Bill Barretta

 William   Pa u l  "  Bill  "  Barretta  (b . June 1 9  t h,  1 9 6 4  ) has been performing with the  Jim Henson   Company  since  1 99 1  & has become  1  of the leading  Muppet   performer s.

Originally from Yardley ,  Pennsylvania  , Barretta was trained at The Neighborhood Playhouse in  New York City  as an actor & has appeared in the feature films  Murder   in   the   1  s t  &  Born   to   B e   Wild . He also worked as a carpenter before joining Henson. He met Brian Henson  while they were both working a t  SESAME   Place , & the  younger Henson  encouraged him to join the  Company.

His 1  st break came performing the body of  Earl Sinclair  on  Dinosaur s . Barretta, fr om suit performance , transitioned to assist in g & supporting roles in  The Animal Show  , playing multiple small character   roles  in  Muppet Classic Theater  &  Mr . Willowby ' s Christ mas Tr ee  , & made his film debut as a principal  performer  in the  1 99 6   movie   Muppet Treasure Is la n d  playing  Clueless Morgan . He later developed a whole bunch of new characters  on  Muppets Tonight , which include  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Bobo the Bear  &  Johnny Fiama .

As well as having his own Muppet   character s ,  Barretta  h as take n over several o f  JIM HENSON  ’s main  character s  , name ly  the Swedish Chef  ,  Mahna Mahna  ,  Rowlf the Dog  , &  Dr . Teeth . Most recently, he has also take n on the role of Louie  ,  Elmo  ’ s  dad  , in  Sesame  Beginning s .

In addition, Barretta has serve d as a produce r  for  It ' s a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie  &  The Muppet s ' Wizard of Oz  , & c o - t h e screen play of t h e  Creature Shop  film  Jack &amp; the Beans talk : The Real Story  ( appearing on camera as Thunderdell ).

 Barretta  directed  a test pilot f or t he  Ame r i ca ' s Next Muppet  pitch &  directed  another  presentation pilot  featuring  the Muppets  i n  mock   documentary  style, focusing on  the Muppets  ' efforts to launch a network television series. The next presentation pilot was written & produced by Bill Prady  & featured puppetry by Barretta,  Dave Goelz  ,  Steve Whitmire  &  Eric Jacobson .

In the latest production,  The Muppets  , Bill Barretta was not only a major performer  but also acted as  Muppet  Captain.

Muppeteer Credit s

 *  Barretta  ’ s primary Muppet   character s  :


 *  Rowlf the Dog  :  Muppet s Tonight  episode 2  (  1 9 9 6  ) - present


 *  JIM HENSON  : Prina Dog  Commercials (  1 9 6 2  ) -  The Muppets at Walt Disney World  (  1 99 0  ) (  taken from u s  on Wednesday, May  1 6  th ,  1 99 0  )
 *  The Swedish Chef  :  Muppet Treasure Is la n d  ( 1 99 6  ) - present


 *  JIM HENSON  :  The Muppet Show : Sex &amp; Violence  ( 1 9 7 5  ) -  The Muppets at Walt Disney World  (  1 99 0  ) (  taken from u s  on Wednesday, May  1 6  th ,  1 99 0  )
 *  Mahna Mahna  :  The Muppet Show Live  ( 2001  ) - present


 *  JIM HENSON  :  SESAME STREET  Season 1  (  1 9 6 9  ) -  The Muppet Show  (  1 9 7 6  ) (  taken from u s  on Wednesday, May  1 6  th ,  1 99 0  )
 *  Dr . Teeth  :  The Muppets ' Wizard o f Oz  ( 2 00 5  ) - present


