Michael Paraskevas

Michael Paraskevas (born 1961) is an American illustrator, cartoonist, and animation producer best known for co-creating along with his mother Betty in the Canadian animated children's television series Maggie and the Ferocious Beast. The show was based on the 1996 book The Ferocious Beast with the Polka-Dot Hide and its sequels, all of which were also created by the Paraskevases. Together, they authored 20 children's books. and created three animated series: Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, and The Kids from Room 402. They also produced and created The Tangerine Bear as a direct-to-video Christmas special.

Michael Paraskevas's illustration work has appeared in magazines all over the world, including Time, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Town & Country, Esquire, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

Biography
Paraskevas graduated from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in 1984. Studying illustration and journalism, he received his MFA from SVA in 1986.

The Paraskevas strip Junior Kroll ran weekly for ten years in Dan's Papers in Bridgehampton and New York. Junior Kroll also ran as a monthly feature for five years in United Airlines' Hemispheres magazine. Paraskevas's Green Monkeys is currently running in Dan's Papers as a weekly comic strip and is soon to be syndicated.

Until her death in 2010, Betty and Michael owned and operate The Paraskevas Gallery in Westhampton Beach.

Television series

 * Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (Nelvana and Nickelodeon) — co-creator, writer, producer
 * Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse (Nelvana and PBS) — co-creator, producer
 * The Kids from Room 402 (CineGroupé and Fox Family Channel) — co-creator, producer

Television specials

 * The Tangerine Bear (Hyperion and ABC) - writer, creator, producers

Currently in development

 * Jerolemon Street
 * Junior Kroll (Paraskevas Studios)
 * Green Monkeys (Paraskevas Studios)
 * Peter Pepper Pet Spectacular
 * Hoppy and Joe (Paraskevas Studios)
 * Leo Spats Ratcatcher (Paraskevas Studios)
 * Taffy Saltwater