The Muppet Show
Encyclopedia
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American
puppeteer Jim Henson
and featuring Muppets
. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes. The series shows a vaudeville
- or music hall
–style song-and-dance variety show
, as well as glimpses behind the scenes of such a show. Kermit the Frog
stars as a showrunner who tries to keep control of the antics of the other Muppet characters (and his temper), as well as keep the guest stars happy. The show was known for outrageous physical slapstick
, sometimes absurdist
comedy, and humorous parodies
. Each episode also featured a human guest star. As the programme became popular, many celebrities were eager to perform with the Muppets on television and in film: by the end of its run over one hundred guest stars had appeared.
Many of the puppeteers also worked on Sesame Street
. Muppet performers over the course of the show include Henson, Frank Oz
, Jerry Nelson
, Richard Hunt
, Dave Goelz
, Steve Whitmire
, Louise Gold
, Kathryn Mullen
, Karen Prell
, Brian Muehl
, Eren Ozker
, and John Lovelady
. Jerry Juhl
and Jack Burns
were two of the show writers.
, Sesame Street
had given Jim Henson
's Muppet creations exposure; however, Henson began to perceive that he was pigeonholed as a children's entertainer. He sought to create a programme that could be enjoyed by young and old. Two specials were produced and aired that are considered pilots for The Muppet Show. Neither led to the sale of a prime-time network series. However, the prime-time access rule had just been enacted, which took the 7:30 to 8pm ET
slot from the networks and turned it over to their affiliates. CBS
suggested it would be interested in Henson's proposal as a syndicated series it could purchase for its owned-and-operated stations, to run one night a week in that time slot.
Lew Grade
, head of the British commercial station ATV
, offered a deal to Henson that would see his show produced at the ATV studios in Elstree
, England. ATV, as part of the ITV
network, would broadcast the show to other ITV stations in the United Kingdom, and its distribution arm, ITC Entertainment
, would sell the show in the United States and around the world. Henson put aside his misgivings about syndication and accepted.
For the first season, each episode began with a shot of the title card. As the camera zoomed in, the spotlight immediately lit up the O, the center of which swung back to reveal Kermit, who introduced the "very special guest star" from this position before retreating behind the sign. The title card then lifted up to reveal the curtains, and the camera pulled back to reveal the Muppet orchestra with Crazy Harry playing a triangle
. Two chorus lines, one of four chorus girls and one of four chorus boys then took turns crossing the stage, the former group entering from stage right and the latter from stage left. The curtains then parted to reveal Fozzie Bear who each week attempts to tell a joke but is interrupted every time. As the curtains close, Kermit appeared in front of them to visually present the guest star. The last verse was then performed from a set of cake layer-like risers. Kermit and the chorus of Muppets raised their arms as the song finished and the logo once again lowered into place.
For the second season, each episode began with a shot of the title card and Kermit introducing the guest star from inside the O. He stayed perched in the sign as it was lifted into the rafters. The curtain was then raised, revealing a series of arches. Next, a group of full-bodied monsters walked onstage, followed by a group of females singing a verse, followed by the males singing the following verse. Statler and Waldorf followed with a new wisecrack each week in place of Fozzie's joke except a couple of instances where they merely sit down in their seats. Kermit was shown seated in the arches with the rest of the cast. The camera changes shots further and further away before the logo is lowered before them. Kermit and Fozzie run to the left and right sides of the logo respectively behind the arches so they wouldn't get hidden out of the shot. Gonzo is inside the circle and plays a note on his bugle, often wrongly or with some kind of hiccup that changed every week.
For the third season, the opening remained the same except for two differences: initial shots of Zoot and Rowlf and an additional shot where the audience asks, "Why Don't You Get Things Started?" Also, some episodes featured had a special scene during the opening that took place either backstage or the orchestra pit, in place of a comment by Statler and Waldorf.
For the fourth season, the opening was shortened. The shots of women and men singing in the arches were replaced with a single shot of men (on the top row of arches) and women (on the bottom row of arches) singing one short verse. The rest of the opening remained unchanged from the third season's opening.
For the fifth season, the opening underwent some changes. The shot of Rowlf and Zoot were replaced with a shot of a new Zoot puppet. This opening reverted back to having the men and women sing two different verses, but they were re-shot. The arches appear to be slightly thicker and wider than previously. Statler and Waldorf then sang a new verse expressing their hatred toward The Muppet Show. This was followed by a shot of the orchestra and then a shot of a few rows of arches filled with characters saying, "And now let's get things started", before the audience says, "Why don't you get things started?". The rest of the opening remains the same from previous versions.
No guest star ever appeared twice on The Muppet Show, although John Denver
appeared both on the show and in two specials (John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together and John Denver & the Muppets: Rocky Mountain Holiday). Additionally, several guest stars from the show had cameos in one of the first three Muppet theatrical films.
Many episodes featured people most British viewers had barely heard of at the time, such as Linda Ronstadt
; some featured veteran performers like Ethel Merman
and Rita Moreno
; some featured well-known pop singers, including Elton John
, Diana Ross
and Leo Sayer
. Sayer's show used his hit "The Show Must Go On": he changed the lyrics in the second verse slightly, from "I wish I could tear down the walls of this theatre" to "I wish I could tear down the walls of this Muppet theatre". The last episode, in 1981, featured then-James Bond
007 actor Roger Moore
.
When the show first started, the producers would call upon friends in the entertainment business. However, about half-way through the second series when Rudolf Nureyev
appeared, his appearance gave the show so much positive publicity, that other celebrities came to the producers instead of the other way around.
identifies the name of the theater as The Donald McDonald Memorial Theater, although by the time of It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
, it is simply called "The Muppet Theater." It is then that the theater becomes registered as a historical landmark.
According to The Phantom of the Muppet Theater, the theater was built by a stage actor named John Stone in 1802. At some point a production of Hamlet
ran in the theater, with Stone playing the title role. An alternate exterior is also shown in the book.
Locations seen in the Muppet Theater include backstage right(which includes Kermit's desk), the dressing rooms, the attic
, the canteen, the prop room, the stage, the house, the stage door lobby, and the back alley.
Scooter's
uncle J.P. Grosse owns the theater, and rents it to the Muppets
, as Scooter is only too happy to remind Kermit. In a deleted scene from It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, Kermit reveals that J.P. has died and left the theater to the Muppets in his will. This would have taken place sometime after 1996, as J.P. can be seen (and referred to as such by the head of the KMUP network) in episode 107 of Muppets Tonight
, the 1990s reworking of The Muppet Show.
s, winning 4, including the 1978 award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series
. The programme was also nominated for 11 BAFTA Awards during its run, winning 2, and was presented with a Peabody Award
in 1978.
from the channel's sign-on in 1988 to 1992. From 1992 to 1998, the show had aired reruns on Cartoon Network
. From 1994 to 1996, reruns aired on Nickelodeon
. In 1999, the reruns moved to Odyssey Network
(which was co-owned by Henson's company), featuring new introductions by Brian Henson
, until Odyssey shut down Henson's half of the channel in 2001; the show has not been seen on American television since.
Outside the US, The Muppet Show and MuppeTelevison segments and Muppets Tonight were all put into an umbrella syndication package called The Jim Henson Hour
. Disney Channel UK picked up the original series from 2005-2007.
began marketing 'best of' volumes of The Muppet Show for mail-order in 2001, with six initial volumes with 3 episodes on each DVD. Unique to each episode was an introduction by Jim Henson's son, Brian. Nine more volumes were added for 2002, the Muppet's 25th anniversary. The collection was available for retail in 2002 via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
by which time Time-Life had released its tenth volume. (There were five additional Time-Life 'best of' volumes released only on VHS.)
