It’s hard to imagine that some adorable singing vegetables could change the course of Christian entertainment for kids and eventually become a cultural icon. But 30 years ago, that’s exactly what VeggieTales did.
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“I just never could have imagined [the cartoon’s success] in a million years,” “VeggieTales” creator Phil Vischer told Great American Pure Flix in a 2020 interview. “You can't plan ... a big success in entertainment and media ... you just be true to yourself and enjoy.”
Led by Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, the very first episode of VeggieTales was a VHS copy of “Where’s God When I’m S-Scared?” that was released in Christian bookstores in 1993. Vischer told the story of the first VHS tapes: he, along with co-creator Mike Nawrocki and a few friends, personally drove the 500 copies of the tapes to the post office to be delivered just in time for Christmas.
Thanks Rachel! Yep, 30 yrs ago this week Mike Nawrocki, Robert Ellis, Chris Olsen and I packed 500 copies of VT #1 in Robert’s station wagon and drove them to the post office - barely in time for Xmas! And Bob and Larry entered the world! https://t.co/fmMJ3N0zJC
— Phil Vischer (@philvischer) December 21, 2023
Vischer knew exactly the kind of entertainment he wanted to create long before he packed up those VHS tapes. (Fun fact: Vischer voiced Bob and Nawrocki voiced Larry!)
"I decided in high school that I wanted my filmmaking to promote biblical values,” he explained, noting that most of the entertainment geared towards young people at the time was the exact opposite. “I was only 16, but I knew that the values I learned growing up in Sunday school were not the values that were coming across on many of the music videos that were on MTV.”
Read Also: VeggieTales: Meet Your Favorite & Most Popular Characters
Over the years, God continued to open the doors needed to make Vischer’s teenage dreams a reality. He got a job as a computer animator when he was just 20 years old. By the time he was 25, he had the skills necessary to start building his own characters that were "really, really simple and easy to animate.”
Fast forward 30 years and VeggieTales has sold more than 75 million videos, 16 million books, and 7 million CDs. There are even books, clothes, and tons of other merchandise all dedicated to spreading the love of Jesus through silly songs and skits that are beloved by kids and adults alike.
And the best part is, you can find all of your favorite VeggieTales episodes right here on Great American Pure Flix. From “Larryboy and the Bad Apple” to “Don't Give Up on Doing Good” and all of the best “Silly Songs with Larry,” you can feel secure knowing your kids or grandkids are streaming faith-focused, family friendly entertainment that also teaches them Biblical truths.
And if you’re still in the Christmas spirit and loving our Christmas streaming here at Great American Pure Flix, it’s not too late to watch “Veggietales: The Best Christmas Gift”—and other Christmas VeggieTales!
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