Mark Burton

Mark Burton was a British comedy writer best known for his work on popular animated features such as "Madagascar" (2005) and "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" (2005). Burton grew up in Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. He studied history at The University of York, where he met future comedian Harry Enfield. Enfield encouraged Burton to pursue comedy, and Burton landed his first writing job on "The Russ Abbot Show" (BBC 1986-1991) in 1986. He went on to write for a large number of British comedy shows, serving as head writer on the satirical puppet show "Spitting Image" (ITV 1984-1996) and writing for host Nick Hancock on his talk show "Room 101" (BBC 1994-). Burton was credited for additional dialogue on the critically acclaimed Aardman Animations film "Chicken Run" (2000). This began his transition to Hollywood and screenplays, as well as a long collaboration with Aardman and Dreamworks; Burton went on to write the screenplay for the BAFTA and Oscar-winning claymation Wallace and Gromit feature "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit." 2005 was a good year for Burton; he also wrote the popular children's film "Madagascar" that year. His first directorial assignment was the film reboot of the claymation TV series and Wallace and Gromit spinoff "Shaun The Sheep" (CBBC 2007-), the "Shaun The Sheep Movie" (2015). Burton also wrote the screenplay.