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Revision as of 22:25, 20 September 2012
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The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson. The characters became a household name after their appearance in the children's television program Sesame Street.[1] Henson was initially reluctant to become involved with Sesame Street because he feared being pigeon-holed as a children's performer, but agreed to work on the show to further his social goals.[2] The first Muppet characters appeared as early as 1955, in Sam and Friends, a Washington, D.C.-based show that was on the air for eight years. Kermit the Frog was one of the show's regulars, and one of Henson's first Muppet creations.[1]
By the early 1970s, Henson began to think seriously about the possibility of a network series for adults featuring the Muppets.[3] The characters appeared on the comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live (namely The Land of Gorch segments) in 1975, and by 1976, The Muppet Show, which was produced in London, began to air in syndication. Jim Henson and his associates created additional characters for subsequent projects which included television shows, movies, commercials, and programs for the Internet.
Muppets that debuted in Sam and Friends
The following are the earlier Muppet creations of Jim Henson that appeared on Sam and Friends:
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Liver | N/A | A humanoid character with a tall head and a big nose. He is also called Theodore.[4] |
| Hank and Frank | N/A | Two bald men. They took on the roles of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley in a spoof interview with Kermit.[4] |
| Harry the Hipster | Jim Henson | A beatnik. He resembled a black sock puppet with shades and spoke in a hip slang. Harry was one of the first Muppets designed and built by Jim Henson.[4] |
| Henrietta | Jane Henson (1956), Jerry Juhl (1970) | A pink female creature of indeterminable species. Henrietta appeared in The Muppets on Puppets during Rowlf the Dog's mixed-up fairy tale sketch portraying the fairy godmother.[4] |
| Icky Gunk | N/A | A snake with arms.[4] |
| Kermit | Jim Henson | See: Characters that appeared on The Muppet Show |
| Moldy Hay | N/A | A humanoid character with orange-red skin, a big nose, and hair over his eyes.[4] |
| Mushmellon | N/A | A yellow monster-like character.[4] |
| Omar | Jim Henson | A beaked humanoid with a papier-mâché face.[4] |
| Pierre the French Rat | Jim Henson | A rat who was one of Jim Henson's first puppets. Pierre was embodied as a puppet made from plastic wood.[4] |
| Professor Madcliffe | Jim Henson | A tall-headed professor with big eyes and a mustache. He had a loud and energetic personality.[4] |
| Sam | Jim Henson | The main character of the series who never spoke, but would lip-sync to any song. His puppet was made of papier-mâché.[4] |
| Yorick | Jim Henson | A voracious puppet that resembled a rock head. Yorick has been known for appearing with Kermit in a segment where Kermit sang "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" where Yorick tried to eat Kermit's foot. His puppet was made of papier-mâché with a tube in his mouth that allowed him to swallow things.[4] |
Muppets that debuted in commercials
The following is a list of Muppets that debuted in the commercials:
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Arnold | Frank Oz | A monster that appears in the Munchos commercials with Fred and had a craving for Munchos. He is a prototype version of Cookie Monster.[5] |
| Delbert the La Choy Dragon | Frank Oz (performer), Jim Henson (voice) | A full-bodied dragon that was in the commercials for La Choy. He used the catchphrase "cooked in dragon fire" to describe the product. Delbert the La Choy Dragon was one of Frank Oz's few in-suit performances since Frank Oz didn't like performing in Full-Bodied Muppet costumes.[6] |
| Fred | Jim Henson | The spokesman of Munchos.[5] |
| Kenner Gooney Bird | Jim Henson | A bird that was the mascot of the Kenner Toys company. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin and Kermit Love.[7] |
| Mert | Jim Henson | A timid spokesman who was used in the later commercials for La Choy.[6] |
| Mirinda Craver | Bob Payne | A Muppet Monster that craves the Mirinda drinks and will do anything to obtain a Mirinda drink. With the Mirinda Craver being a Live-Hand Muppet, Bob Payne is assisted in performing the Mirinda Craver by Louise Gold, Dave Holman, or Faz Fazakas with either one handling one of the arms of the Mirinda Craver.[8] |
| Nutty Bird | Jim Henson | An excitably bird that was used to promote Royal Crown Cola by touting the benefits. Frank Oz assisted Jim Henson into performing this character. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin.[9] |
| Sour Bird | Jim Henson | A bird that was used to promote Royal Crown Cola.[9] |
| Southern Colonel | Jim Henson | A southern gentleman that was used in the commercials for Southern Bread. Seeing as the Southern Colonel is a Live-Hand Muppet, Jim Henson is often assisted in performing him by Frank Oz or Jerry Nelson. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin. In The Ed Sullivan Show and The Muppets on Puppets, the Southern Colonel was used in the "A Change of Face" sketch where someone would change the Southern Colonel's face where his personality would match whatever his face resembles.[10] |
| Tommy and Fred | Jim Henson | Two men who appeared in the ads for Kern's Bakery. Tommy would always try to get Fred to eat the bread which Fred would often decline and it always ends with something bad happening to Fred. Tommy's puppet is a recycled version of Taminella Grinderfall from the "Tales of the Tinkerdee" pilot while Fred's puppet is a recycled version of the Prime Minister from the same pilot.[11] |
| Wilkins and Wontkins | Jim Henson | Two characters that were used to promote Wilkins Coffee. Whenever Wilkins tried to get Wontkins to try the Wilkins Coffee, Wontkins would always decline causing bad things to happen to him.[12] |
Muppets that debuted in The Muppet Show
Many of the characters who appeared on The Muppet Show have previously appeared in earlier productions in various ways.