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the first season on DVD
in Region 1 on 9 August 2005. The rights to the episodes and characters used in The Muppet Show, and subsequent film outings, were bought in February 2004 by the Walt Disney Company.
Several songs were cut from the Season 1 DVD
release due to music licensing issues. There have also been some cuts in the intro sequence, and backstage scenes leading up to these songs. However, episodes that used Disney music remained unaltered (for example, episode 14 of Season 1 used "Never Smile at a Crocodile" from Peter Pan
).
The only uncut release of Season 1 on DVD
so far is the German DVD release by Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment division from 2010 (which also contains English audio). However, the intro and end credit sequences on this release are in German.
, which was the first film to feature puppets interacting with humans in real-world locations, and later films such as The Great Muppet Caper
, The Muppets Take Manhattan
, The Muppet Christmas Carol
, Muppet Treasure Island
, Muppets from Space
, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
and The Muppets
.
The Jim Henson Hour
featured many of the same characters, plus new and boldly different content. The Muppets appeared as toddlers in the long-running animated series Muppet Babies
. The Muppet Show format was later revived as Muppets Tonight
in 1996. The first 10 episodes aired on ABC
while the rest aired on The Disney Channel. Today, all three incarnations are syndicated together as a single package.
In 2005, the Muppets launched an award-winning webseries titled Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony
. The biweekly webshow created new episodes for 15 months on movies.com
and starred Statler and Waldorf along with many other popular Muppet characters from their theater box from The Muppet Show. Each episode featured the duo as they discuss upcoming films, watch movie trailers and share the week's "balconism".
There is talk of a new revival of the format, with FOX being the initial serious contender. Disney considered using the America's Next Muppet
mini-series to test the viability of a full-fledged series.
The hit Broadway and West End Musical Avenue Q
is loosely based on The Muppets as well as Sesame Street but is required to provide disclaimers stating that it has nothing to do with the characters, particularly due to the musical's adult theme.
The Muppets were brought back in 2008 for a short on the Disney Channel
called Studio DC: Almost Live
.
On Disney Junior
, they launched on February 14, 2011.
For the muppets.com channel on Disney Xtreme Digital, over 100 new, web-exclusive sketches have been produced as of January 2009, including a muppet performed version of Queen
's Bohemian Rhapsody
.
The Muppet Show Comic Book began publication in 2009 written and drawn by Roger Langridge
and published by Boom! Studios
.
In 2006, the first French private TV network TF1
, with Walt Disney Television
, produced a French version of the show called "Muppets TV" with original Muppets and French guest stars. Low ratings cancelled the programme after only a few months.
In the 2011 Children in Need special
, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy make a brief appearance for the original song Mah Nà Mah Nà
with various guests and presenters.
show at lunchtime on Capital Radio in 1976.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
puppeteer Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
and featuring Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes. The series shows a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
- or music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
–style song-and-dance variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
, as well as glimpses behind the scenes of such a show. Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
stars as a showrunner who tries to keep control of the antics of the other Muppet characters (and his temper), as well as keep the guest stars happy. The show was known for outrageous physical slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
, sometimes absurdist
Absurdism
In philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
comedy, and humorous parodies
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
. Each episode also featured a human guest star. As the programme became popular, many celebrities were eager to perform with the Muppets on television and in film: by the end of its run over one hundred guest stars had appeared.
Many of the puppeteers also worked on Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. Muppet performers over the course of the show include Henson, Frank Oz
Frank Oz
Frank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
, Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
, Richard Hunt
Richard Hunt (puppeteer)
Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
, Dave Goelz
Dave Goelz
Dave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Steve Whitmire
Steve Whitmire
Steven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
, Louise Gold
Louise Gold
Louise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
, Kathryn Mullen
Kathryn Mullen
Kathryn "Kathy" Mullen is an actress, voice actress, and puppeteer most closely associated with Jim Henson projects. She began performing on The Muppet Show in its third season, primarily as Gaffer the Backstage Cat...
, Karen Prell
Karen Prell
Karen Prell is best known as the performer of Red Fraggle on Fraggle Rock. She also performed some characters in other Jim Henson films, and has enjoyed a significant second career as a computer animator for such studios as Pixar and DNA. On Sesame Street she performed Deena Monster, which was a...
, Brian Muehl
Brian Muehl
Brian Muehl born in the 1950s, is an American book writer, and a former Sesame Street puppeteer living in Connecticut.Brian's muppet characters included Oscar the Grouch's girlfriend, Grundgetta, Telly Monster, Barkley the dog and Forgetful Jones's girlfriend Clementine. He continued to voice...
, Eren Ozker
Eren Ozker
Eren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
, and John Lovelady
John Lovelady
John Lovelady is a right-handed puppeteer who worked with the Muppets, including on Sesame Street. He stopped working with the Muppets when The Muppet Show Season 1 ended but later joined the syndicated children's series The Great Space Coaster and also performed in a serialisation of Alice's...
. Jerry Juhl
Jerry Juhl
Jerome Ravn "Jerry" Juhl was an American television and movie writer, best known for his work with Jim Henson's "Muppets".Juhl was born in St. Paul, Minnesota; his family moved to Menlo Park, California, when he was 14...
and Jack Burns
Jack Burns
Jack Burns is an American comedian and voice actor.-Biography:In 1959, he began his career as a comedy team with George Carlin when both were working for radio station KXOL in Fort Worth, Texas...
were two of the show writers.
History
Since 19691969 in television
The year 1969 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1969.For the American TV schedule, see: 1969-70 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
had given Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
's Muppet creations exposure; however, Henson began to perceive that he was pigeonholed as a children's entertainer. He sought to create a programme that could be enjoyed by young and old. Two specials were produced and aired that are considered pilots for The Muppet Show. Neither led to the sale of a prime-time network series. However, the prime-time access rule had just been enacted, which took the 7:30 to 8pm ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
slot from the networks and turned it over to their affiliates. CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
suggested it would be interested in Henson's proposal as a syndicated series it could purchase for its owned-and-operated stations, to run one night a week in that time slot.
Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
, head of the British commercial station ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
, offered a deal to Henson that would see his show produced at the ATV studios in Elstree
Elstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...
, England. ATV, as part of the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network, would broadcast the show to other ITV stations in the United Kingdom, and its distribution arm, ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
, would sell the show in the United States and around the world. Henson put aside his misgivings about syndication and accepted.
Opening Sequence
"The Muppet Show Theme" was played at the beginning and end of every episode of The Muppet Show. Although it evolved visually over the course of the show's five seasons, the musical composition remained sequentially the same.For the first season, each episode began with a shot of the title card. As the camera zoomed in, the spotlight immediately lit up the O, the center of which swung back to reveal Kermit, who introduced the "very special guest star" from this position before retreating behind the sign. The title card then lifted up to reveal the curtains, and the camera pulled back to reveal the Muppet orchestra with Crazy Harry playing a triangle
Triangle (instrument)
The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
. Two chorus lines, one of four chorus girls and one of four chorus boys then took turns crossing the stage, the former group entering from stage right and the latter from stage left. The curtains then parted to reveal Fozzie Bear who each week attempts to tell a joke but is interrupted every time. As the curtains close, Kermit appeared in front of them to visually present the guest star. The last verse was then performed from a set of cake layer-like risers. Kermit and the chorus of Muppets raised their arms as the song finished and the logo once again lowered into place.
