Michael Polis

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Michael Ralph Polis (born September 24,1965) is a senior level strategist and producer. He has developed and produced content for film, television and digital media including Yo Gabba Gabba, Kermit’s Swamp Years and Mirrormask.

EARLY LIFE

Michael Ralph Polis was born on September 24, 1965 in Queens, NY.  He has two sisters and grew up in Upstate New York where he loved to read comics and collect toys. He “ told good jokes in high school art class”. Michael attended college at Bingham University where he studied Political Science and Graphic Design. While at Bingham, he was a founding member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon in 1984. He later received his M.B.A in Finance and Marketing at Northeastern University.

CAREER

Michael started his career at Kraft Foods in 1991 as the Marketing Promotions Manager, managing the promotional plans for Post Cereal brands.

In 1995, Michael moved coasts and started his role as the Executive Director of Marketing at Universal Home Entertainment, managing marketing and promotions of home entertainment titles such as "Babe, E.T.," "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" and "The Land Before Time."

In 1999, Michael joined the Jim Henson Company, and in 2001 became Senior Vice President of Marketing Worldwide at The Jim Henson Company, overseeing global strategic marketing initiatives for the entire Henson library, including “The Muppets,” “Fraggle Rock” and “Labryrinth.” Polis received an Emmy nomination as an executive producer on "Kermit's Swamp Years” and nominations as executive producer for the theatrically distributed film “Mirrormask”.

Polis joined W!LDBRAIN as the studio’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) in June, 2007. As CMO, Polis led and supervised global marketing and licensing efforts on behalf of W!LDBRAIN’s entertainment assets, including the series “Yo Gabba Gabba!” He developed product and brand licensing initiatives on behalf of the entire studio’s intellectual property.

Polis was named President in 2010, W!LDBRAIN Entertainment and EVP, Branded Entertainment & Consumer Products, DHX Media. In addition to overseeing global development, production, distribution & digital operations for W!LDBRAIN Entertainment, he led DHX Media’s international licensing activities. He also served as executive producer on productions including “Yo Gabba Gabba!” for Nickelodeon in addition to projects for HBO, Disney and Mattel. He was nominated in 2011, 2012 & 2013 for the Outstanding Pre-School Children’s Series Emmy.

While at W!LDBRAIN Entertainment, Polis was the Executive Producer of UMIGO – a transmedia property designed to teach today’s generation of digital savvy children age 5-8 years old math and literacy skills. Under Polis’ direction, the project was awarded a multi-year grant with the U.S. Department of Education for thirty-two million dollars.

Polis served as a member of the executive committee for the Children’s Programming Peer Group and was a two term Governor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (2008-2012). He is also a member of the Producer’s Guild of America’s new media group and a member of the Las Virgenes Chapter of YPO (Young President’s Organization).

In 2012, Michael formed Atomic Toybox, based in Los Angeles, to create and develop children’s properties from concept development to production and consumer products. He also serves as an advisor to Creepy Co, a Chicago-based collectibles brand born out of a love for all things creepy.  

In 2018, Michael Polis published a Halloween story he co-authored with Jesse McCann called The Legends of Peter Pumpkinhead.

AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Nominated for 4 Emmy Awards, Michael has developed and produced award-winning content for film, television, live entertainment and digital media.  

Kermit's Swamp Years -- Executive Producer (2002)

Bear in the Big Blue House LIVE - Executive Producer (2002)

MirrorMask -- Executive Producer (2005)

The Making of MirrorMask — Executive Producer (2006)

UMIGO - Executive Producer (2010)

Yo Gabba Gabba! - Executive Producer (2011-2015)

EMMY NOMINATIONS

2003 Nominee - Outstanding Children’s program - Kermit’s Swamp Years

2011, 2012 and 2014 Nominee - Daytime Emmy - Outstanding Preschool Children’s Series - Yo Gabba Gabba

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