Quick Facts
Biography
Mike 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, 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 medical education by taking a job with Renaissance Video, a video production facility where he gained experience in video production and animation. 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 announced that Nawrocki had been appointed to 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.
Awards
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Animated Short Film or Video World's Children's Prize Foundation's Children's Jury Award | Very Silly Songs | Won |
| 1997 | Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award | A Very Veggie Christmas | Won |
| 1998 | Long Form Music Video of the Year GMA Dove Award | A Very Silly Sing Along | Won |
| 2000 | Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award | Larry-Boy: The Soundtrack | Won |
| 2001 | Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award | A Queen, A King, and A Very Blue Berry - VeggieTunes; | Won |
| 2003 | Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award | Jonah, A Veggie Tales Movie Original Soundtrack | Won |
| 2004 | Long Form Music Video of the Year GMA Dove Award | Belly Button | Nominated |
| 2007 | Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award | VeggieTales Worship Songs | Won |
| 2014 | Children's Album of the Year GMA Dove Award | 25 Favorite Bible Songs - Veggie Tales | Won |
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
| Year | Title | Voice role | Crew role, notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–present | VeggieTales series | Larry the Cucumber, Jerry Gourd, Jean Claude Pea, others | Director, producer, writer, composer, score, executive producer |
| 2000–03, 2006–08 | 3-2-1 Penguins! | Vacuum | Developer, writer |
| 2002 | Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie | Larry, Jerry Gourd, Jean Claude Pea, others | Director, writer, composer |
| 2002–03 | Larryboy: The Cartoon Adventures | Larry-Boy/Larry | |
| 2008 | The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie | Eliot, Pirate Jean Claude Pea, others | Director, producer |
| 2014–present | VeggieTales in the House | Larry, Jerry Gourd, Jean Claude Pea, others | Writer |