For the second season, each episode began with a shot of the title card and Kermit introducing the guest star from inside the O. He stayed perched in the sign as it was lifted into the rafters. The curtain was then raised, revealing a series of arches. Next, a group of full-bodied monsters walked onstage, followed by a group of females singing a verse, followed by the males singing the following verse. Statler and Waldorf followed with a new wisecrack each week in place of Fozzie's joke except a couple of instances where they merely sit down in their seats. Kermit was shown seated in the arches with the rest of the cast. The camera changes shots further and further away before the logo is lowered before them. Kermit and Fozzie run to the left and right sides of the logo respectively behind the arches so they wouldn't get hidden out of the shot. Gonzo is inside the circle and plays a note on his bugle, often wrongly or with some kind of hiccup that changed every week.
For the third season, the opening remained the same except for two differences: initial shots of Zoot and Rowlf and an additional shot where the audience asks, "Why Don't You Get Things Started?" Also, some episodes featured had a special scene during the opening that took place either backstage or the orchestra pit, in place of a comment by Statler and Waldorf.
For the fourth season, the opening was shortened. The shots of women and men singing in the arches were replaced with a single shot of men (on the top row of arches) and women (on the bottom row of arches) singing one short verse. The rest of the opening remained unchanged from the third season's opening.
For the fifth season, the opening underwent some changes. The shot of Rowlf and Zoot were replaced with a shot of a new Zoot puppet. This opening reverted back to having the men and women sing two different verses, but they were re-shot. The arches appear to be slightly thicker and wider than previously. Statler and Waldorf then sang a new verse expressing their hatred toward The Muppet Show. This was followed by a shot of the orchestra and then a shot of a few rows of arches filled with characters saying, "And now let's get things started", before the audience says, "Why don't you get things started?". The rest of the opening remains the same from previous versions.
Characters
- Kermit the FrogKermit the FrogKermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
(performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): A frogFrogFrogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
who is the theatre director and host of the Muppet Show. He served as the main protagonist of the series, specials, and films. - Miss PiggyMiss PiggyMiss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
(performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
occasionally in Season One, Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
occasionally in Season 1 and full time in Seasons Two-Five): An arrogant, self-centered, and glamorous diva pigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
in dual pursuit of stardom and Kermit. In the first season, her puppeteering duties were shared between Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
and Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
. Starting with the second season, Oz took over the character full-time. - Fozzie BearFozzie BearFozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
(performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
): A dubiously talented but irrepressible stand-up comic bearBearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
and Kermit's unofficial second-in-command. - ScooterScooter (Muppet)Scooter is a bespectacled character from The Muppets. In The Muppet Show he was the troupe's backstage "gofer". He was originally performed by Richard Hunt.-Characteristics:...
(performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): The goferGoferA gofer or go-fer is an employee who is often sent on errands. "Gofer" reflects the likelihood of instructions to go for coffee, dry cleaning, or stamps, or to make other straightforward or familiar procurements. The term gofer originated in North America...
whose uncle, J. P. Grosse, owns the theatre. - GonzoGonzo the GreatGonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
(performed by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
): Also known as The Great Gonzo or Gonzo the Great, he is a stunt performerStunt performerA stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
, performance artistPerformance artIn art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
and the Muppet Show's resident oddball of unknown species, basically a parody of Evel KnievelEvel KnievelEvel Knievel , born Robert Craig Knievel, was an American daredevil and entertainer. In his career he attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980, and in 1974, a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket...
. His puppet was previously used for Snarl in The Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus Switch was a Jim Henson television special featuring his Muppets. It first aired on CBS in December 1970. It was directed by John Moffitt, written by Jerry Juhl, with music by Joe Raposo and puppets by Don Sahlin.-Plot:...
. Gonzo is later revealed to be an extra-terrestrial in the film Muppets from SpaceMuppets from SpaceMuppets from Space is a 1999 science fiction comedy film and the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot. The film was directed by Tim Hill, produced by Jim Henson Pictures, and released to theaters...
. - The Swedish ChefSwedish ChefThe Swedish Chef is a Muppet that appeared on The Muppet Show. He was operated by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously and is now puppeteered by Bill Barretta.-Character:...
(performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): A chefChefA chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
with peculiar culinary habits who speaks a Scandinavian-sounding gibberishGibberishGibberish is a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but carries no actual meaning. This meaning has also been extended to meaningless text or gobbledygook. The common theme in gibberish statements is a lack of literal sense, which can be described as a presence of nonsense...
called "mock Swedish". Seeing as Swedish Chef is a Live-Hand Muppet, Jim Henson is assisted in operating him by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
who provides Swedish Chef's hands. Henson once said the Chef was inspired by Chef Tell. - Rowlf the DogRowlf the DogRowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson....
(performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): The show's resident wisecracking pianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
dogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
. Besides being seen in the Muppet Orchestra, Rowlf also plays Dr. Bob in the recurring 'Veterinarians Hospital' sketch. Seeing as Rowlf is a Live-Hand Muppet, Jim Henson is occasionally assisted in operating Rowlf the Dog by either Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
, Jerry JuhlJerry JuhlJerome Ravn "Jerry" Juhl was an American television and movie writer, best known for his work with Jim Henson's "Muppets".Juhl was born in St. Paul, Minnesota; his family moved to Menlo Park, California, when he was 14...
, Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
, Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
, and/or Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
with either one performing Rowlf's right hand. - Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (performed by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
): The head of Muppet Labs, scientistScientistA scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, and inventorInventionAn invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
.- BeakerBeaker (Muppet)Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask....
(performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's utterly luckless lab assistant.
- Beaker
- Dr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
: A rock band that works at the Muppet theatre.- Dr. Teeth (performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): The ultra-hip band leader and keyboardistKeyboardistA keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
for the Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
. - Animal (performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
with the drumming performed by Ronnie VerrellRonnie VerrellRonald 'Ronnie' Thomas Verrell was an English jazz drummer. He played in two of the United Kingdom's "most famous" big bands, The Ted Heath Orchestra and The Syd Lawrence Orchestra. Verrell also worked extensively in television, including as a drummer in Jack Parnell's ATV Orchestra and Sunday...
): The Band's savage and frenzied drummerDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. - Sgt. Floyd Pepper (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): The bassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and all around hip person of the Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
. - Janice (performed by Eren OzkerEren OzkerEren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
in the first season, Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
for the remainder of the run): The Band's hippieHippieThe hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
-chick lead guitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
(and Floyd's main squeeze). - Zoot (performed by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
): The sleepy saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player in the Electric Mayhem and the Muppet Show's orchestra. - Lips (performed by Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
): The trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player for the "Mayhem" added in the fifth season.
- Dr. Teeth (performed by Jim Henson
- Camilla the Chicken (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A chickenChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
and Gonzo's true love (though Gonzo had a love for Miss Piggy in some episodes). - Sam the EagleSam the EagleSam the Eagle is a character from the syndicated television show The Muppet Show, performed by Frank Oz. The name "Sam" is possibly derived from Uncle Sam. The Bald Eagle is the official symbol of the United States, and Sam's patriotic spirit differentiates him from the rest of the Muppet cast, as...
(performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
): An eagleEagleEagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
who is an American super-patriotPatriotA patriot is someone who feels a strong support for his or her country. See Patriotism.Patriot or Patriots may also refer to:- Politics :* Patriot Party , various political parties...
, resident Grouch, and self-appointed censorCensorCensor may refer to:*Censorship, the control of speech and other forms of human expression*Roman censor, a magistrate for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, etc*Cato Censor , Roman statesman...
of the Muppet Show. - Lew ZealandLew ZealandLew Zealand is a Muppet character who's name is a play on the Oceanian country of New Zealand. Performed by Jerry Nelson, he has an obsession for throwing fish. His thrown fish are unique in that they return to him once thrown. In the 1984 movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, he appears at Scooter's...
(performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A boomerang fish thrower and generally fish-obsessed performer. He was originally a Whatnot before a permanent puppet was made for him. - Robin the Frog (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A frogFrogFrogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
who is Kermit's small nephew. - Statler and Waldorf (performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
and Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): Two old men who occupy the box seat at every show and heckleHecklerA heckler is a person who harass and try to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes.Hecklers are often known to shout disparaging comments at a performance or event, or interrupts set-piece speeches, for example at a political meeting, with intent to disturb its performers or...
the performances with the exception of one second season episode where Miss Piggy bought off the audience in an effort to further her own career. - Link HogthrobLink HogthrobLink Hogthrob was a fictional character, a Muppet pig on The Muppet Show, performed by Jim Henson. The character was that of a stereotypical leading man, with wavy blond hair, a manly cleft chin, and a high opinion of himself, but not much between the ears....
(performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): A hunky but dim-witted pigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
who is the star of "Pigs in Space" and Captain of the USS Swinetrek. He also stars in "Bear On Patrol" with Fozzie Bear. - Rizzo the RatRizzo the RatRizzo the Rat is a Muppet, performed by Steve Whitmire. Rizzo first appeared in episode 418 of The Muppet Show, as one of a group of rats following Christopher Reeve around backstage. He can be seen mugging and reacting to practically every line of dialogue. He remained a scene-stealing background...
(performed by Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
): A sarcastic inner-city ratRatRats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
appearing in the fourth and fifth seasons.
Other characters
- Afghan Hound (performed by Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
): An Afghan HoundAfghan HoundThe Afghan Hound is one of the oldest sighthound dog breeds. Distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl at the end, the breed acquired its unique features in the cold mountains of Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt hares and gazelles by coursing them....
who appeared occasionally. - Annie SueAnnie Sue (muppet)Annie Sue Pig is a puppet character on The Muppet Show. Annie Sue first appeared in the background during the second season, where she appeared in a group of hip Muppets. At the time, she had a pink wig instead of the yellow curls that she later wore...
(performed by Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
): A young pigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
who is Miss Piggy's innocent rival. - Baskerville the Hound (performed randomly by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
, John LoveladyJohn LoveladyJohn Lovelady is a right-handed puppeteer who worked with the Muppets, including on Sesame Street. He stopped working with the Muppets when The Muppet Show Season 1 ended but later joined the syndicated children's series The Great Space Coaster and also performed in a serialisation of Alice's...
, and Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
): A houndHoundA hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
who made many appearances on the show. He once auditioned a comedy act which caused Fozzie Bear to hook him off the stage. - BeauregardBeauregard (Muppet)Beauregard is a Muppet from The Muppet Show. He is a back-stage janitor of indeterminate species. He tries to be helpful, but his dimwitted efforts frequently result in disaster. He first appeared in Episode 310 of The Muppet Show. His slow wit is often preyed upon by other characters who use him...
(performed by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
): The dimwitted janitorJanitorA janitor or custodian is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and schools. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often some maintenance and security...
and stagehandStagehandA stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their duties include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.-Types of stagehand:...
. - Behemoth (performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
and Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A Full-Bodied Muppet who made various appearances on the show. - Billy the Bear (performed randomly by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
, Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, and Brian MuehlBrian MuehlBrian Muehl born in the 1950s, is an American book writer, and a former Sesame Street puppeteer living in Connecticut.Brian's muppet characters included Oscar the Grouch's girlfriend, Grundgetta, Telly Monster, Barkley the dog and Forgetful Jones's girlfriend Clementine. He continued to voice...
): A bearBearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
who appeared occasionally. He later won a Fred Award for "Best Bear Comedian". - Bobby Benson (performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): The leader of the Baby Band. - Butch the TigerTigerThe tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
(performed randomly by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
and Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A tiger who appeared occasionally. - ChickenChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
s: Outside of Camilla, a bunch of chickens are often seen performing with Gonzo. Named Ethel and - Crazy HarryCrazy HarryCrazy Harry is a Muppet with an explosives fixation, who appeared in The Muppet Show and was originally voiced and operated by Jerry Nelson....
(performed by John LoveladyJohn LoveladyJohn Lovelady is a right-handed puppeteer who worked with the Muppets, including on Sesame Street. He stopped working with the Muppets when The Muppet Show Season 1 ended but later joined the syndicated children's series The Great Space Coaster and also performed in a serialisation of Alice's...
in 1976–1977, Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
for the remainder of the run): A pyrotechnicianPyrotechnicianA pyrotechnician is an individual responsible for the safe storage, handling, and functioning of pyrotechnics and pyrotechnic devices. Although the term is generally used in reference to individuals who operate pyrotechnics in the entertainment industry, it can include all individuals who...
and bomb expert who enjoys blowing things up far too much. - Doglion (performed randomly by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
, Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
, and Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): A Full-Bodied Muppet Monster with horns. He is sometimes paired with Sweetums and the other Full-Bodied Muppets. - Dr. Julius StrangeporkDr. Julius StrangeporkDr. Julius Strangepork was a character on The Muppet Show. He was a Muppet pig, who most often appeared with Miss Piggy and Link Hogthrob in the recurring Pigs in Space skit, in which he was the science officer on the USS Swinetrek. He wore wire-rim glasses and sported wide, bushy grey...
(performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A pigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
who serves as the chief science officerChief science officerChief Science Officer is a position at the head of scientific research operations at companies performing significant scientific research projects....
in "Pigs in Space". - Droop (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A green creature who was previously used as a Frackle in The Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus Switch was a Jim Henson television special featuring his Muppets. It first aired on CBS in December 1970. It was directed by John Moffitt, written by Jerry Juhl, with music by Joe Raposo and puppets by Don Sahlin.-Plot:...
. - Fletcher Bird (performed by Graham Fletcher, voiced by Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
): A giant birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
who appeared occasionally. He is named after Graham Fletcher. - Foo-FooFoo-FooFoo-Foo is a fictional dog in The Muppet Show. She is a white poodle owned by Muppet diva Miss Piggy. She is very tender towards her, even to the point of sickly saccharine baby talk. In the first episode of Muppets Tonight, Piggy gets jealous of Michelle Pfeiffer and sics the poodle on her during...
(performed by Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
): Miss Piggy's dogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
. A real dog that Foo-Foo is based on would be used for full shots. - Forcryingoutloud Bird (performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
): A green birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
with a yellow beak who appeared occasionally. - George the JanitorGeorge the JanitorGeorge the Janitor is a fictional character in The Muppet Show. He is a crusty old custodian who cleans up after the Muppets on He seems to have no affection for anyone or anything except his trusty mop...
(performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
): The crotchety old janitorJanitorA janitor or custodian is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and schools. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often some maintenance and security...
. He is seen primarily in the first season occasionally in the "At the Dance" segments dancing with Mildred Huxtetter. - The Gills Brothers: A quartet of fishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
singers who appeared occasionally. They are a parody of The Mills Brothers. - Gladys (performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): She works as a cafeteria ladyLunch LadyLunch lady is an American slang term for a woman who cooks and serves food in a school cafeteria; the equivalent British English term is "dinner lady". In Britain, a dinner lady also patrols the school playgrounds during the lunch breaks to maintain order amongst the children...
in the Muppet Theatre's canteen delivering the food made by the Swedish Chef to its customers. - Gorgon Heap (performed randomly by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
, Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
, Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
and Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A Muppet Monster who made many appearances in the show. He is one of the Muppets who eat other Muppets. - Hilda (performed by Eren OzkerEren OzkerEren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
in an Eastern European accent): She is the seamstressDressmakerA dressmaker is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Also called a mantua-maker or a modiste.-Notable dressmakers:*Cristobal Balenciaga*Charles Frederick Worth...
