Brian Trueman

{{Infobox person

| name = Brian Trueman

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Brian Richard Trueman

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|5|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|9|1|1932|5|16|df=y}}

| death_place = Stockport, Greater Manchester, England

| restingplace =

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| occupation = {{hlist|Writer|voice actor}}

| yearsactive = 1957–2024

| spouse = {{marriage|Angela Philpot|1961}}

| partner =

| children = 2

}}

Brian Richard Trueman (16 May 1932 – 1 September 2024) was an English broadcaster, writer and voice actor. He was known mainly for his work with the animation studio Cosgrove Hall. He wrote and/or narrated children's cartoon series, mostly during the 1970s and 1980s.

Early life

Trueman was born in Barton, Lancashire on 16 May 1932.{{cite news |last1=Hayward |first1=Anthony |title=Brian Trueman obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/sep/04/brian-trueman-obituary |access-date=4 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=4 September 2024}} He attended Stretford Grammar School and one year at the University of Manchester.Manchester Evening News Thursday 31 July 1986, page 31 During national service he served as a second lieutenant in the Royal Army Service Corps.

Career

Trueman's cartoons were originally shown on ITV, in its CITV programming slot. However, he also presented the BBC's children's film quiz Screen Test, taking over from original host Michael Rodd between 1979 and 1983.{{cite book|author1=Mark J. Docherty|author2=Alistair D. McGown|title=The Hill and Beyond: Children's Television Drama - An Encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/hillbeyondchildr0000mcgo|url-access=registration|date=26 April 2003|publisher=British Film Institute|isbn=978-0-85170-878-2}} Prior to taking up a writing career Brian worked for many years on local programming in the North West,{{cite book|author=David Nolan|title=Tony Wilson - You're Entitled to an Opinion But. . .: The High times and many lives of the man behind Factory Records and The Hacienda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bUc4AAAAQBAJ&pg=PT6|date=2 August 2010|publisher=John Blake Publishing, Limited|isbn=978-1-84358-222-9|page=6}} from It's Trueman to Granada Reports.{{cite book|author1=John Finch|author2=Michael Cox|author3=Marjorie Giles|title=Granada Television--The First Generation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UkfW4c2PwwcC&pg=PA3|date=8 November 2003|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0-7190-6515-6|page=3}} He also had a stint hosting Granada's film review show, Cinema, taking over from Michael Parkinson.

In 1951, in his youth, he appeared on stage for the Urmston Amateur Operatic Society (now the Urmston Musical Theatre) in a production of Merrie England, playing the role of Big Ben.

Death

Trueman died following a short illness at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on 1 September 2024, at the age of 92.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/sep/03/danger-mouse-writer-brian-trueman-dies-aged-92|title=Danger Mouse writer Brian Trueman dies aged 92|work=The Guardian|date=3 September 2024|access-date=5 September 2024}}{{cite news |title=The writer and actor who wrote much-loved cartoon Danger Mouse, Brian Trueman, has died |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/writer-actor-who-wrote-much-29856470 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=2 September 2024 |archive-date=8 December 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241208014004/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/writer-actor-who-wrote-much-29856470 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Danger Mouse writer Brian Trueman dies aged 92 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy54265n257o |access-date=3 September 2024 |work=BBC News |date=3 September 2024 |archive-date=3 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903093622/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy54265n257o |url-status=live }}