{{Short description|Australian animator and writer}} {{Infobox person | name = Joe Brumm | image = File:Joseph (Joe) Brumm.jpg | caption = Brumm in 2024 | birth_name = Joseph Brumm | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|40|2019|05|20}}<ref name=wins/> | birth_place = Winton, Queensland, Australia | occupation = Animator, writer, director | known_for = ''Bluey'' | television = {{hlist|''Charlie and Lola''|''Peppa Pig''|''Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom''|''Tinga Tinga Tales''|''Bluey''}} | spouse = Suzy Brumm | children = 2 | years_active = 1998–present }}
'''Joseph Brumm''' is an Australian animator, director and writer. After working on multiple British animated children's shows, he created the Peabody Award-winning<ref>{{cite web | title=Bluey | url=https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/bluey/ }}</ref> Australian animated television series ''Bluey''.<ref name="wins">{{cite news |last=Turner|first=Tonya|date=20 May 2019|title=Bluey show: Brisbane-made cartoon wins hearts of families|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/brisbanenews/bluey-show-brisbanemade-cartoon-wins-hearts-of-families/news-story/d7e1087aed47a5ec1c4332346659a531|work=The Courier-Mail|location= |access-date=9 June 2023}}</ref><ref name="dog">{{cite news|last=Dow|first=Steve|date=11 April 2020|title=Bluey creator Joe Brumm's dog days|url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/culture/television/2020/04/11/bluey-creator-joe-brumms-dog-days/15865272009678|work=The Saturday Paper|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Shearer|first=Geoff |date=27 June 2019|title=Meet the brains of Brisbane's smash hit Bluey and the simple concept behind it all |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/meet-the-brains-of-brisbanes-smash-hit-bluey-and-the-simple-concept-behind-it-all/news-story/b206ee0f54431fbf6175495a63678652|work=The Courier-Mail|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
==Early life== Brumm was born in Winton in Central West Queensland, the second of three boys.<ref name=dog/><ref>{{cite news |last=Flynn|first=Sheila|date=15 March 2022|title=The brains behind Bluey: He turned a simple kids' show into a global hit. Now he's ready to walk|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bluey-characters-joe-brumm-creator-b2036649.html|work=The Independent|location= |access-date=10 June 2023|quote=grew up as a middle child sandwiched between an older and younger brother.}}</ref> His father worked for the Department of Primary Industries, while his mother was a librarian.<ref name=wins/>
After moving to Cairns when he was five years old, his family finally settled in the state's capital city of Brisbane when he was aged 12, where he began attending high school. He graduated from Marist College Ashgrove in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ashgroveoldboys.com.au/notable-ashgrovians/|title=Notable Ashgrovians: Film & Television|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 22 May 2018|website=Marist College Ashgrove|publisher= |access-date=9 June 2023|quote=Joe Brumm (1995): Film Director / Writer – Creator and writer of “Bluey” Animated TV series}}</ref>
After finishing high school, he studied animation at Griffith Film School at Griffith University and graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Animation (Honours) degree.<ref>{{cite news|last=Crossen|first=Louise|date=4 October 2018|title=Animation alumni create must-see kids TV|url=https://news.griffith.edu.au/2018/10/04/animation-alumni-create-must-see-kids-tv|work=Griffith News|publisher=Griffith University|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
==Career== After graduating from university, Brumm relocated to London where he obtained work as an animator on several British series, such as ''Charlie and Lola'', ''Peppa Pig'', ''Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom'' and ''Tinga Tinga Tales''.<ref name=wins/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://bwf.org.au/artists/joe-brumm|title=About Joe Brumm|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2023|website=Brisbane Writer's Festival|publisher= |access-date=10 June 2023|quote=He also worked in Kenyan Tinga-Tinga Tales for BBC/Disney.}}</ref><ref name=cult>{{cite news |last=Lamont|first=Tom|date=11 June 2022|title=The cult of Bluey: how a kids' cartoon became a bible for modern parenting|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jun/11/bluey-australian-children-cartoon-joe-brumm|work=The Guardian|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
Brumm returned to Brisbane in 2009. He established a small animation studio called Studio Joho in 2011 with Mark Paterson, with the intent of making an Australian version of ''Peppa Pig''; he swapped the pig characters for dogs and changed the personality of the father.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Reif |first=Alex |date=2023-06-15 |title=Annecy 2023 Recap: The Story Behind "Bluey" with Joe Brumm, Richard Jeffery, and Mark Paterson |url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2023/06/15/annecy-2023-recap-the-story-behind-bluey-with-joe-brumm-richard-jeffery-and-mark-paterson/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=LaughingPlace.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The show would be titled ''Bluey''.<ref name=cult/> Brumm conceived of the show while he was working on ''Charlie and Lola'' alongside Paterson, who would later animate ''Bluey''<nowiki/>'s pilot, in London.<ref name=":0" /> Brumm decided the episodes of ''Bluey'' would centre around the two juvenile characters participating in play-based learning and creating their own adventures, producing a one-minute sample in 2016.<ref name=cult/> Ludo Studio, a local company, picked it up and helped Brumm expand the sample into a five-minute pilot.<ref name=cult/> Brumm and his wife Suzy subsequently created the first season of 52 seven-minute episodes which was released in Australia in 2018.<ref name=cult/> The show has gone on to achieve commercial success and critical acclaim internationally.<ref>{{cite news|last=McCutcheon|first=Peter|date=9 April 2019|title=Bluey, the hit Australian children's cartoon, is set to go global — but only with Aussie accents intact|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-09/bluey-set-to-go-global-but-only-with-australian-accents-intact/10968268|work=7.30|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sebag-Montefiore|first=Clarissa|date=1 April 2020|title=Stuck inside? Here's an Australian show every parent can love|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/arts/television/bluey-cartoon-dog-australia.html|work=The New York Times|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