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghan Hound | Louise Gold, Richard Hunt (Episode 44), Kathryn Mullen (Episode 115), Alice Dinnean (2011) | An Afghan Hound that appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Aliens | Various Performers | An alien duo that appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Angus McGonagle | Jerry Nelson | Also known as the Argyle Gargoyle, Angus McGonagle is a Scotsman who can gargle Gerswhin gorgeously. The sound effects of Angus' gargling are provided by Richard Hunt. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and Bruce McNally and built by Jane Gootnick.[13] | |
| Animal | Frank Oz (1976-2001),[14] Eric Jacobson (2001-Present)[15] | A savage and frenzied monster and the drummer for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Author Christopher Finch calls Animal "the ultimate representation of a long line of Muppets who personify unbridled appetite".[14] Animal is both "carnivorous beast" and "physical manifestation of pure libido". He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Dave Goelz.[16] | |
| Announcer | Jerry Nelson (1976-2011), John Lovelady (Episodes 9, 13-17) | An unseen announcer who would announce the segment that is about to come on. In the "Gene Kelly" episode, the Announcer is revealed to be a blue Whatnot.[13] | |
| Annie Sue | Louise Gold | A young female pig who is Miss Piggy's innocent rival.[13] | |
| Baby Band | Various Performers | A bunch of babies that are often seen as members of Bobby Benson's Baby Band. They were built by Calista Hendrickson.[13] | |
| Baskerville the Hound | Various Performers | A hound that appears occasionally. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin.[13] | |
| Beaker | Richard Hunt (1976-1992), Steve Whitmire (1992-Present) | Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's lab assistant, who performs "ill-fated" experiments, which often results in him getting blown up, eaten, or knocked over. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin.[17] | |
| Beauregard | Dave Goelz[18] | "Sweet but dim-witted" stagehand of the Muppet Theater.[18] Goelz called him "big and strong and clumsy". He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Mari Kaestle.[19] | |
| Beautiful Day Monster | Richard Hunt (Episode 8), Jerry Nelson (Episode 26), Dan Redican (1989), Bill Barretta (2011) | A monster that was previously seen on The Ed Sullivan Show and Sesame Street.[13] | |
| Behemoth | Dave Goelz (Episode 15), Richard Hunt (Episode 19), Jerry Nelson (Episode 26), Bill Barretta (1996-) | A large orange monster who is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets. He is one of the Muppets that eat other Muppets.[13] | |
| Betsy Bird | Betsy Baytos | A giant red and yellow dancing bird who appeared in the final season. She was named after Betsy Baytos. According to Jim Henson, Betsy was dropped since the costume seemed to hide Betsy's dance movements. Despite this, Betsy Bird did appear in the special Here Come the Puppets! She was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Cheryl Blaylock and Caroly Wilcox.[13] | |
| Billy the Bear | Frank Oz (Episode 61), Richard Hunt (Episode 73, 102) Dave Goelz (Episode 84), Jerry Nelson (Episode 105), Brian Muehl (Episode 120) | A bear who appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Bobby Benson | Richard Hunt (1976-1992) David Rudman (2011-present) | A shady looking man who leads the Baby Band.[13] | |
| Bossmen | Various Performers | 12 ft. tall Muppets that appeared occasionally. They are operated with long rods.[13] | |
| Brewster | Dave Goelz | Also known as the "Guru," Brewster is a wise white-bearded man who appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Brown Bat | Dave Goelz | A bat who appeared occasionally. He once sang the song "Leatherwing Bat" with Judy Collins, Harold the Woodpecker, and a Singing Owl. He later appeared in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie.[13] | |
| Bruno | Jerry Nelson | A Whatnot security guard who appeared occasionally in the final season. | |
| Butch the Tiger | Jim Henson (Episode 91), Brian Muehl (Episode 110) | A tiger that appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Camilla the Chicken | Jerry Nelson (1976-2001), Alice Dinnean (2005), Matt Vogel (2008-Present) | A chicken who is Gonzo's girlfriend.[20] | |
| Chick | N/A | In the "Roger Miller" episode, this chick was the source of the Cluckitis. The Chick later made other appearances in this show and appeared in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie.[13] | |
| Clodhoppers | Various Performers | One performer was required for each of the full-figured puppets. The Clodhopper's feet were attached to the performers' feet, while their heads and hands were the performer's hands. The puppeteers were dressed in black to hide themselves against the black background. The Clodhoppers were designed by Jim Henson in 1972 for a Broadway show which was never developed.[13] | |
| Crazy Harry | John Lovelady (1976-1977), Jerry Nelson (1977-2001)[21], Louise Gold (Episode 40), Rickey Boyd (2005), Matt Vogel (2008-Present) | A crazed Muppet pyrotechnician who likes to blow up things.[13] | |
| Crocodile | Peter Friedman, Frank Oz (Episode 33), Jerry Nelson (Episode 39), Richard Hunt (Episode 55) | A crocodile appeared in various sketches.[13] | |
| Dodo | Jerry Nelson | A dodo that appeared occasionally. It later appeared in Muppet Treasure Island as one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Lyle Conoway.[13] | |
| Doglion | Jerry Nelson (Episode 36), Frank Oz (Episode 35), Jim Henson (Episode 48), Kevin Clash (1989), Bill Barretta (1996) | A dog-faced monster with horns who is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets.[13] | |
| Dr. Bunsen Honeydew | Dave Goelz[22] | A scientist who is often paired with and serves as a foil for Beaker.[23] Bunsen performs science experiments that usually go wrong, and has an "affable cluelessness".[17] | |
| Dr. Julius Strangepork | Jerry Nelson (1976-2001)[21] Matt Vogel (2011-Present) | A pig who appeared in "Pigs in Space" sketches with Link Hogthrob and Miss Piggy where he was a chief science officer.[24] | |
| Dr. Teeth | Jim Henson (1976-1990), John Kennedy (1990-2001), Bill Barretta (2001-Present) | Leader of the Electric Mayhem and keyboardist. He is based upon New Orleans singer and pianist Doctor John. He was designed by Jim Henson and Michael K. Frith and built by Don Sahlin.[25] | |
| Floyd Pepper | Jerry Nelson (1976-2001),[21] Matt Vogel (2008-Present) | Member of the Electric Mayhem and bassist. Author Christopher Finch says that Floyd is most like Nelson, and if there were a spin-off of The Muppet Show centering on his band, Floyd "would probably emerge as the central figure". He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Dave Goelz.[26] | |
| Droop | Jerry Nelson, Jim Henson (Episode 11), Richard Hunt (Episode 46), Peter Linz (2011) | A green monster with a long pointy nose and bird-like feet. He originated in The Great Santa Claus Switch where he was called Snivelly. He was built by Caroly Wilcox.[13] | |
| Eric the Parrot | Jerry Nelson | A parrot who appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Fazoobs | Various Performers | Four musical aliens from the planet Koozebane who appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Fish Singer | Louise Gold | A fish who would often be paired up with the Gills Brothers. The character later made cameos in The Ghost of Faffner Hall.[13] | |
