creator the care bears 
___MASK62___ Ltd . is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 and known for its work in children ' s animation . It was named by founders Michael Hirsh , Patrick Loubert and Clive A . Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s . The company ' s production logo is a polar bear looking at the North Star . Corus Entertainment , a spin - off from Shaw Communications , has owned the company since September 2000 . Elena Kucharik is a children ' s illustrator from the U . S ., known for her artwork across the entire line of Care Bears items from the 1980s . She was co - creator of that franchise along with ___MASK23___ . Kucharik is also an illustrator of the Christian children ' s book series " Little Blessings " published by Tyndale House . ___MASK17___ was an international film and television production company . The company was also known as The Incredible World of DiC , DiC Audiovisuel , DiC Enterprises , DIC Animation City and DIC Productions at various times in its history . In 2008 , DIC was acquired by the Cookie Jar Group and was folded into it . Most of the DIC library is currently owned by DHX Media after DHX acquired the Cookie Jar Group in October 2012 . The Care Bears are a group of multi - colored bear characters . The original artwork was painted by artist Elena Kucharik for American Greetings Corporation , LLC in 1981 to be used on greeting cards ; but the characters were later used for toys , and in TV programs and films . Clive A . Smith ( often credited as Clive Smith ) is a British expatriate director and animator who , with Michael Hirsh and Patrick Loubert , founded Canadian animation studio ___MASK62___ in 1971 . Smith worked on some of his studio ' s first TV specials , including " A Cosmic Christmas " ( 1977 ), which was broadcast on CBC Television in Canada and syndicated in the United States proving to be ___MASK62___ ' s breakthrough production . He also helmed the studio ' s next special , " The Devil and Daniel Mouse ", in 1978 . He worked as director of ___MASK62___ ' s first feature film , 1983 ' s " Rock and Rule ", and its 1997 animated version of the Pippi Longstocking saga . He also directed " A Wookie ' s Christmas " ( also known as " The Faithful Wookie ") for ___MASK32___ and " Family Dog " for ___MASK67___ and Steven Spielberg . Smith retired from ___MASK62___ in 2001 , the year after he and his co - founders sold the studio to Corus Entertainment . The Care Bears is an animated television series based on the Care Bears franchise , which aired between 1985 and 1988 in syndication ; on the ABC network , The CBN Family Channel from 1988 to 1990 , The Family Channel from 1990 to 1997 ( DIC episodes only ) and from 1990 to 1998 ( ___MASK62___ episodes only ) in the United States . The 1985 episodes were produced by ___MASK17___ ; the ABC episodes were made by ___MASK62___ under the name The Care Bears Family . This is the only Care Bears series produced by ___MASK62___ ; in 2007 , Sabella Dern Entertainment produced a revival , Care Bears : Adventures in Care - a - Lot . Patrick Loubert ( born Toronto , Ontario in 1947 ) was one of the founders of the Canadian animation studio , ___MASK62___ Limited , along with Clive A . Smith and Michael Hirsh . He has produced , and executive - produced , much of the company ' s most memorable fare .