is a significant cultural institution in animation, and its history provides insight into the evolution of creative industries.
Image source, Aardman Image caption, Wallace and his expressive but speechless dog Gromit first hit our screens in 1989
West of England Business Correspondent , Reporting from Bristol Published 10 minutes ago Gromit was almost a cat. Shaun the Sheep was nearly given a voice. And Chicken Run helped change the Oscars forever.
As Aardman Animations marks its 50th birthday, its creators have been sharing some of the surprising twists behind the rise of Bristol's best-known creative success story.
Founded by school friends Sir Peter Lord and Sir David Sproxton in 1976, Aardman has given us Morph, Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Chicken Run, the world's most successful stop-motion film.
But the journey from two teenagers "mucking about with plasticine" to an Oscar-winning animation powerhouse has often hinged on chance decisions, practical compromises and creative instinct.
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