| Fleet Scribbler | Jerry Nelson | A gossip journalist for "The Daily Scandal" who sometimes reports on the goings-on at the Muppet Theater.[13] | |
| Fletcher Bird | Graham Fletcher (performer), Steve Whitmire (voice) | A large multi-colored dancing bird. He is named after Graham Fletcher.[13] | |
| Flower-Eating Monster | Various Performers | A dog-eared monster that appeared occasionally. He was designed by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Foo-Foo | Steve Whitmire[27] | Miss Piggy's dog. Also appears as a real dog in full shots.[27] | |
| Fozzie Bear | Frank Oz (1976-2001),[25] Eric Jacobson[15] (2001-Present) | Muppet Theater's comedian bear that can never make any good jokes. Finch calls Fozzie "a sweetly insecure and absolutely terrible comedian".[25] According to Oz, Fozzie is such a bad comedian that he "can't afford good joke writers, and he can't write good jokes himself". He was designed by Michael K. Frith. | |
| Forcryingoutloud Bird | Frank Oz | A green bird with a yellow beak who appeared occasionally. He was designed by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Gaffer the Cat | Kathryn Mullen | An eyepatch-wearing cat that appeared occasionally. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by MaryAnn Harms.[13] | |
| Gawky Birds | Various Performers | 11 ft. tall rod-puppets that appeared occasionally. They are operated with long rods.[13] | |
| George the Janitor | Frank Oz (1976), Steve Whitmire (1996) | A janitor who appeared in the first Muppet show pilot. Discovered with guest star Mia Farrow's help that he loved his mop.[28] | |
| Geri and the Atrics | Geri: Jerry Nelson Drum Atric: Dave Goelz False Teeth: Richard Hunt Guitar Atric: Louise Gold Piano Atric: Frank Oz Tambourine Atric: Jerry Nelson Tuba Atric: Steve Whitmire Vocalist Atric: Kathryn Mullen |
A band of six elderly ladies and one singing false teeth that appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Gladys | Richard Hunt | She works as a cafeteria lady in the Muppet Theater's canteen delivering the food made by the Swedish Chef to its customers.[13] | |
| Gnu | Jerry Nelson | A gnu appeared in various sketches. He was built by Tim Miller.[13] | |
| Gogola Jubilee Jugband | Gogolala Jubilee Jugband Banjo Player: Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson Gogolala Jubilee Jugband Female: Eren Ozker Gogolala Jubilee Jugband Jug Player: Dave Goelz, Jim Henson Paul: Peter Friedman, Jerry Nelson Slim: Frank Oz |
A jugband consisting of five Whatnots that appeared in Season One.[13] | |
| Gonzo the Great | Dave Goelz[23] | Muppet Theatre's stuntman who believes that all his stunts are works of art. Haberkorn calls Gonzo "the most grotesque Muppet", who revels in being different and resists categorization.[29] | |
| Gorgon Heap | Frank Oz (Episodes 5, 26), Dave Goelz (Episode 16), Richard Hunt (Episode 21), Jerry Nelson (Episode 35) | A large purple monster. He is one of the Muppets that eat other Muppets. There was also a hand-puppet version of Gorgon Heap that was used occasionally.[13] | |
| Harold the Woodpecker | Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson | A woodpecker who appeared occasionally. He even made a cameo in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie.[13] | |
| Herbie the One-Octopus Band | N/A | An octopus who is a one-man band. He later made a cameo in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie.[13] | |
| Hilda | Eren Ozker (1976) | An old seamstress/wardrobe mistress who speaks with a slavic accent.[13] | |
| J.P. Grosse | Jerry Nelson (1976-1978), Kevin Clash (1996) | Scooter's uncle who owns the Muppet Theater. He was built by Mae Kaestle.[13] | |
| Janice | Richard Hunt (1976-1992),[30], Brian Henson (2002), Tyler Bunch (2005), David Rudman (2008-Present) | The hippie-like member of the Electric Mayhem and guitarist. She was designed by Michael K. Frith and Bonnie Erickson. | |
| Kangaroo | Jerry Nelson (Episode 70) | A kangaroo that appeared occasionally. He later made a cameo in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie.[13] | |
| Kermit the Frog | Jim Henson (1955-1990),[31] Steve Whitmire (1990-Present)[15] | A frog who is the Muppet Theater's director and Jim Henson's greatest creation as Jim designed and built Kermit. Author Michael Davis calls Kermit Henson's "altered ego", and Finch claims that Kermit is most like Henson. Finch also says, "Reasonably even-tempered and often long-suffering, the small green frog generally serves as the glue that holds the rest of the Muppet universe together".[32] Kermit has been around since Jim Henson's 1955 series Sam and Friends where he was featured in a pre-frog appearance. | |
| Koozebanian Creatures | Male Koozebanian Creature: Frank Oz Female Koozebanina Creature: Jerry Nelson Baby Koozebanian Creatures: Various Performers |
A bunch of aliens from the planet Koozebane.[13] | |
| Koozebanian Phoob | N/A | An alien from the planet Koozebane.[13] | |
| Lenny the Lizard | Dave Goelz (Episode 3), Jerry Nelson (Episode 7), Jim Henson (Episode 28), Richard Hunt (Episode 32) | A turquoise lizard who made many appearances on the show. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin.[13] | |
| Lew Zealand | Jerry Nelson (1976-2001),[21] Matt Vogel (2008-Present) | The Muppet whose "vaudeville-inspired act" included throwing "boomerang fish" at the audience. He was originally a Whatnot before a permanent puppet was made for him. The construction of his Whatnot head was done by Dave Goelz while the character finishing was done by Amy van Gilder. | |
| Link Hogthrob | Jim Henson (1976-1990),[25] Steve Whitmire (2001-Present) | A "bumb, pompous"[25] pig who appeared in the sketches "Bear on Patrol" and "Pigs in Space". He was designed by Calista Hendrickson.[24] | |
| Lips | Steve Whitmire | An additional member of the Electric Mayhem and trumpet player. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Mari Kaestle. | |
| Louis Kazzager | Jerry Nelson | A Muppet sports commentator who provided commentary for Muppet Sports. He is loosely inspired by Howard Cosell. He was designed and built by Mari Kaestle.[13] | |
| Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers | Lubbock Lou: Dave Goelz, Richard Hunt Bubba: Richard Hunt Gramps: Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt Lou: Louise Gold Slim Wilson: Jerry Nelson, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Steve Whitmire Zeke: Jim Henson (1977-1978), Steve Whitmire (1979-1981) |
A jugband that debuted in Season Two replacing the Gogolala Jubilee Jugband. [13] | |
| Luncheon Counter Monster | Dave Goelz (Episodes, 30, 35, 50), Richard Hunt (Episodes 25, 36), Jerry Nelson (Episode 99), Kevin Clash (1988), Gord Robertson (1989), David Rudman (2008) | A hungry purple monster.[13] | |
| Lyle the Dog | Richard Hunt (Episode 82, 103), Dan Redican (1988) | A dog that was used in various roles. He was named after is designer and builder Lyle Conoway. | |
| Mahna Mahna | Jim Henson (1976-1990), Bill Barretta (2001-Present) | A purple, wild orange-haired Muppet in a green tunic that is the singer of "Mah Nà Mah Nà." He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin.[13] | |
