Janice Burgess(1952-2024)
- Writer
- Producer
- Production Manager
Janice Burgess was the creator of The Backyardigans (2004) and the story editor for Nickelodeon's revival of Winx Club (2004). She joined Nickelodeon in 1995 as executive-in-charge of production and worked at Nick Animation for almost 20 years. When writing for both The Backyardigans and Winx Club, Burgess drew inspiration from action and adventure movies. Burgess said, "I wanted to bring some of that fantastical nature to young children, but to do it in a way that is safe, hopefully not scary, and not 'imitatable' except in your head."
The character of Uniqua on The Backyardigans was partially based on Burgess herself. In an interview, Burgess stated, "Uniqua is me. Or at least who I was as a kid. She's a ringleader. Out of the five, Uniqua is the main character, and we use her in every story."
The character of Uniqua on The Backyardigans was partially based on Burgess herself. In an interview, Burgess stated, "Uniqua is me. Or at least who I was as a kid. She's a ringleader. Out of the five, Uniqua is the main character, and we use her in every story."