/wardrobe mistress on The Muppet Show. For the most part, she only appears in the first season of the show. She makes rare appearances as a background character later. - J. P. Grosse (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): Scooter's uncle who owns the Muppet Theatre. - Lenny the Lizard (performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
, Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
and Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): A turquoise lizardLizardLizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
who made many appearances on the show. He once auditioned for an emcee only to be dismissed by Kermit. - Luncheon Counter Monster (performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
, and Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A hungry purple monster. - Lydia: A bespectacled red-haired pigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
. - Marvin SuggsMarvin SuggsMarvin Suggs is a puppet musician in the world of Jim Henson's The Muppets, voiced by Frank Oz.Marvin Suggs is a blue "whatnot" Muppet that wears a frilly, multicolored shirt...
(performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
): The sadistic, crazed and flamboyant Muppaphonist. - Mary Louise (performed randomly by Fran BrillFran BrillFrances Joan "Fran" Brill , is an American actress and puppeteer, best known for her roles on Sesame Street.Brill was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Linette and Joseph M. Brill. Her father was a physician...
, Eren OzkerEren OzkerEren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
and Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
): A young Whatnot girl. She once auditioned with an unnamed frog three times only to be hooked off stage by Miss Piggy who states that she's the only one who can sing with a frog. - Mean Mama (performed randomly by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
, Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
, and Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A voracious brown monster who is a Full-Bodied Muppet. - Mildred HuxtetterMildred HuxtetterMildred Huxtetter is a character from The Muppet Show and is a purple, beak-nosed woman who carries herself with a haughty, aristocratic air. She is very educated, as evidenced by her many appellations, which include BA, MA, PhD, OBE, and RSVP....
(performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
, and Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
): George's dancing partner in the "At the Dance" segments who was seen primarily in the first season. - Miss Kitty (performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
and Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): A purple monster who appeared occasionally. She was previously used in The Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus Switch was a Jim Henson television special featuring his Muppets. It first aired on CBS in December 1970. It was directed by John Moffitt, written by Jerry Juhl, with music by Joe Raposo and puppets by Don Sahlin.-Plot:...
as one of Cosmo Scam's henchmen. - Miss Mousey (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A mouseMouseA mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
who was Miss Piggy's rival for Kermit's affections. She would sometimes be paired up with Kermit in the "At the Dance" segments. - The Muppet Orchestra: The show's orchestra that plays the theme song music and the music during the credits. Rowlf the Dog, Animal, ZootZootZoot may refer to:*Zoot , an Australian pop group active 1965-1971*Zoot, a character in the television series The Tribe*Zoot, a character in the fictional Muppet band Dr...
, Lips, Floyd Pepper, and Crazy Harry have performed in this group.- Nigel (performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
in 1975-1976, John LoveladyJohn LoveladyJohn Lovelady is a right-handed puppeteer who worked with the Muppets, including on Sesame Street. He stopped working with the Muppets when The Muppet Show Season 1 ended but later joined the syndicated children's series The Great Space Coaster and also performed in a serialisation of Alice's...
in 1976-1977): The conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of the Muppet Orchestra. - Trumpet Girl (performed by Eren OzkerEren OzkerEren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
): The female trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player of the Muppet Orchestra. Due to the addition of the trumpet player Lips, she switched to trombone during the show's fifth season.
- Nigel (performed by Jim Henson
- Ohboy Bird (performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): A blue birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
that various appearances on the show. - Ohreally Bird (performed by Fran BrillFran BrillFrances Joan "Fran" Brill , is an American actress and puppeteer, best known for her roles on Sesame Street.Brill was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Linette and Joseph M. Brill. Her father was a physician...
): An orange birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
who appeared occasionally. - PenguinPenguinPenguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
s: These characters also make recurring appearances on the show. - PopsPops (Muppet)Pops is an elderly doorkeeper at the Muppet Theater. He would greet the week's guest star in every episode of Season 5 of The Muppet Show. He also had a major part as the innkeeper of the Happiness Hotel in The Great Muppet Caper...
(performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): The elderly doormanDoormanA doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone who is posted at, and often guards, a door, or by extension another entrance A doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone who is posted at, and often guards, a door, or by extension another entrance A doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone...
who greets the guest stars with a friendly "Who're you?" - Quongo the GorillaGorillaGorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
: A wild mountain gorillaMountain GorillaThe Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic...
who appeared occasionally. - Righton Bird (performed by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
) A purple birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
who appeared occasionally. - Sopwith the CamelCamelA camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
: A bactrian camelBactrian camelThe Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
who appeared occasionally. He is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets and was built by Caroly Wilcox. - Sundance the LionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
(performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
and Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): 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. - SweetumsSweetumsSweetums is a very large, imposing and hairy Muppet of about eight feet. Despite appearing menacing, he is often depicted as friendly and harmless.-Description:...
(performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
): A 7-foot-tall ogreOgreAn ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
-like monster who is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets. He is sometimes paired up with the other Full-Bodied Muppets. - The FracklesThe Frackles-Bio:They first appeared in a television special called The Great Santa Claus Switch. They would then appear in later franchises, such as The Muppet Show. Characteristics of a Frackle include fur and toothy beaks. They are normally small in stature, but there are exceptions. The Frackles became...
: They have been previously seen in The Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus Switch was a Jim Henson television special featuring his Muppets. It first aired on CBS in December 1970. It was directed by John Moffitt, written by Jerry Juhl, with music by Joe Raposo and puppets by Don Sahlin.-Plot:...
and have been recycled here in various roles. - The Mutations: A trio of purple Full-Bodied Muppets. They are a parody of the music group The TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
. - Thog (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): 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 SwitchThe Great Santa Claus SwitchThe Great Santa Claus Switch was a Jim Henson television special featuring his Muppets. It first aired on CBS in December 1970. It was directed by John Moffitt, written by Jerry Juhl, with music by Joe Raposo and puppets by Don Sahlin.-Plot:...
as one of Cosmo Scam's henchmen. - Timmy Monster (performed randomly by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
, and Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
): A large green monster who is one of the Full-Bodied Muppets. - T.R. (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A roosterChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
who made various appearances on the show. - TrollTrollA troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
s: Three trolls appeared occasionally. One has red hair, one has green hair, and one has gray hair. - Uncle DeadlyUncle Deadly (Muppet)Uncle Deadly is a blue, dragon-like monster also known as the Phantom of The Muppet Show.Although he made his first appearance alongside Vincent Price on episode 119 of The Muppet Show, Uncle Deadly did not receive his proper introduction until episode 121...
(performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): Also called "the Phantom of the Muppet Show", Uncle Deadly is a sinister blue dragonDragonA dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
-like character who lurks around the theatre and appears occasionally on the show. - Wayne and Wanda: Wayne (performed by Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
) and Wanda (performed by Eren OzkerEren OzkerEren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
in Season One, Kathryn MullenKathryn MullenKathryn "Kathy" Mullen is an actress, voice actress, and puppeteer most closely associated with Jim Henson projects. She began performing on The Muppet Show in its third season, primarily as Gaffer the Backstage Cat...
in Season Four) sing songs that inevitably end in disaster. It is considered an accomplishment for them to get to the chorus. They are usually introduced by Sam the Eagle as part of his idea of "good, wholesome entertainment". After a recurring run in the first season, they disappeared after Eren OzkerEren OzkerEren Ozker was a Turkish American Puppeteer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series, The Muppet Show....