| Marvin Suggs | Frank Oz (1976)[14], Eric Jacobson (2011-Present) | Finch calls Marvin one of Oz's "more unusual creations"; Marvin plays the Muppaphones (small, round, little balls of fur) by hitting them over the head with a mallet. He was designed by Rollie Krewson.[14] | |
| Mary Louise | Rollie Krewson (Episode 3) Eren Ozker (Episode 5), Fran Brill (Episode 6), Louise Gold (Episode 31) | A young Whatnot girl. She once auditioned with an unnamed frog three times under three names only to be hooked off stage by Miss Piggy who states that she's the only one who can sing with a frog.[13] | |
| Mean Mama | Richard Hunt (Episodes 29, 35, 109), Jim Henson (Episode 33), Dave Goelz (Episode 37), Louise Gold (Episode 66) | A large voracious brown monster. There was also a hand-puppet version of Mean Mama that was used occasionally.[13] | |
| Mickey Moose | Jerry Nelson | A moose who appeared occasionally. He is a parody of Mickey Mouse.[13] | |
| Miss Kitty | Dave Goelz (Episodes 5, 6, 9, 22), Jim Henson (Episode 12), Richard Hunt (Episode 16) | A purple monster who appeared occasionally. She was previously used in The Great Santa Claus Switch as one of Cosmo Scam's henchmen.[13] | |
| Miss Mousey | Jerry Nelson | A mouse who was a rival of Miss Piggy for Kermit the Frog's affections.[13] | |
| Miss Piggy | Frank Oz (1976-2001),[14] Eric Jacobson (2001-Present)[15] | The Muppet Show's break-out and "authentic superstar",[33] and Oz's most well-known character,[14] authors Maryanne Fisher and Anthony Cox call Piggy "uniquely strong and feminine", and but "domineering and demanding".[34] | |
| Mildred Huxtetter | Various Performers | A purple beak-nosed woman who is George the Janitor's dancing partner.[13] | |
| Mrs. Appleby | Kathryn Mullen | A frog who is the pack leader of the Frog Scouts. She was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Nomi Frederick.[13] | |
| Mulch | Jerry Nelson (1976-1981), Kevin Clash (1996) | A blue hunchbacked humanoid monster. He was built by Bob Payne. In Muppets Tonight, he appeared as the hulking assistant of Dr. Phil van Neuter.[13] | |
| Muppaphones | Various Performers | A bunch of furballs that serve as Marvin Suggs' instruments.[13] | |
| Muppy | Dave Goelz | An Old English Sheepdog who is J.P. Grosse's pet dog. An actual dog was used for long shots of Muppy.[13] | |
| Nigel the Conductor | Jim Henson (1975-1976), John Lovelady (1976-1977) | The conductor of the Muppet Orchestra. He was built by Dave Goelz.[13] | |
| Ohboy Bird | Richard Hunt | A blue bird that various appearances on the show. He was designed by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Ohreally Bird | Fran Brill | An orange bird who appeared occasionally. She was designed by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Old Skyball Paint | Jerry Nelson | A horse who appeared occasionally. The character later made cameos in The Ghost of Faffner Hall.[13] | |
| Paul Revere Horse | Jerry Nelson | A long-legged horse in New Balance Sneakers who appeared occasionally. When in full shots, it took two Muppet performers to operate the legs. He even made a cameo in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Show.[13] | |
| Penguins | Richard Hunt (Episodes 68, 70), Steve Whitmire (Episode 70, 2009 "Bohemian Rhapsody" video), Jim Henson (Episode 94, 1984, 1987), Dave Goelz (1984), Martin P. Robinson (1985, 2008), Pam Arciero (1985), Kathryn Mullen (1985), Jerry Nelson (1992), Leslie Carrara-Rudolph (2008), Various Performers | A bunch of penguins that appear occasionally. Although they mostly squack, some of them actually speak.[13] | |
| Pops | Jerry Nelson (1976-2001) | The Muppet Theatre doorman.[35] | |
| Prairie Dogs | Various Performers | A bunch of prairie dogs that appeared occasionally. | |
| Quongo the Gorilla | Jerry Nelson (Episodes 56, 100, 110), Richard Hunt (Episode 115) | A wild mountain gorilla who appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Righton Bird | Dave Goelz | A purple bird who appeared occasionally. He was designed by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Rizzo the Rat | Steve Whitmire | An inner-city rat. Whitmire describes Rizzo as "a sarcastic kind of New York character".[36] | |
| Robin the Frog | Jerry Nelson (1976-2001),[37] Matt Vogel (2008-Present) | A small frog who is Kermit's "sweet-voiced nephew".[38] | |
| Ronald Duck | Cynthia Adler (Episode 12) Richard Hunt (Episode 46) | A duck in a sailor hat who appeared occasionally. In the "Petula Clark" episode, Ronald Duck was a companion of Mickey Moose. He is a parody of Donald Duck.[13] | |
| Rowlf the Dog | Jim Henson (1963-1990),[39] Bill Barretta (1996-Present) | A pianist dog]]. First appearing in The Jimmy Dean Show, Finch calls Rowlf "the first fully rounded character performed by Jim Henson". Finch also calls him "wonderfully down-to-earth, with a dry, self-deprecating sense of humor" and "a master of the double take". He was built by Don Sahlin.[40] | |
| Sam the Eagle | Frank Oz (1976-2001),[41] Kevin Clash (2002), Eric Jacobson[15] | An eagle who is the Muppet Theater's patriotic and self-proclaimed delegator. Critic Jordan Schildcrout describes Sam as "a cross between Uncle Sam and America's national bird with a dash of Richard Nixon, [who] represents a conservative, nationalist Puritanism that makes him a snob and a prude". He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin.[42] | |
| Scooter | Richard Hunt (1976-1992),[43], Adam Hunt (voice, 1999), Brian Henson (2002), Rickey Boyd (2005), David Rudman (2008-Present) | Gofer of the Muppet Theater and nephew of its owner J.P. Grosse. Hunt based Scooter's voice and personality on how he remembered himself when he was younger.[30] | |
| Screaming Thing | Jerry Nelson | A green creature with pink feathers and three legs that rotate like a pinwheel. He even made a cameo in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Show.[13] | |
| Shakey Sanchez | Jim Henson (Episode 16), Jerry Nelson (Episode 21) | A small pink creature that appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Singing Owl | Jerry Nelson | An owl who appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Sopwith the Camel | Jerry Nelson | A bactrian camel who appeared occasionally. He is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets and was built by Caroly Wilcox. It took two dancers to operate Sopwith the Camel with the front dancer using his arms to control Sopwith's head. He is named after the Sopwith Camel.[13] | |
| Statler and Waldorf | Statler: Richard Hunt (1976-1990),[30], Jerry Nelson (1990-2001) Steve Whitmire (2005-Present)[44] Waldorf: Jim Henson (1976-1990),[25] Dave Goelz (1990-Present)[44] |
Two "grouchy but dapper"[45] gentlemen who heckle the Muppets, especially Fozzie, from the upper balcony box. They're named after the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century robber barons E.M. Statler and William Waldorf Astor. They were designed and built by Bonnie Erickson.[46] | |
| Sundance the Lion | Dave Goelz (Episode 68), Jerry Nelson (Episodes 91, 98) | A lion who appeared occasionally. Although he is a Full-Bodied Muppet, he does have a Live-Hand Muppet counterpart that was used in Season 4 and 5. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Tim Miller.[13] | |