===Other work=== In 2000, Brumm created an animated short called ''Causes'', and he directed a 2015 short called ''The Meek''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/causes-2001/16833/|title=Causes (2001)|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=The Screen Guide|publisher=Screen Australia|access-date=10 June 2023|quote=Director: Joe Brumm; Writer: Joe Brumm; Producer: Joe Brumm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/the-meek-2015/33484/|title=The Meek (2015)|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=The Screen Guide|publisher=Screen Australia|access-date=10 June 2023|quote=Director: Joe Brumm; Producer: Joe Brumm}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Cowley|first=Laura-Beth|date=23 February 2016|title=Interview with 'The Meek' director Joe Brumm|url=https://www.skwigly.co.uk/joe-brumm-the-meek|work=Skwigly|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
=== Adult television === On February 20, 2026, Hulu gave a series order for a half-hour, adult animated comedy ''Deano'' from creators Dean Thomas and David Ferrier. The series is executive produced by ''Bluey'' creator Joe Brumm. ''Deano'' follows a mischievous 8-year-old boy with a heart of gold, blending a modern family’s chaos with biting satire.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campione |first=Katie |date=2026-02-20 |title=Hulu Orders Adult Animated Comedy ‘Deano’ From Dean Thomas & David Ferrier With ‘Bluey’ Creator Joe Brumm To EP |url=https://deadline.com/2026/02/hulu-orders-adult-animated-comedy-deano-1236730636/ |access-date=2026-02-20 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Awards and recognition== In October 2021, Brumm was named as Griffith University's Outstanding Alumnus.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.griffith.edu.au/advancement/notable-alumni/2021-alumni-award-winners/joe-brumm|title=Griffith University's 2021 Outstanding Alumnus: Joe Brumm|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021|website=Griffith University|publisher= |access-date=10 June 2023|quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Brown|first=Phil|date=7 October 2021|title=Bluey creator honoured by Griffith University|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/bluey-creator-honoured-by-griffith-university/news-story/75ba0230a09af5db9f8b911d0edd0e32|work=The Courier-Mail|location= |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
In June 2023, he was named as a Queensland Great.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2023-queensland-greats-recipients#_brumm|title=2023 Queensland Greats recipients|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2023|website=Queensland Greats Awards|publisher=Queensland Government|access-date=10 June 2023|quote=}}</ref>
On December 17, 2025, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Griffith University.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 17, 2025 |title=Griffith University Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DSYkq4IkqYB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-20 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 17, 2025 |title=Griffith University is delighted to announce that renowned archaeologist and 2019 Father of the Year Dr. Bandit Heeler has been offered a professorial chair. Dr Bandit Heeler, a Brisbane-based blue… {{!}} Griffith University |url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/griffith-university_griffith-university-is-delighted-to-announce-activity-7407209582592368640-FFBN |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251220220251/https://www.linkedin.com/posts/griffith-university_griffith-university-is-delighted-to-announce-activity-7407209582592368640-FFBN/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAABDxGegBBzFZfXB5Og7OG83cQDo0KvZ7bNY |archive-date=20 December 2025 |access-date=2025-12-20 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography==
====Television==== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- style="background:#CCCCCC; text-align:center;" ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Creator ! scope="col"| Director ! scope="col"| Writer ! scope="col"| Producer ! scope="col"| Animator ! scope="col"| Actor ! scope="col"| Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Tooltip|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |- |2001–04 |''2DTV'' | | | | |{{Yes}} | | | style="text-align: center;"| |- |2005–08 |''Charlie and Lola'' | | | | |{{Yes}} | | | style="text-align: center;"| |- |2006 |''Wonder Pets!'' | | | | | | |Special Thanks only; "Save the Crane!" | style="text-align: center;"| |- |rowspan="2"|2010–11 |''Tinga Tinga Tales'' | | | | |{{Yes}} | |title sequence animator, storyboard artist | style="text-align: center;"| |- |''Abadas'' | | | | |{{Yes}} | | | style="text-align: center;"| |- |2018–24 |''Bluey'' |{{Yes}} |{{Yes}} |{{Yes}} | | |{{Yes}} | | style="text-align: center;"| |- |TBA |''Deano'' | | | |{{yes|executive}} | | | | style="text-align: center;"| |- |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|id=1068768|name=Joe Brumm}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brumm, Joe}} Category:Living people Category:Queensland Greats Category:Australian animators Category:Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:People from Central West Queensland Category:21st-century Australian artists Category:Griffith University alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:People educated at Marist College Ashgrove