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Michael Lewis Nawrocki (born July 8, 1966) is an American director, producer, writer, voice actor, animator, musician, puppeteer, and businessman best known as the co-creator of the long-running, Christian video series, VeggieTales where he voices Larry the Cucumber. He also voices many other main characters on the show, including Jerry Gourd, and Jean-Claude Pea, and other various characters, is the co-founder of Big Idea Entertainment alongside Phil Vischer, and currently serves as the Executive Vice President of the company. He has directed several of their productions, including the award-winning Silly Songs with Larry segments from VeggieTales.

Life and career

Nawrocki originally wanted a career in the medicine field, and studied at St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) where he met Phil Vischer while serving on a puppet ministry. Nawrocki later enrolled at the University of Illinois-Chicago, and joined Vischer at GRAFx, Nawrocki helped to finance his education by taking a job with Renaissance Video, a video production facility where he gained experience in video production and animation and later worked for Post Effects and Film and Tape Works. Nawrocki graduated from UIC in 1992 with a BS in biology and a BA in history. In 1993, Nawrocki left Film & Tape Works, a company that had purchased GRAFx Studios, and his future in medicine to join Vischer and founded Big Idea Productions. After Big Idea's liquidation in 2003, Nawrocki reactivated the company in 2004.

On September 30, 2008, Big Idea Entertainment appointed Nawrocki to the position of Executive Vice President. He will "oversee all creative and production at the Big Idea studio," "spearhead the development and launch of new series, brands and properties for Big Idea," will have the "initial focus will include developing an original new VeggieTales TV series," and "cultivate new strategic partnerships and alliances in the creative community to help expand the Big Idea portfolio."

In 2014, DreamWorks Classics, the parent company of Big Idea, signed an exclusive deal with Netflix to produce and distribute VeggieTales in the House. Nawrocki was signed on to continue voicing Larry, Jerry, and Jean-Claude.

Revival of VeggieTales

In March of 2019, Mike's partner Phil Vischer announced on his Twitter that he had re-teamed with Mike at TBN to revive the VeggieTales series. Just like previously, Vischer and Nawrocki would return to voice their characters and also work as writers for the new show.

Awards

Published works

• Bob Lends a Helping . . . Hand? (2003) ISBN 0-310-70538-X (co-author with Cindy Kenney)
• Peas and Thank You! (2003) ISBN 0-310-70540-1 (writing as the voice of Larry the Cucumber)
• The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything and Me! (2004) (co-author with Karen Poth)

Filmography

References

1. "Mike Nawrocki of VeggieTales". First Person Interview with Wayne Shepherd. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
2. Filby, Julie (November 20, 2013). "Virtuous veggies 'leaf' big impression". Denver Catholic. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
3. "Bloomberg Business Profile". Bloomberg. August 9, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
4. "'Veggie' Sprouts In Mainstream". Billboard. 30 May 1998. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
5. Easley, Michael (December 9, 2014). "Michael Easley inContext interview with Mike Nawrocki". Michael Easley inContext. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
6. Pistorius, Martin (May 1, 2004). "Running Out of Miracles". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
7. Kessel, Jaclyn (2014-11-14). "EXCLUSIVE: Mike Nawrocki of 'VeggieTales In The House' Talks Series Netflix Reboot". Decider | Where To Stream Movies & Shows on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant, HBO Go. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
8. Vischer, Phil (2019-03-28). "Correction - TBN is licensing VT from Universal... they didn't buy it. Bob and Larry still live with Shrek and Donkey and Minions. BUT... TBN is producing new eps and Mike and I are writing!https://twitter.com/ericmetaxas/status/1111281056013967360 …". @philvischer. Retrieved 2019-05-03.

External links

• Mike Nawrocki at IMDb

• 1966 births
• Living people
• Christian writers
• American Christians
• Crown College (Minnesota) alumni
• University of Illinois alumni
• American male voice actors
• American animators
• American animated film directors
• American animated film producers
• Male actors from Dayton, Ohio
• Writers from Dayton, Ohio