| The Swedish Chef | Jim Henson (1976-1990), David Rudman (1992), Dave Goelz (1999), Bill Barretta (1996-Present)[47] | A chef that speaks in Mock Swedish. Based on the "standard finger puppet",[48] the Chef was a collaboration between Jim Henson Henson and Frank Oz (who provided the hands of the Swedish Chef). Frank Oz would deliberately do unexpected things, like tossing chickens and juggling meat cleavers, that Henson would have to improvise through. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Jim Henson and Bonnie Erickson.[25] | |
| Sweetums | Jerry Nelson (1971, performer), Carl Banas (1971, voice), Richard Hunt (1976-1990)[30], Rob Mills (1989), John Henson (1990-2005), Victor Yerrid (2005), Noel MacNeal (2008), Matt Vogel (2012) | A large, hairy, full-sized ogre-like Muppet who appeared in The Frog Prince before his appearance in The Muppet Show. He told Kermit, "Jack not name; Jack job!" in The Muppet Movie.[49] His performer could see only by looking out of his mouth.[50] | |
| The Country Trio | Jim: Jim Henson Frank: Frank Oz Jerry: Jerry Nelson |
A hillbilly band. The members Jim, Frank, and Jerry are named after their performers whom they resemble. Jim and Frank were designed and built by Bonnie Erickson while Jerry was designed by Bonnie Erickson and built by Don Sahlin.[13] | |
| The Frackles | Blue Frackle: Dave Goelz (Episodes 4, 16), Frank Oz (Episodes 9, 47), Richard Hunt (Episodes 11, 55), Jim Henson (Episode 33) Green Frackle: Jim Henson (Episode 16), John Lovelady (Episode 18) Snake Frackle: Richard (Episode 33) Blue Bird-Like Frackle: Eren Ozker (Episode 3) Green Bird-Like Frackle: John Lovelady (Episode 7), Abby Hadfield (Epiode 33) Pink Frackle: N/A Jade Green Frackle: Richard Hunt (Episode 9), Dave Goelz (1988), Tyler Bunch (2011) Forest Green Frackle: N/A Green-Furred Frackle: Kevin Clash (1988) Purple Frackle: Frank Oz (Episod 109) Gray Frackle: N/A |
A race of monsters that come in different types. They were seen on The Great Santa Claus Switch before appearing on The Muppet Show.[13] | |
| The Flying Zucchini Brothers | Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Steve Whitmire | An Italian acrobat\daredevil act. There are six brothers and they use a human cannonball. | |
| The Gills Brothers | Jim Henson, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Steve Whitmire | A quartet of fish singers who appeared occasionally. They are a parody of The Mills Brothers.[13] | |
| The Lautrec Sisters | Louise Gold, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz | A quartet of dancing rats. Two of them later appeared in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie.[13] | |
| The Muppet Newsman | Jim Henson (1976-1989), Brian Henson (2001-2003), Steve Whitmire (2008-Present) | A bespectacled newsman who hosts the Muppet News Flash where something related to what he is reporting on befalls him. He was designed and built by Bonnie Erickson. | |
| The Mutations | Various Performers | A trio of purple Full-Bodied Muppet monsters who mostly dance. The heights of the Mutations vary depending on who is performing them. They are a parody of the music group The Temptations.[13] | |
| The Snowths | Frank Oz | Two furry pink, tube-mouthed, horned creatures that sing along to Mahna Mahna's song. They were designed by Jim Henson and built by Rollie Krewson.[13] | |
| Thog | Jerry Nelson (1970-1981), Tyler Bunch (2011) | A friendly 9 1/2-ft. blue monster who is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets. He is actually the biggest Muppet character on the show. His ears often go up if he's startled or excited about something. Despite his size, Thog is actually a gentle soul. He was previously used in The Great Santa Claus Switch as one of Cosmo Scam's henchmen. Thog was designed by Jim Henson and built by Don Sahlin. When it came to The Muppets, Thog was rebuilt by James Kroupa who made him large enough to not be able to fit between the arches for the telethon's theme song. Thus, Thog had to walk in front of the arches.[13] | |
| Timmy Monster | Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire | A large green monster who is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets.[13] | |
| Tom, Dick, and Harry | Tom: Jerry Nelson Dick: Dave Goelz Harry: John Lovelady |
A green-furred, three-headed monster that appeared two times. Tom is the green-faced head, Dick is the pink-faced head, and Harry is the blue-faced head.[13] | |
| Trolls | Varios Performers | Three trolls appeared occasionally. One has red hair, one has green hair, and one has gray hair. They were designed by Michael K. Frith.[13] | |
| Trumpet Girl | Eren Ozker, Frank Oz (Episodes 1, 20) | The female trumpet player of the Muppet Orchestra. Due to the addition of the trumpet player Lips, she switched to trombone during the show's fifth season.[13] | |
| Uncle Deadly | Jerry Nelson (1976-1978), Matt Vogel (2011) | Also called "the Phantom of the Muppet Show", Uncle Deadly is a sinister blue dragon-like character who lurks around the theater and appears occasionally on the show. He was designed by Michael K. Frith.[13] | |
| Walrus | Dave Goelz (Episode 76) | A walrus that appeared occasionally.[13] | |
| Wayne and Wanda | Wayne: Richard Hunt (1976-1977, Episode 74), David Rudman (2011) Wanda: Eren Ozker (1976-1977), Kathryn Mullen (Episode 74), Alice Dinnean (2011) |
A pair of snobby singers who are introduced by Sam the Eagle who approves of their wholesome, uplifting and decent act but is frustrated by their inability to get part the first verse of any song. While their sketches always begin as mellow and classy, they always end in disaster, seemingly foretold by the title of their chosen song. Wayne was built by Rollie Krewson. They are a slapstick tribute to Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. After a recurring run in the first season, they disappeared after Eren Ozker quit the show. Wayne still appeared occasionally as a background character or as the hero in a series of Melodrama sketches co-starring Miss Piggy and Uncle Deadly, but soon vanished as well. It was eventually revealed in the Linda Lavin episode that Kermit had fired them, but forgot why he did and decided to rehire them. Unfortunately, seconds after they started to sing, Kermit remembered why he fired them (because they were terrible) and instantly fired them again and forced them off the stage. Wayne and Wanda would reappear in The Muppets Take Manhattan as guests at the wedding of Piggy and Kermit, and Wanda was seen participating in a choir. Wayne and Wanda throughout The Muppets, where they are caught kissing during a blackout.[13] | |
| Whaddayasay Bird | Jerry Nelson | A red bird who appeared occasionally. He was desgined by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Whatnots | Various Performers | A bunch of customizable puppets whose blank faces can be customized for each act. They are similar to the Anything Muppets from Sesame Street.[13] | |
| Winky Pinkerton | Steve Whitmire (Episode 54), Dave Goelz (Episode 61) | A penguin that does bird impressions who appeared occasionally. He later appeared in "The Rainbow Connection" finale of The Muppet Movie. He was built by Brian Henson.[13] | |
| Winny | Richard Hunt | A bird who was a canteen waitress in Season Four replacing Gladys. She was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Tim Miller.[13] | |
| Wolf | Frank Oz (Episode 87), Jerry Nelson (1988) | A wolf who appeared occasionally. He later made appearances in the "Dog City" episode of The Jim Henson Hour and appeared in Muppet Treasure Island as one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side.[13] | |
