| Mike Young | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Young 1945 Barry, Vale of Glamorgan |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Occupation | Animation Producer, Animation Writer and founder of Mike Young Productions |
| Years active | 1980 - Present |
| Known for | Super Ted |
Michael "Mike" Young (born 1945 in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan), is a Welsh born, US domiciled, Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning animation producer, he is founder of two animation companies in both UK and US. Young is the current COO of MoonScoop.
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Young trained as a television producer, but while working as an advertising copywriter he met partner Liz Young. After the pair married in the 1970s, his step son Richard Finn (now head of post-production at MYP), was having trouble falling asleep. Young invented stories about a teddy bear, which became SuperTed. Finn went to school to tell his friends the wonderful stories, which resulted in the SuperTed books, co-produced with TV Producer Young.[1]
In 1981, Mike Young along with his wife Liz Young, animator Dave Edwards and producer Robin Lyons, founded Siriol Productions when the three men approached the newly formed Welsh TV channel S4C and secured a commission to produce an animated series of Superted. Due to the success of the initial series, it was re-dubbed in English and a special edition for the Welsh Office which instructed children on the "dos" and "don'ts" of road safety.[2] The series sold well in the UK, along with the larger developed series of Fantastic Max, The Further Adventures of SuperTed and Little Dracula.
Young found it difficult to sell his series to Hollywood executives without a local presence there so in 1989 the family moved to Los Angeles, selling their right to Super Ted and shares owned in Siriol Animation to finance the move and to set up Mike Young Productions. His first production was P. J. Sparkles before moving one to were Little Dracula, Potsworth & Co. and Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats (co-produced with the Dave Edwards Studio),
His company has also now created a series of caricatures at Cardiff City Stadium.[3]
Young is married to partner, president and the other co-founder of Mike Young Productions, Liz Young. A football fanatic, he is a lifelong supporter of Cardiff City F.C., and runs a junior soccer league in California.[4] Young was awarded the Chancellor's Medal at the 2007 graduation ceremony of the University of Glamorgan.[5]
Mike young has worked on the following series:
In partnership with Siriol Animation
He left UK to work in partnership with other companies