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 ManhattanThe Muppets Take ManhattanThe Muppets Take Manhattan is the third of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets, and also the final film before Henson's death. This film was produced by Henson Associates and TriStar Pictures, and was filmed on location in New York City during the summer of...
as guests at the wedding of Piggy and Kermit, and Wanda was seen participating in a choir. They are a slapstick tribute to Nelson EddyNelson EddyNelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and actor who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he costarred...
and Jeanette MacDonaldJeanette MacDonaldJeanette MacDonald was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier and Nelson Eddy...
. - Whaddayasay Bird (performed by Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
): A red birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
who appeared occasionally. - Whatnots: A bunch of customizable puppets whose blank faces can be customized for each act. They are similar to the Anything Muppets from Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. - Winny (performed by Richard HuntRichard HuntRichard Hunt may refer to:* Richard Hunt , Canadian carver and artist* Richard Hunt , one of the founders of Green Anarchist and Alternative Green* Richard Hunt , Canadian pianist and composer...
): A birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
who was a canteen waitress in Season Four replacing Gladys. - Woodland Animals: Some Woodland Animals have appeared in different sketches of this show. Among the featured Woodland Animals are:
- BeaverBeaverThe beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
s - DeerDeerDeer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
- FoxesFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
- Opossums
- RabbitsRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
- RaccoonRaccoonProcyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s - WeaselWeaselWeasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
s
- Beaver
- Youknow Bird (performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
): A pink birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
who appeared occasionally. - Zelda Rose (performed by Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
): A tall pink Muppet.
Recurring skits
- At the Dance – The sketch was a regular during the first series but was used less frequently from the second series onward. Muppet characters circulated on a semi-formalSemi-formalIn Western clothing semi-formal is a grouping of dress codes, indicating the sort of clothes worn to events with a level of protocol between informal and formal...
dance floor offering rapid fire one-liner jokeOne-liner jokeA one-liner is a joke that is delivered in a single line. A good one-liner is said to be pithy.Comedians and actors use this comedic method as part of their act, e.g...
s and come-backs as the couples passed in front of the cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
. - Bear on Patrol – Fozzie is an unlucky police officerPolice officerA police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and Link Hogthrob is his incompetent superior who always get into the silliest situations with the criminals brought in. The voice of the announcer was performed by Jerry Nelson. - Fozzie's Act – Fozzie Bear gets on stage and performs his infamously bad jokes. Statler and Waldorf heckle him, in a perpetual rivalry. The sketches became less frequent as Fozzie's off-stage presence became more prevalent. In one first series episode however, Fozzie turned the tables on his rivals with help from Bruce ForsythBruce ForsythSir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
, and they waved the white flag in surrender. - Muppet Labs – Segments featuring the latest invention from Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, with his assistant, Beaker, getting the worst of its inevitable malfunction. The character of Beaker was introduced in the second series; during the first series Bunsen hosted Muppet Labs by himself, but the writers soon realised that another character was necessary to show Bunsen's failings.
- Muppet News Flash – A news announcer, gives a newsbrief only to have some disaster befall him (typically the same disaster he was just describing), or another strange scenario: such as the time that he ran on, stated "There is no news tonight.", and ran off. In the first season, the Muppet News Man read out news items that occasionally featured the guest star for that week playing a character that was somehow involved in the item. Muppet News Flashes often used absurdist humour; in one sketch, the announcer stated that the Atlantic Ocean had been kidnapped. Another example is this statement: Reports are coming in from all over the world that Television News Reporters are blowing up. These unlikely rumors are... KA-BOOM! A third example, a cross-over with the Swedish Chef, has the Swedish Chef open and cause a wine bottle "explosion" (if a bottle is shaken too much before opening it for the first time, fizz will shoot up and out of the bottle) and flies through the air, classified as a UFO by the news reporter. As the scene goes, he was reported directly above the Muppet News Room and he landed on and crushed the news reporter.
- Pigs in Space – Parody of science fiction programmes like Star TrekStar Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, but also 1930s sci-fi serials. The spacecraft is called USS Swinetrek and the title voice-overVoice-overVoice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
is a parody of Lost in SpaceLost in SpaceLost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
. It features Captain Link Hogthrob, Miss Piggy as first mate, and Dr. Julius Strangepork (the name a takeoff on "Dr. Strangelove"). Usually, the sketches would involve the long-suffering Piggy putting up with the wacko Strangepork and the brain dead Link treating her as an inferior because she is a woman. The early sketches also usually featured odd introductions for all the characters, such as calling Link the flappable captain, Miss Piggy the flirtatious first mate, and referring to Dr. Strangepork as 'describable.' Strangepork usually got the most unusual description out of the three during these introductions, as he was the oddest member of the group. This portion of the introduction was dropped during the third series, and the announcer would simply claim it was 'time for...Piiiiiigs...iiiin...spaaaaaaace!' - Swedish Chef – Cooking show parody. It consists of the Swedish ChefSwedish ChefThe Swedish Chef is a Muppet that appeared on The Muppet Show. He was operated by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously and is now puppeteered by Bill Barretta.-Character:...
, who speaks mock SwedishSwedish languageSwedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, semi-comprehensible gibberishGibberishGibberish is a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but carries no actual meaning. This meaning has also been extended to meaningless text or gobbledygook. The common theme in gibberish statements is a lack of literal sense, which can be described as a presence of nonsense...
which parodies the characteristic vowel sounds and intonation of Swedish. He attempts to cook a dish with great enthusiasm, until the punch line hits. A hallmark of these sketches was the improvisation between Jim Henson, who performed the Chef's head and voice, and Frank Oz, who was his hands. One would often make something up on the spot, making the other puppeteer comply with the action. Famous gags include "chickie in du baskie" ("two points!"), meatballs that bounce, chocolate "moose", attempting to cook Kermit's nephew and perhaps most famously, repeatedly adding pepper to a recipe. The chef was frequently seen chasing a fraught-looking chicken around the set whilst stating 'Yur puurt der chir-ken in der bewl' or words to this effect. - Veterinarian's Hospital – Parody of the soap opera General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
and other medical dramas, consisting of Dr. Bob (Rowlf) cracking corny jokes in the operating room with Nurses Piggy and Janice, much to the bemusement of the hapless patient. Each instalment ends with Dr. Bob and his nurses looking around in puzzlement as a disembodied narrator tells viewers to tune in next time to the "continuing stooory". On a number of occasions, the "Veterinarian's Hospital" sketch would crossover with the cast or set of another, such as "At the Dance" or "Pigs in Space." On one occasion, Dr. Bob was the patient while the guest star (Christopher Reeve) played a doctor going to operate on Dr. Bob. In the first series the narrator was usually voiced by John Lovelady, but Jerry Nelson performed the role in both the Harvey KormanHarvey KormanHarvey Herschel Korman was an American comedic actor who performed in television and movie productions beginning in 1960...
and Rita MorenoRita MorenoRita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
episodes, before taking over the role permanently from the Phyllis DillerPhyllis DillerPhyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
episode. In the introduction, Dr. Bob went from "a former orthopedic surgeon" to "a quack" who's "gone to the dogs."
Guest stars
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
appeared both on the show and in two specials (John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together and John Denver & the Muppets: Rocky Mountain Holiday). Additionally, several guest stars from the show had cameos in one of the first three Muppet theatrical films.
Many episodes featured people most British viewers had barely heard of at the time, such as Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
; some featured veteran performers like Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's...
and Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
; some featured well-known pop singers, including Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
. Sayer's show used his hit "The Show Must Go On": he changed the lyrics in the second verse slightly, from "I wish I could tear down the walls of this theatre" to "I wish I could tear down the walls of this Muppet theatre". The last episode, in 1981, featured then-James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
007 actor Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
.