| Yorick | Jerry Nelson | A talking skull that appeared occasionally. He later made cameos in The Ghost of Faffner Hall. When packed with Uncle Deadly and a Ghost as part of Palisades Toys' producing of Muppet action figures, he was referred to as a Muppet Skull. He is not to be confused with Yorick from Sam and Friends.[13] | |
| Youknow Bird | Jim Henson | A pink bird who appeared occasionally. She was designed by Jim Henson.[13] | |
| Zelda Rose | Jerry Nelson (Episode 43), Richard Hunt (Episode 54), Louise Gold | A tall pink Muppet. She is a recycled and regendered version of Fred from the Munchos commercials.[13] | |
| Zoot | Dave Goelz[43] | A member of the Electric Mayhem and saxophone player, Dave Goelz calls Zoot "a puzzle to me". Zoot is "non-verbal" and "just a fifty-year-old burnt-out musician". He was designed by Bonnie Erickson and built by Dave Goelz.[30] | |
Muppets that debuted in The Muppets Take Manhattan
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bill the Frog | Dave Goelz | He along with Gil and Jill are the only adult Muppet frogs besides Kermit. Bill is the only frog with ears.[51] |
| Chester the Rat | Dave Goelz | A rat who is one of Rizzo's friends. |
| Gil the Frog | Steve Whitmire | He along with Bill and Jill are the only adult Muppet frogs besides Kermit.[51] |
| Jill the Frog | Kathryn Mullen | She is the only female frog in the Muppet universe.[51][52] |
| Masterson the Rat | Bruce Edward Hall | A rat who is one of Rizzo's friends.[51] |
| Tatooey the Rat | Brian Muehl | A rat with an anchor tattoo on his chest who is one of Rizzo's friends.[51] |
| Yolanda the Rat | Karen Prell (1984), Camille Bonora (1988), Julianne Buescher (1994), Alice Dinnean (2010) | A female rat who is one of Rizzo's friends.[51] |
Muppets that debuted in Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Boo Monster | David Rudman | A monster who is the brother of Tug Monster and Molly Monster. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Jan Rosenthal.[53] |
| Molly Monster | Camille Bonora | A monster who is the sister of Tug Monster and Boo Monster. She was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Joann Green.[53] |
| Nicky Napoleon | James Kroupa | A penguin who is the leader of the musical group Nicky Napoleon and his Emperor Penguins.[53] |
| Tug Monster | Richard Hunt | A monster who is the brother of Molly Monster and Boo Monster. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Ed Christie.[53] |
Muppets that debuted in the Play-Along Video series
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kai-Lee | Camille Bonora | A child who is the sister of P.J. She was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Rollie Krewson.[54] |
| P.J. | Kevin Clash | A playful child and the brother of Kai-Lee. He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Rollie Krewson.[54] |
| Picklepuss and Pop | Caroll Spinney | A cat duo that was created by Caroll Spinney for the Boston broadcast of Bozo's Big Top back in 1967. They appeared in Muppet form in the "Play-Along Video" called "Wow, You're a Cartoonist" where Picklepuss is a Hand-Rod Muppet and Pop is a Full-Bodied Muppet.[54] |
Muppets that debuted in The Jim Henson Hour
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bean Bunny | Steve Whitmire | A rabbit who first appeared in the HBO special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic,as the main character. Also appeared in Muppet Babies, the Disney theme park attraction Muppet*Vision 3D,[55] The Jim Henson Hour, and almost every Muppet movie after The Muppet Christmas Carol. He was designed by Diana Dawson-Hall and built by Rollie Krewson. |
| Beard | Jerry Nelson | The long-beared guitar player of Solid Foam. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Ed Christie and Peter MacKennan.[56] |
| Chip | Gord Robertson | A nerdy technician who worked at Gorilla Television. Chip later made appearances in Muppets Tonight and Muppets from Space. He was designed by John Stephenson and Michael K. Frith and built by Tim Miller.[56] |
| Clifford | Kevin Clash[57] | Clifford plays the bass in Solid Foam and wears his hair in thick dreadlocks. He speaks in a slow, "bourbon-mellow voice"[58] and has a laid-back personality. Clifford appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1990, in what was Jim Henson's final televised interview.[59][60] Clifford later became the host of Muppets Tonight.[56] Clifford was designed by Kirk Thatcher and built by Tim Miller. |
| Digit | Dave Goelz | The semi-robotic technical director of MuppeTelevision and keyboard player of Solid Foam.[56] |
| Flash | Steve Whitmire | The saxophone player of Solid Foam.[56] |
| Jacques Roach | Steve Whitmire (1989), Bill Barretta (1996) | A French-accented cockroach. He would often play a French chef competing against Swedish Chef.[56] |
| Leon | Kevin Clash | A pink lizard that is prone to pulling Gonzo into his schemes. He was designed by Kirk Thatcher.[56] |
| Lindbergh | Gord Robertson | A kiwi that serves as the maintenance man on MuppeTelevision. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Rollie Krewson.[56] |
| Ubu | Bob Stutt (1st Time), Rob Mills (2nd Time) | A blue gorilla that runs Gorilla Television. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Jane Gootnick.[56] |
| Vicki | Fran Brill | A young assistant of Kermit the Frog at MuppeTelevision. She was designed by Kirk Thatcher.[56] |
| Waldo C. Graphic | Steve Whitmire | A computer-generated puppet who appeared in Muppet*Vision 3D and The Jim Henson Hour. He is described as a cross between a bug and a seal and is the first computer-generated Muppet.[61] |
| Zonda | Fran Brill | A gothic woman that worked at Gorilla Television. She was designed by Kirk Thatcher and built by Jitka Exler.[56] |
Muppets that debuted in The Muppet Christmas Carol
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Old Joe | David Rudman (puppeteer, 1992), David Shaw Parker (voice, 1992), Jerry Nelson (1996) | A spider who works as a fence. He later made a cameo in Muppet Treasure Island as a pirate that works for Blind Pew.[62] |
Muppets that debuted in Muppet Treasure Island
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Angel Marie | John Kennedy (2005), Bill Barretta (2009, Bohemian Rhapsody video) | An ugly green hideous monster who is one of the Pirates on board the Hispaniola that is a member of Long John Silver's Crew. He later appeared in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz as a Flying Monkey.[63] |
| Black Dog | Kevin Clash | A dog pirate who accompanied Blind Pew into raiding the Admiral Benbow Inn. He later appeared in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz as a Flying Monkey.[63] |
| Blind Pew | Jerry Nelson | A blind pirate that comes looking for Billy Bones. Seeing as Blind Pew is a Live-Hand Muppet, Jerry Nelson is assisted in performing him by Bill Barretta who operates Blind Pew's hands.[63] |
| Calico | Jerry Nelson | A pink-skinned pirate with blonde hair, freckles, a tall head, and a monocle. He was named in the video-game adaption of the film. Calico later appeared in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz as a Flying Monkey.[63] |
