The hit series Thomas and Friends has been a major cash cow since its inception in 1983, but actors from the show have struggled to find work since the show transitioned from a live-action cast to an entirely CGI production in 2009. Sources inside HIT Entertainment say that the decision was made largely due to Thomas being a “cheeky” diva when the cameras weren’t rolling. Often making absurd demands to pull trains much too large for his puny boiler – like that time he insisted on hauling the entire circus when it came to Sodor, until his tension rods burst from the pressure. It’s also rumored that Thomas had an entire entourage whose sole purpose was to continually reassure Thomas that he was a “really useful engine” even when he was a pain in the rear buffer. In the end, most of the actors weren’t even kept on as voice actors.
Thomas, of course, wasn’t the only one to blame for the decision to replace the entire cast with digitally animated models. Tensions rose between cast-mates when Gordon threatened to leave the show after the introduction of a faster and newer engine named Spencer. Suspicious of the upstart’s motives and jealous of losing the title of “the fastest engine on Sodor” Gordon fell into bouts of depression, fearing that he had lost his one role on the show and soon his pompous arrogance would no longer be tolerated. After two seasons of that mopefest, the producers had had enough and the entire cast was unceremoniously canned. After suddenly being terminated after so many years of faithful service, many of the actors have sought honest work at railways around the world, but have found it difficult to find gainful employment during an economic recession. As it turns out, most of the world is not as accepting as Sir Topham Hatt of their freakish, inexplicable faces that only change expression when you aren’t looking. Even Thomas himself has had a hard time finding acting work since his disastrous casting in 1990′s Back the Future 3 in which he played the steam locomotive converted into a time machine by “Doc” Brown.
Criticized for smiling like an idiot during filming, no matter how intense the scene, Thomas has not been cast in a feature-length film outside of the Thomas & Friends franchise since.
It’s not all been bad news. Thomas and several of his more recognizable friends have found fairly steady work at zoos, theme parks, and various attractions in which kids can enjoy a day out with Thomas. It’s not much, but it’s enough to keep coal in the tender. Perhaps the best success story to date has been the casting of “Devious” Diesel in the 2010 blockbuster action-thriller Unstoppable. Cast as the lead role, runaway freight train #777, along with supporting actors Chris Pine and Denzel Washington, Diesel gleefully wrought lots of carnage and kept audiences nervously nibbling fingernails throughout the romp.
Drawing encouragement from Diesel’s box-office success, several of the other trains are auditioning with renewed vigor. However veteran Edward has been much more accepting of the improbability of a comeback, saying “Let’s face it: we’re all just one shunt from the scrap yard. At least we had a good run of it.”
Diesel merrilying smashing a truck out of his way in Unstoppable.
Related articles
- Day Out With Thomas (makingtimeformommy.com)
- All Aboard Thomas The Tank Engine! (kymx.radio.com)