When the show first started, the producers would call upon friends in the entertainment business. However, about half-way through the second series when Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
appeared, his appearance gave the show so much positive publicity, that other celebrities came to the producers instead of the other way around.
The Muppet Theater
The Muppet Theater is the setting for The Muppet Show -- a grand old vaudeville house that has seen better days. In episode 106, KermitKermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
identifies the name of the theater as The Donald McDonald Memorial Theater, although by the time of It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is a 2002 television film that aired on NBC on November 29, 2002. The film is directed by Kirk Thatcher, written by Tom Martin and Jim Lewis and stars the Muppets and was filmed at Lionsgate Studios. The film revolves a plot similar to "It's A Wonderful...
, it is simply called "The Muppet Theater." It is then that the theater becomes registered as a historical landmark.
According to The Phantom of the Muppet Theater, the theater was built by a stage actor named John Stone in 1802. At some point a production of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
ran in the theater, with Stone playing the title role. An alternate exterior is also shown in the book.
Locations seen in the Muppet Theater include backstage right(which includes Kermit's desk), the dressing rooms, the attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
, the canteen, the prop room, the stage, the house, the stage door lobby, and the back alley.
Scooter's
Scooter (Muppet)
Scooter is a bespectacled character from The Muppets. In The Muppet Show he was the troupe's backstage "gofer". He was originally performed by Richard Hunt.-Characteristics:...
uncle J.P. Grosse owns the theater, and rents it to the Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
, as Scooter is only too happy to remind Kermit. In a deleted scene from It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, Kermit reveals that J.P. has died and left the theater to the Muppets in his will. This would have taken place sometime after 1996, as J.P. can be seen (and referred to as such by the head of the KMUP network) in episode 107 of Muppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight is a live-action/puppet television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of The Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight was a continuation of The Muppet Show, set in a television studio, rather than a theater.-Format:The...
, the 1990s reworking of The Muppet Show.
Awards
The Muppet Show was nominated for a total of 21 Primetime Emmy AwardPrimetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
s, winning 4, including the 1978 award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series is a category in the Primetime Emmy Awards. It is awarded annually to the best variety show or similarly formatted program of the year....
. The programme was also nominated for 11 BAFTA Awards during its run, winning 2, and was presented with a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
in 1978.
Syndication
Reruns of The Muppet Show aired in syndication for many years and eventually turned up on TNTTurner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
from the channel's sign-on in 1988 to 1992. From 1992 to 1998, the show had aired reruns on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. From 1994 to 1996, reruns aired on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
. In 1999, the reruns moved to Odyssey Network
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
(which was co-owned by Henson's company), featuring new introductions by Brian Henson
Brian Henson
Brian Henson is an Academy Award-winning puppeteer, director, producer, and technician. The son of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson, Brian was born in New York City, New York....
, until Odyssey shut down Henson's half of the channel in 2001; the show has not been seen on American television since.
Outside the US, The Muppet Show and MuppeTelevison segments and Muppets Tonight were all put into an umbrella syndication package called The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour was a short-lived television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the popular Muppet characters. Only nine of the twelve episodes produced managed to air on NBC before the low-rated...
. Disney Channel UK picked up the original series from 2005-2007.
DVD releases
Time-LifeTime-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
began marketing 'best of' volumes of The Muppet Show for mail-order in 2001, with six initial volumes with 3 episodes on each DVD. Unique to each episode was an introduction by Jim Henson's son, Brian. Nine more volumes were added for 2002, the Muppet's 25th anniversary. The collection was available for retail in 2002 via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. It was established in November 1979 as Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment, releasing 20 titles: The Anderson Tapes, Bell, Book and Candle, Born Free, Breakout,...
by which time Time-Life had released its tenth volume. (There were five additional Time-Life 'best of' volumes released only on VHS.)
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the first season on DVD
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
in Region 1 on 9 August 2005. The rights to the episodes and characters used in The Muppet Show, and subsequent film outings, were bought in February 2004 by the Walt Disney Company.
Several songs were cut from the Season 1 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release due to music licensing issues. There have also been some cuts in the intro sequence, and backstage scenes leading up to these songs. However, episodes that used Disney music remained unaltered (for example, episode 14 of Season 1 used "Never Smile at a Crocodile" from Peter Pan
Peter Pan (1953 film)
Peter Pan is a 1953 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie. It is the fourteenth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and was originally released on February 5, 1953 by RKO Pictures...
).
- "Stormy Weather" (Joel GreyJoel GreyJoel Grey is an American stage and screen actor, singer, and dancer, best known for his role as the Master of Ceremonies in both the stage and film adaptation of the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret. He has won the Academy Award, Tony Award and Golden Globe Award...
episode) Sung by Wayne and Wanda; - "Gone with the Wind" (Jim NaborsJim NaborsJames Thurston "Jim" Nabors is an American actor and singer. Born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, Nabors moved to Southern California because of his asthma. While working at a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, he was discovered by Andy Griffith and later joined The Andy Griffith Show, playing...
episode) Sung by Jim Nabors; - "The Danceros" (Jim NaborsJim NaborsJames Thurston "Jim" Nabors is an American actor and singer. Born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, Nabors moved to Southern California because of his asthma. While working at a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, he was discovered by Andy Griffith and later joined The Andy Griffith Show, playing...
episode) Sung by The Danceros; - "All Of Me" (Paul WilliamsPaul Williams (songwriter)Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
episode) Sung by Two Monsters; - "Old Fashioned Way" (Charles AznavourCharles AznavourCharles Aznavour, OC is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world...
episode) Sung by Charles Aznavour with Mildred; - "You’ve Got A Friend" (Vincent PriceVincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
episode) Sung by Vincent Price, Uncle Deadly and a chorus of Muppet Monsters
The only uncut release of Season 1 on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
so far is the German DVD release by Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment division from 2010 (which also contains English audio). However, the intro and end credit sequences on this release are in German.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season One | 24 | 9 August 2005 |
|
| Season Two | 24 | 7 August 2007 |
Weezer Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992... & The Muppets (music video) |
| Season Three | 24 | 20 May 2008 |
|
| Season Four | 24 | TBA (announced but not yet released) |
Spin-offs
The Muppet Show characters went on to star in The Muppet MovieThe Muppet Movie
The Muppet Movie is the first of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Released in 1979, the film was produced by Henson Associates, Children's Television Workshop and ITC Entertainment....
, which was the first film to feature puppets interacting with humans in real-world locations, and later films such as The Great Muppet Caper
The Great Muppet Caper
The Great Muppet Caper is a 1981 mystery comedy film directed by Jim Henson. It is the second of a series of live-action musical feature films, starring Jim Henson's Muppets. This film was produced by Henson Associates, ITC Entertainment and Universal Pictures, and premiered on 26 July 1981. The...
, The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan is the third of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets, and also the final film before Henson's death. This film was produced by Henson Associates and TriStar Pictures, and was filmed on location in New York City during the summer of...
, The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 musical comedy film adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, directed by Brian Henson, produced by The Jim Henson Company, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
, Muppet Treasure Island
Muppet Treasure Island
Muppet Treasure Island is a 1996 American musical film based on Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It is the fifth feature film to star The Muppets and was directed by Jim Henson's son Brian Henson....
, Muppets from Space
Muppets from Space
Muppets from Space is a 1999 science fiction comedy film and the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot. The film was directed by Tim Hill, produced by Jim Henson Pictures, and released to theaters...
, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz is a 2005 musical telefilm directed by Kirk Thatcher and starring Ashanti and The Muppets. The film was produced by Bill Barretta and written by Debra Frank, Steve L. Hayes, Tom Martin, and Adam F...
and The Muppets
The Muppets (film)
The Muppets is a 2011 American musical and comedy film, and the first Muppets theatrical release in 12 years, as well as the first Disney-produced Muppets film since 1996's Muppet Treasure Island...
.
The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour was a short-lived television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the popular Muppet characters. Only nine of the twelve episodes produced managed to air on NBC before the low-rated...
featured many of the same characters, plus new and boldly different content. The Muppets appeared as toddlers in the long-running animated series Muppet Babies
Muppet Babies
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS. The show portrayed childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a large nursery in the care of a human woman called Nanny...
. The Muppet Show format was later revived as Muppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight is a live-action/puppet television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of The Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight was a continuation of The Muppet Show, set in a television studio, rather than a theater.-Format:The...
in 1996. The first 10 episodes aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
while the rest aired on The Disney Channel. Today, all three incarnations are syndicated together as a single package.
In 2005, the Muppets launched an award-winning webseries titled Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony
Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony
Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony is a multi-award–winning webshow starring the Muppet characters Statler and Waldorf which ran biweekly on Movies.com from June 2005 until September 2006. The series spawned more than 35 episodes and featured many Muppet characters — both well-known classics and...
. The biweekly webshow created new episodes for 15 months on movies.com
Movies.com
Movies.com is a website in the Fandango family, operated by Comcast. It was acquired from Disney in June 2008. It is the second-most visited movie-related website, second only to IMDb. The website has information about movies, upcoming movies, and theater information...
and starred Statler and Waldorf along with many other popular Muppet characters from their theater box from The Muppet Show. Each episode featured the duo as they discuss upcoming films, watch movie trailers and share the week's "balconism".
There is talk of a new revival of the format, with FOX being the initial serious contender. Disney considered using the America's Next Muppet
America's Next Muppet
America's Next Muppet was a planned six-episode mini-series, which ABC announced in 2005 it was purchasing. The mini-series was going to be produced by The Jim Henson Company for Disney, and was going to be a direct parody of America's Next Top Model...
mini-series to test the viability of a full-fledged series.
The hit Broadway and West End Musical Avenue Q
Avenue Q
Avenue Q is a musical in two acts, conceived by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who wrote the music and lyrics. The book was written by Jeff Whitty and the show was directed by Jason Moore and produced by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, and Jeffrey Seller...
is loosely based on The Muppets as well as Sesame Street but is required to provide disclaimers stating that it has nothing to do with the characters, particularly due to the musical's adult theme.
The Muppets were brought back in 2008 for a short on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
called Studio DC: Almost Live
Studio DC: Almost Live
Studio DC: Almost Live is a special for the Disney Channel. The special is a half-hour variety show that features both the Muppets and Disney Channel stars performing comedy sketches and musical numbers together. The style is similar to that of the original Muppet Show in that it features mayhem...
.
On Disney Junior
Disney Junior
Disney Junior is a current program block on Disney Channel and an upcoming American basic cable and satellite television network intended to replace SOAPnet in February 2012. It began airing on February 14, 2011, replacing Playhouse Disney....
, they launched on February 14, 2011.
For the muppets.com channel on Disney Xtreme Digital, over 100 new, web-exclusive sketches have been produced as of January 2009, including a muppet performed version of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
.
The Muppet Show Comic Book began publication in 2009 written and drawn by Roger Langridge
Roger Langridge
Roger Langridge is a New Zealand-born comics writer/artist/letterer, currently living in Britain.-Biography:Langridge originally came to public prominence most notably with the Judge Dredd Megazine series The Straitjacket Fits , a surreal, hallucinatory, convention-bending strip set in an insane...
and published by Boom! Studios
Boom! Studios
BOOM! Studios is an American comic book company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. The "BOOM!" in BOOM! Studios is always capitalized by the company.-History:BOOM! was founded June 22, 2005 with Zombie Tales #1....
.
In 2006, the first French private TV network TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
, with Walt Disney Television
Walt Disney Television
Walt Disney Television was the former name of the television production division of The Walt Disney Company.-History:It was formed in 1983, as the Walt Disney Pictures Television Division, the name was later shortened to Walt Disney Television in the mid-1980s...
, produced a French version of the show called "Muppets TV" with original Muppets and French guest stars. Low ratings cancelled the programme after only a few months.
In the 2011 Children in Need special
Children in Need 2011
Children in Need 2011 is a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. 2011 marked the 31st anniversary of the appeal which culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One which began on the evening of Friday 18th November and ran until the early hours of Saturday 19th...
, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy make a brief appearance for the original song Mah Nà Mah Nà
Mah Nà Mah Nà
"Mah Nà Mah Nà" is a popular song written by Piero Umiliani. It originally appeared in the Italian film Sweden: Heaven and Hell . It was a minor radio hit in the U.S...
with various guests and presenters.
Radio shows
The cast of The Muppet Show appeared on the Kenny EverettKenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
show at lunchtime on Capital Radio in 1976.
See also
- Adult puppeteeringAdult puppeteeringAdult puppeteering is the use of puppets in contexts aimed at adult audiences. Serious theatrical pieces can use puppets, either for aesthetic reasons, or to achieve special effects that would not otherwise be possible with human actors...
- Le Bébête ShowLe Bébête ShowLe Bébête Show was a satirical puppet show shown on French television. The show was introduced in Stéphane Collaro's Collaroshow on channel TF1, before becoming a daily broadcast. Major French political figures were designed by artists: Alain Duverne, Jacques Loup, Jean-Yves Grall.....
- List of television programs
- "Mah Nà Mah NàMah Nà Mah Nà"Mah Nà Mah Nà" is a popular song written by Piero Umiliani. It originally appeared in the Italian film Sweden: Heaven and Hell . It was a minor radio hit in the U.S...
" - Meet The FeeblesMeet the FeeblesMeet the Feebles is a 1989 black comedy film directed by Peter Jackson. It features Jim Henson-esque puppets in a perverse comic satire. Like Henson's Muppets, the Feebles are animal-figured puppets assembled together as members of a theatre troupe...
- Muppet BabiesMuppet BabiesJim Henson's Muppet Babies is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS. The show portrayed childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a large nursery in the care of a human woman called Nanny...
- Palisades ToysPalisades ToysPalisades Entertainment, LLC, better known as Palisades Toys, was a manufacturing and distributing toy & collectibles company geared toward the adult collector market...
- Sam PottleSam PottleSam Pottle was an American composer, conductor, and musical director involved in many theatrical and television productions. He is perhaps best remembered for his work on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, having co-written the now-famous theme song for the latter...
- The Muppet Show (album)The Muppet Show (album)The Muppet Show is the first soundtrack album released from the TV show of the same name. It reached number one in the UK Albums Chart in the week ending 25 June 1977.-Overview:...
- The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and MoreThe Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and MoreThe Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More is a Muppets soundtrack/compilation album released in 2002 by Rhino. Its release commemorates the 25th anniversary of The Muppet Show. Although the disc is considered a Muppets Show and Muppets soundtrack collection, it includes two tracks that originated on...
(audio CD) - Muppets: The Green AlbumMuppets: The Green AlbumMuppets: The Green Album is a cover album of popular Muppet songs by various contemporary music artists. The album was released by Walt Disney Records on August 23, 2011 on CD and as a digital download in the iTunes Store....
External links
- "Of Muppets and Men," a 1981 documentary on the making of the show
- The Jim Henson Works at the University of Maryland 70+ digital videos available to students, scholars and visitors at the University of Maryland (College Park, MD)
- A chart of muppet characters arranged by performer