Peter Charles Orton, CVO (17 June 1943 – 5 December 2007) was a British media entrepreneur and television producer noted for his work in

children's television Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during the early evenin ...

. He, Muppets creator

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...

and businesswoman

Sophie Turner Laing Sophie Henrietta Turner Laing, (born 7 September 1960) is a British businesswoman and media executive. She was chief executive officer of global content creator, producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group from December 2014 until July 2020. ...

founded

HIT Entertainment HIT Entertainment Limited (commonly written as HiT) was a British-American entertainment company founded in 1982 as Henson International Television, the international distribution arm of The Jim Henson Company, by Jim Henson, Peter Orton, and Sop ...

in 1982. Orton led the company from 1989 to 2005 when he sold it to

Apax Apax Partners LLP is a British private equity firm, headquartered in London, England. The company also operates out of six other offices in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Munich and Shanghai. As of December 2017, the firm, including its ...

. After HiT was sold to Apax in 2005, he retired but kept close contacts with the entertainment world.

Personal life

Orton married his wife Susan Stevenson in 1972. They have a son named Jamie.

President of Royal Wootton Bassett RFC

Peter was also a much loved president of Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Football Club. Peter would visit and support the team whenever business commitments would allow. Peter was instrumental in the club's move to impressive new premises at Ballard's Ash on the edge of the town. He would certainly have been very proud of the opening of the new clubhouse, the Peter Orton Pavilion on 7 September 2013. The clubhouse was unveiled with a tribute to Peter by RFU president Robert Reeves.

Illness and death

After being diagnosed with neck cancer in 1996, he served as chairman of the Head and Neck Cancer Research Trust. Orton died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

in 2007 at the age of 64.

Honours

Peter Orton was honoured with a BAFTA Special Award, the lifetime achievement award, in 2002 for his significant contribution within the children's television sector. Peter Orton was appointed a

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

(CVO) in the 2007

New Year Honours The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...

for his contribution to children's literacy.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Orton, Peter 1943 births 2007 deaths Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order Mass media people from Portsmouth British television executives British television producers HIT Entertainment