Mike Nawrocki

Michael Louis Nawrocki (born July 8, 1966) is an American animator, filmmaker, and voice actor best known as the co-creator of the video series, VeggieTales, where he voiced Larry the Cucumber. He voiced many other main characters on the show, including Jerry Gourd, Jean-Claude Pea, and various other characters. He is the co-founder of Big Idea Entertainment alongside Phil Vischer and has directed several of their productions, including the Silly Songs with Larry segments from VeggieTales.

Life and career Nawrocki originally wanted a career in the medical field, and studied at St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) where he met Phil Vischer while serving on a puppet ministry.

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.

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 most of his characters.

In 2019, Nawrocki started releasing the Christian children's chapter book series The Dead Sea Squirrels, in which a boy named Michael discovers the petrified remains of Merle and Pearl, a squirrel couple who lived during Jesus' time, near the Dead Sea and brings them to America, where they are revived. It was conceptualized in 2016 originally as an animated series. In 2025, an animated series adaptation of the same name was released on Christian children's streaming service Minno.

Revival of VeggieTales In March 2019, Nawrocki's partner Phil Vischer announced on his Twitter that he had re-teamed with Nawrocki 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 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 1997 Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award A Very Veggie Christmas 1998 Long Form Music Video of the Year GMA Dove Award A Very Silly Sing Along 2000 Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award Larry-Boy: The Soundtrack 2001 Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award A Queen, A King, and A Very Blue Berry - VeggieTunes; 2003 Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award Jonah, A Veggie Tales Movie Original Soundtrack 2004 Long Form Music Video of the Year GMA Dove Award Belly Button 2007 Children's Music Album of the Year GMA Dove Award VeggieTales Worship Songs 2014 Children's Album of the Year GMA Dove Award 25 Favorite Bible Songs - Veggie Tales

Published works Bob Lends a Helping . . . Hand? (2003) (co-author with Cindy Kenney) Peas and Thank You! (2003) (writing as the voice of Larry the Cucumber) The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything and Me! (2004) (co-author with Karen Poth) The Dead Sea Squirrels (2019–present) (author)

Filmography + Year Title Voice role Crew role, notes 1993–2015 VeggieTales series Larry the Cucumber, Jerry Gourd, Jean-Claude Pea, QWERTY, Scallion 2, Oscar, The Peach, Additional Voices Direct-to-video seriesCo-creator, director, producer, writer, composer 2000–2003, 2007–2008 3-2-1 Penguins! Vacuum TV seriesDeveloper, writer, composer 2002 Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie Larry the Cucumber, Dad Asparagus, Jean-Claude Pea, Jerry Gourd, Self-Help Tape Voice, Cockney Pea 1, Whooping BBQ Pea Feature filmDirector, writer, composer 2002–2003 Larryboy: The Cartoon Adventures Larry-Boy/Larry TV series 2008 The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie Elliot (Larry the Cucumber), Theater Foe (Jerry Gourd), Pirate Jean-Claude Pea, Pirate with Dummy, Pirate Spy Sidekick, Rock Monster Father Feature filmDirector, producer 2014–2016 VeggieTales in the House Larry the Cucumber, Jerry Gourd, Jean-Claude Pea, Officer Wedge, Additional Voices Netflix TV series 2017 VeggieTales in the City Larry the Cucumber, Jerry Gourd, Jean-Claude Pea, Officer Wedge, Additional Voices Netflix TV series 2019–2022 The VeggieTales Show Larry the Cucumber, Jerry Gourd, Jean-Claude Pea, Lil' Pea, Qwerty, Mother Nezzer, Scallion 2, Scallion 3, Additional Voices Writer, Composer 2020–2021 Esme & Roy Writer (2 episodes) 2025 The Dead Sea Squirrels Merle, Bob Squirrel Creator, Director, Producer, Writer, Composer TBA The Phil & Mike Show Mike