| Clueless Morgan | Bill Barretta | A goat who is one of Long John Silver's henchmen alongside Polly Lobster and Mad Monty. He is unaware of a lot of things going on and is really stupid. He and Polly Lobster later starred in the "At the Bar" sketch of Muppets Tonight.[63] In an interview with Bill Barretta, he stated that the puppet for Clueless Morgan has gone missing.[64] |
| Dead Tom | N/A | A skeleton that is operated by another pirate (played by Mudwell the Mudbunny from Fraggle Rock).[63] |
| Headless Bill | N/A | A Muppet that has no head.[63] |
| Mad Monty | Jerry Nelson | A green monster. He first appeared as one of the pirates that is one of Long John Silver's henchmen alongside Polly Lobster and Clueless Morgan.[63] |
| Old Tom | Jerry Nelson (1996), Tyler Bunch (2005), Allan Trautman (2005), Steve Whitmire (2009, Bohemian Rhapsody video) | An old man who is one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side. He later appears in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz as a Flying Monkey.[63] |
| Polly Lobster | Kevin Clash | A lobster who serves as Long John Silver's "parrot" and is one of Long John Silver's henchmen alongside Clueless Morgan and Mad Monty. He and Clueless Morgan later starred in the "At the Bar" sketch of Muppets Tonight.[63] |
| Real Old Tom | Kevin Clash | A mummified person who is one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side.[63] |
| Spa'am | Kevin Clash | The chief of the native pigs on Treasure Island. He later appeared as a boss in Muppet RaceMania.[63] |
| Spotted Dick | Jerry Nelson (1996), Mike Quinn (2005) | A purple crocodile-like monster with orange spots and green eyes. He is one of the Pirates on board the Hispaniola who is a member of Long John Silver's Crew. He later appears in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz as a Flying Monkey.[63] |
| Walleye Pike | Kevin Clash | A large walking pike who is one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side.[63] |
Muppets that debuted in Muppets Tonight
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A. Ligator | Jerry Nelson | A pink vulture that serves as the announcer.[65] |
| Andy and Randy Pig | Andy: Brian Henson (1994)), Steve Whitmire (1996-Present) Randy: Dave Goelz |
Two pigs who are Miss Piggy's nephews.[65] |
| Barbershop Cactus Quartet | Various Performers | A group of four cacti that make up their own barbershop quartet.[65] |
| Big Mean Carl | Bill Barretta | A shaggy monster who is in the category of Muppets eating other Muppets.[65] |
| Bill the Bubble Guy | Dave Goelz | A blue man who can make bubbles come out of his head. |
| Bobo the Bear | Bill Barretta | Realistic-looking bear Muppet that worked as a security guard at KMUP. In an episode of Muppets Tonight, Bobo fell in love with and won the heart of guest star Cindy Crawford.[66] Bobo the Bear's puppet was previously seen in The Muppets Take Manhattan] as a generic bear that was performed by Jerry Nelson. |
| Captain Pighead | Steve Whitmire | A pig who serves as the captain of the new Swinetrek in the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" segments.[65] |
| Carter | Kevin Clash | Howard Tubman's elderly doddering butler. He is a recycled and regendered version of the Geri and the Atrics' guitar player from The Muppet Show.[65] |
| Crainiac | Kevin Clash | An alien with a brain for a head. He is a crew member on the Swinetrek in the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" segments.[65] |
| Darci | Leslie Carrara-Rudolph | She was featured in "The Real World Muppets" segments. Her puppet was previously used as Zondra in The Jim Henson Hour[65] |
| David Hoggselhoff | Bill Barretta | A pig who is the star of "Bay of Pigswatch." He is a parody of David Hasselhoff.[65] |
| Dr. Pain | Dave Goelz | A doctor that appeared on "E-I-E-I-O R."[65] |
| Dr. Phil van Neuter | Brian Henson | A mad scientist who hosts "Tales from the Vet." Seeing as Dr. Phil van Neuter is a Live-Hand Muppet, Brian Henson is assisted in performing him by Bill Barretta who operates Dr. Phil van Neuter's hands.[65] |
| Ernst Stavros Grouper | Bill Barretta | A grouper with an eyepatch. He is the Chairman and CEO of The Grouper Group which bought out Carni-Vore Industries (the company that owns KMUP) in the episode that guest starred Don Rickles and Coolio. He is a parody of Ernst Stavro Blofeld.[65] |
| Gary Cahuenga | Dave Goelz | A ventriloquist's dummy with a mind of his own.[65] |
| Howard Tubman | Bill Barretta | A rich food-loving pig.[65] |
| Johnny Fiama | Bill Barretta | Patterned after Frank Sinatra, Johnny is often seen with his bodyguard Sal Minella. He's a big Tony Bennett fan.[67] |
| Jowls | Jerry Nelson | A wrinkly faced man who leads the Muppets Tonight Band.[65] |
| Mr. Poodlepants | Steve Whitmire | An eccentric character with a strange fashion style.[65] First appeared in episode 103 (guest star Billy Crystal) opposite Sam the Eagle in a "political" sketch.[68] |
| Muppets Tonight Writers | Various Performers | A group of three monkeys who did the writing for the show as seen in the "Andie MacDowell" episode. The Writers bear a resemblance to Quongo the Gorilla from The Muppet Show. The writers later appeared in the video to the Muppets version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and later appeared in a crowd cameo in The Muppets.[65] |
| Nigel | Brian Henson | A green monster with a long pointy nose who serves as the show's stressed-out director. He resembles Droop from The Muppet Show.[65] |
| Pepe the King Prawn | Bill Barretta | Pepe is a "scheming and sassy" king prawn.[69] In 2002, he was the spokesman of restaurant chain Long John Silver's. |
| Pokey | Stephanie D'Abruzzo (2008) | A monster who appeared in unnamed appearances in this show. This character got it's name when it appeared on the "Muppet Takeover" episode of The Today Show. Pokey was also seen in The Muppets where she appeared backstage and in a crowd cameo.[65] |
| Sal Minella | Brian Henson | Sidekick and vest-wearing chimpanzee bodyguard of Johnny Fiama. In episode 105, Sal falls in love with Johnny after being struck by one of Cupid's arrows.[66] |
| Seymour | Brian Henson | An elephant that was often paired with Pepe. He and Pepe would often work as elevator operator and commissary cooks. Seymour the Elephant was dropped after Muppets Tonight ended. Pepe stated at MuppetFest that Seymour is currently living in a condo in Florida. In a 2008 interview, Pepe reported that Seymour's green card expired and he was subsequently deported to India where he works in a zoo.[65] |
| Snookie Blyer | Bill Barretta | The host of the game show "Swift Wits."[65] |
| Snorty | Dave Goelz | A pig who appears in the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" segments. He is a parody of Lt. Commander Montgomery "Scotty" Scott.[65] |
| Spamela Hamderson | Leslie Carrara-Rudolph | A female pig who is a spoof of Pamela Anderson.[65] |
| Thor | Brian Henson (1996), Eric Jacobson (2008) | The God of Thunder who is seen doing every day mundane tasks. Whenever someone angered him, Thor would strike the person with lightning. Thor later appeared in the Disney Xtreme Digital's Kermit-Cam as part of the "Big Finnish" with Kermit the Frog and Swedish Chef.[65] |
| Zippity Zap | Bill Barretta | A frog who is one of the crew members on the show.[65] |
Muppets that debuted in Muppets from Space
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bubba the Rat | Bill Barretta | A tough-talking rat who was an inmate at C.O.V.N.E.T.[70] |
