Disney veteran Bryan O’Connell has joined The Jim Henson Company as its new VP of Children’s Television. O’Connell, who was director of development at Disney Jr., will oversee the creative development of the Kermit corp.’s slate of kid’s animated and live-action shows, including reboots of Sid the Science Kids and Dinosaur Train.
O’Connell will report to CEO Lisa Henson, and will join the company’s creative affairs team, which includes VP of features films Tara Billik, VP of primetime TV Delaney Shiokari, production exec Tim O’Brien and in-house producers John Tartaglia (creative supervisor for Fraggle Rock) and Halle Stanford (co-creator of the upcoming show Wowsabout). Brian Henson Productions’ Brian Henson and Vince Raisa will continue to develop their collection of film and TV projects.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Bryan over several years,” noted Lisa Henson. “It is clear he has a deep understanding of and respect for creating engaging and entertaining content for children. Whether it be wholly new worlds yet to be discovered, or the beloved legacy worlds our audiences know and love, Bryan will be managing an ambitious and exciting slate of shows for our next generation of fans,” said Lisa Henson.
Bryan O’Connell said, “As a longtime admirer of The Jim Henson Company and its iconic properties, I have appreciated the Company’s universal appeal and enduring productions that have spanned generations. Stepping into this new role, I am grateful for the opportunity to develop a slate of live action and animated children’s projects, drawing from a global community of creators and artists that share my commitment to continue and expand this legacy of creating entertaining and impactful content for kids around the world.”
O’Connell oversaw the creative development of many shows, shorts and specials during this years at Disney Jr. Prior to that, he also worked within Disney TV Animation, Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Animation Studios. His career also includes stints at Silvergate Media, Sprout, Illumination, DreamWorks and Sesame Workshop.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, The Portable Door, The Buried Giant, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Harriet the Spy, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Slumberkins and The Storyteller are some of the company’s recent and upcoming TV shows and features.
Sources: The Jim Henson Company, Deadline
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