Screenwriter and development executive Todd Brian has died at age 59.

His death occurred on Dec. 28, 2022, according to an announcement from WildBrain, where he most recently worked as director of development, animation. He died after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, according to his obituary.

“Todd was not just my colleague but one of my dearest friends, we shared so much through our 17-year friendship. He made everyone he met feel appreciated and seen. I’ll miss seeing his bright smile and hearing his playful laugh every day,” said Stephanie Betts, chief content officer at WildBrain, in a statement.

He is described as a “charismatic soul who would light up a room with his energy and humour” and a “world traveller” by his family.

Brian worked in Canada’s screen sector for roughly two decades, following an education at the film studios program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and at the Canadian Film Centre.

His writing credits include Caillou, Turbo Dogs, Jimmy Two-Shoes, Majority Rules!, and Producing Parker. He also worked in factual writing as a senior writer at CBC.

His work as a development executive brought him to Corus Entertainment, where he served as a production executive, with credits such as Esme & Roy and the short film The Most Magnificent Thing.

Nelvana development producer Brandon Lane says he worked closely with Brian for a year at Corus and found him to be “warm, witty, supportive and overflowing with charisma.”

“Todd’s passion was infectious — he would literally do high kicks down the hallway!” he says. “Todd was endlessly creative and cared deeply about producing great content. He fought fiercely for content and creators he believed in. My heart goes out to Todd’s family, friends and everyone who crossed paths with him. I’m lucky to have been one of the many people whose life was made better when Todd high-kicked his way into it.”

Brian held development roles at marblemedia and Alibi Entertainment before joining WildBrain (then DHX Media) in 2019.

“As a development executive, Todd’s deep creative instincts, production experience and collaborative spirit saw him nurture a slate of standout WildBrain projects which serve to illustrate his career legacy,” wrote WildBrain in a statement.

Brian is survived by his mother Judy Jacobs, brother Troy Brian, sister Tara Brian, as well as his nieces and nephews.

Photo of Todd Brian courtesy of WildBrain