| Fast Eddie | Drew Massey | A rat who was an inmate at C.O.V.N.E.T. Fast Eddie is a harmonica virtuoso.[70] |
| Shakes the Rat | Peter Linz | A rat who was an inmate at C.O.V.N.E.T. Due to an experiment involving a substitute of coffee, Shakes has become hopped up on caffeine. He repeats what he says on occasion.[70] |
| The Bird Man | Dave Goelz | An elderly rat who was an inmate at C.O.V.N.E.T. He trains pigeons and has a particular soft spot for Gladys. The character is inspired by Robert Stroud (AKA the "Birdman of Alcatraz").[70] |
Muppets that debuted in The Muppets
| Character | Actor/Muppeteer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| '80s Robot | Matt Vogel | A robot that is Kermit the Frog's butler and chauffeur. '80s Robot was designed and built by Legacy Effects. |
| Walter | Peter Linz | The orange Muppet brother of Gary (Jason Segel) and hard-core Muppet fan, "a shy, squeaky-voiced little guy whose lack of self-confidence manifests itself in crumpled shoulders and long stares at the floor."[71] |
| The Moopets | Miss Poogy: David Rudman Kermoot the Frog: Dave Goelz Foozie Bear: Bill Barretta Janooce: Matt Vogel Roowlf the Dog: Matt Vogel Animool: David Grohl |
A thug-like Muppet tribute band in Reno that Fozzie was a member of before rejoining Kermit and the other Muppets. The group consisted of Miss Poogy (a Miss Piggy-like character who is a recycled version of Snorty from Muppets Tonight), Kermoot the Frog (a Kermit the Frog-like character), Foozie Bear (a Fozzie Bear-like character and a later addition), Janooce (a Janice-like character), Roowlf the Dog (a Rowlf the Dog-like character), and Animool (a man dressed as Animal).[15] |
Notes
- ^ a b Finch (1981), p. 19
- ^ Davis (2008), p. 5
- ^ Finch (1981), p. 20
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Sam and Friends" (1955)
- ^ a b Munchos (1969)
- ^ a b La Choy (1965-1967)
- ^ "Kenner Toys" (1962-1974)
- ^ Mirinda (1975-1978
- ^ a b "Royal Crown Cola" (1966)
- ^ "Southern Bread" (1965-1966)
- ^ "Kern's Bakery" (1966-1969)
- ^ "Wilkins and Wontkins" (1959-1961)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq "The Muppet Show" (1976)
- ^ a b c d e f Finch (1993), p. 103
- ^ a b c d e f Stein, Joel (2011-06-08). "Exclusive: On the Set of the New Muppets Movie". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- ^ Finch (1981), p. 77
- ^ a b Stelle, pp. 96–97
- ^ a b Stoessner, p. 75
- ^ Finch (1981), p. 40
- ^ "Episode 318: Leslie Uggams" (1978-15-05), in The Muppet Show: Season Three (Disc 3) [DVD] (2008), Walt Disney Home Entertainment
- ^ a b c d Finch (1981), p. 80
- ^ Finch (1981), p. 84
- ^ a b Finch (1981), p. 85
- ^ a b Finch (1993), p. 114
- ^ a b c d e f g Finch (1993), p. 102
- ^ Finch (1981), pp. 81–83
- ^ a b Finch (1981), p. 32
- ^ The Muppets Valentine Show (Television production). 1974-01-24. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
- ^ Haberkorn, p. 32
- ^ a b c d e Finch (1981), p. 83
- ^ Davis (2008), p. 26
- ^ Finch (1993), p. 36
- ^ Finch (1981), p. 28
- ^ Fisher, Maryanne (2009). "The Uniquely Strong but Feminine Miss Piggy". Kermit Culture: Critical Perspectives on Jim Henson's Muppets. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 181. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/798078442591 |798078442591 [[Category:Articles with invalid ISBNs]]]].
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help); Unknown parameter|coauthor=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|editors=ignored (|editor=suggested) (help) - ^ Finch (1993), p. 119
- ^ Eastman, p. 80
- ^ Henson, Jim (2005). Cheryl Henson (ed.). It's Not That Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 1-4013-0242-4.
- ^ Lewis, Jim (2006). Before You Leap: A Frog's Eye View of Life's Greatest Lessons. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Books. p. 48. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/0-696-23232-9 |0-696-23232-9 [[Category:Articles with invalid ISBNs]]]].
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help) - ^ Finch (1993), p. 32
- ^ Finch (1993), pp. 32–33
- ^ Finch (1981), p. 72
- ^ Schildrout, Jordon. (October 2008). "The Performance of Nonconformity on The Muppet Show—or How Kermit Made Me Queer." The Journal of Popular Culture, 41:5, p. 832. Quoted in Kermit Culture, pp. 121–122.
- ^ a b Finch (1981), p. 82
- ^ a b Garlan and Graham, p. 220
- ^ Schneider, p. 40
- ^ Schneider, pp. 40–43
- ^ Garlan and Graham, p. 221
- ^ Stoessner, p. 77
- ^ Frawley, James (Director) (1979). The Muppet Movie (Motion picture).
- ^ Eastman, p. 22
- ^ a b c d e f The Muppets Take Manhattan (Motion Picture). 1984.
- ^ Haberkorn does not classify Jill, Bill and Gil as frogs, since they are not green, like all other Muppet frogs, and do not have the same distinctly shaped pupils as Kermit (Haberkorn, p. 37).
- ^ a b c d "Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters" (1985)
- ^ a b c "Play-Along Video" (1988)
- ^ Finch (1993), p. 209
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Jim Henson Hour" (1989)
- ^ Davis (2008), p. 2
- ^ Mifflin, Lawrie (1996-03-10). "Following in the Frog's Footsteps". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- ^ Davis (2008), pp. 2–3
- ^ "Jim Henson". The Arsenio Hall Show. 1990-05-04.
- ^ http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2011/04/weekly-muppet-wednesdays-waldo-c.html
- ^ "The Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Muppet Treasure Island" (1996)
- ^ http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2010/02/interview-with-muppeteer-bill-barretta.html
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Muppets Tonight" (1996)
- ^ a b "Episode 104: Cindy Crawford". Muppets Tonight!. 1996-04-05. ABC.
- ^ "Episode 106: Tony Bennett". Muppets Tonight!. 1996-04-12. ABC.
- ^ "Episode 103: Billy Crystal". Muppets Tonight!. 1996-03-22. ABC.
- ^ Liebeck, Laura (2002-01-12). "Pepe the King Prawn Speaks Out". Global License. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- ^ a b c d "Muppets from Space" (1999)
- ^ Barnes, Brooks (2011-11-16). "Wocka, Wocka, Wocka! Muppet Antics Resume". Retrieved 2011-12-04.
References
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- Davis, Michael. (2008). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. New York: Viking Penguin. ISBN 978-0-670-01996-0
- Eastman, Ben. (1999). Jim Henson's Muppets from Space: The Making of Muppet Movie Magic. New York: Grosset and Dunlap. ISBN 0-448-42055-4
- Finch, Christopher. (1981). Of Muppets and Men. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ISBN 0-394-52085-8
- Finch, Christopher (1993). Jim Henson: The Works: the Art, the Magic, the Imagination. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-6794-1203
- Garlen, Jennifer C. and Anissa M. Graham, eds. (2009). Kermit Culture: Critical Perspectives on Jim Henson's Muppets. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 798078442591
- Davis, Hugh H. "The Muppets and Shakespeare". pp. 81–91.
- Garlen, Jennifer C. and Annisa M. Graham. "Appendix: The Muppet Show", pp. 217–222.
- Haberkorn, Gideon. "The Muppets as a Metaphor for the Self", pp. 25—39.
- Schneider, Lynne D. "Stuffed Suits and Hog-Wild Desire", pp. 40–53.
- Stelle, Ginger. "Starring Kermit the Frog as Bob Crachit: Muppets as Actors", pp. 92–102.
- Stoessner, Jennifer. "From Puppetry to Muppetry," pp. 71-80.