 *  JIM HENSON  :  The Muppet Show : Sex &amp; Violence  ( 1 9 7 5  ) -  The Muppets at Walt Disney World  (  1 99 0  ) (  taken from u s  on Wednesday, May  1 6  th ,  1 99 0  )
 *  JOHN KENNEDY  :  Muppets on Location : Days o f Swine &amp; Rose s  ( 1991  ),  Muppet Treasure I s la n d   video game  (  1 9 9 6  ) ,  Muppet s from Sp ace  (  1 999  ) ,  Muppet R ace Mania  video game (  2 000  ) ,  W e A re Fam ily  music video (  2 00 2  ) ,  Muppet s Party Cruise  video game (  2 00 3  )
 *  Pepe t h e King Prawn  (  Muppets Tonight  ( 1 99 6  ) - present )
 *  Bobo the Bear  (  Muppets Tonight  ( 1 99 6  ) - present )
 *  Johnny Fi ama  (  Muppets Tonight  ( 1 99 6  ) - present )
 *  Big Mean Carl  (  Muppets Tonight  ( 1 99 6  ) - present )
 * 1 of the  Elvises
 * Bubba the Rat
 * Zippity Zap
 *  SE SAME STREET  : Bip Bippadotta  (  EPISODE 4 2 0 3  )
 *  Dinosaurs  : Earl Sinclair  ( body )
 *  Muppet s on Wheels 
 *  The Animal Show  : Armstrong the Chicken Hawk ,  Bubba t he Walrus  ,  Dave the Human  ,  Jake  ( right h an d ) , various guest animals including  Tommy the Thomson's Gazelle  ,  Sly the Crocodile  ,  Eugene the Hunting Dog  ,  Randall the Zebra  ,  Frankie t he Wildebeest  ,  Slick t he Sea Lion  , Lenny the Crocodile ,  Guffrey t he Vulture  ,  Octavio the Octopus  ,  Lamont the Sloth  ,  Jared the Tiger  ,  Rudy the Spider  ,  Johnny the Wolf  ,  Vernon the Grizzly Bear  , Baby Bear ( voice over ) ,  Gabi the Gila Monster  ,  Rocky the Bighorn Sheep  ,  Humphrey the Badger  ,  Lazlo the Hyena  , Nemets t he Ant , Bufo the Toad ,  Travis the African Buffalo  ,  Milton the Blue - Footed Booby  ,  D ' kembe t he Gemsbok  ,  Rudy the Road runner  ,  Custer the Bison  ,  Dullard the Aardvark  ,  Cornelius the Crab  ,  Timothy t he Owl  ,  Paul t he Pelican  ,  Stanley the Mouse  ,  Frankie the Crocodile  ,  Mel t h e Lemur  ,  Max t he Wasp  ,  Bart t h e Coyote  ,  Galahad the Grass hopper Mouse  ,  Larry the Fish  ,  Charlie t he Chamois  ,  Julius the Spoonbill  ,  Quincy the Flying Squirrel  ,  Kyle the Secretary Bird  &  Malcolm the Lion
 *  Muppet Treasure Is la nd  : Clueless Morgan ,  Flaubert  ,  Blind Pew  ( hand s ) ,  Pigs  ,  Angel Marie  ,  Mud well t he Mud bunny  ,  Mr . Bitte  ,  the Swedish Chef 
 *  Things That Fly  : Balloon Salesman Whatnot, Pigs  , Pilot , Slick
 *  Muppets To night  : The AL - 1995 Plus Tax ,  Baby George  ,  Carla the Big Mean Mom  ,  David Hoggselhoff  ,  Dr . Phil van Neuter  ( hand s only ) ,  Rowlf the Dog 
 *  The Wubbulous World o f Dr . Seuss  : Uncle Berklummer
 *  Muppet s from Space  : Lead - singing Alien Gonzo ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Bobo the Bear  &  Rowlf the Dog 
 *  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land  : Additional performer
 *  Kermit  ' s Swamp Year s  : Croaker ,  Horace D ' Fly
 *  It ' s a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie  :  Lew Zealand ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Rowlf the Dog  &  Bobo the Bear 
 *  The Muppets ' Wizard o f O z  :  Pepe the King Prawn ,  Lew Zealand  ,  Dr . Teeth 
 *  SESAME  Beginning s  : Louie
 *  Disney Xtreme Digital  : Bigger Burger Drive Thru Man, Topo Sticky  ,  Pickles ( alligator )
 *  Studio D C : Almost Live !  :  Dr . Teeth ,  Pepe the King Prawn  &  the Swedish Chef 
 *  A Muppet s Christ mas : Letters t o San ta  :  Bobo t he Bear , Husband Pigeon  ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Rowlf the Dog  ,  the Swedish Chef  ,  Dr . Teeth 
 *  Fami lies Stand Together  : Louie
 * Muppet viral videos
 * Bohemian Rhap sody :  Dr . Teeth ,  Mahna Mahna  ,  Pepe the King Prawn  &  the Swedish Chef 
 *  Christ mas in Rocke feller Center  :  Dr . Teeth  &  Pepe the King Prawn 
 *  The Muppet s  :  Rowlf the Dog ,  the Swedish Chef  ,  Mahna Mahna  ,  D r . Teeth  ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Bobo the Bear  , Muppet   Gary  ,  Behemoth  ,  Hobo Muppet  ,  Singing Food  in "  Me Party  "
 *  Muppet s Most Wanted  :  Rowlf the Dog ,  the Swedish Chef  ,  Mahna Mahna  ,  D r . Teeth  ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Bobo the Bear 
 *  Lady Gaga &amp; t h e Muppet s ' Holiday Spectacular  :  Rowlf the Dog ,  the Swedish Chef  ,  Dr . Teeth  ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Bobo the Bear 
 *  The Muppet s : Operation STS ( Save the Swamp )  :  Rowlf the Dog ,  t he Swedish Chef  ,  Mahna Mahna  ,  Dr . Teeth  ,  Pepe the King Prawn  ,  Bobo the Bear  ,  Cousin Frogger 
 *  Muppet Moment s ( sh o rt s )  -  Pepe the King Prawn ,  Bobo the Bear  ,  Rowlf the Dog 

Production credit s

 *  Dinosaur s , " A N ew Leaf  " - choreographer , with  Leif Tilden  , of "  I t ' s a Most  UN  usual Day  "
 * Long John Silver ' s commercials -  direct or
 *  It ' s a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie  - stage director
 *  It ' s a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie  - produce r
 *  Jack  &amp; t he Bean stalk : The Real Story  - c o - write r
 *  The Muppet s ' Wizard of Oz  - produce r
 *  Tinseltown  - executive produce r ,  write r  ,  direct or
 *  T he Muppet s  - associate produce r ,  The Muppet s  captain

Trivia

 *  Barretta  attended S t . Mary ' s Hall in Burlington, New Jersey
 * Barretta, in addition to his puppeteering , has provided several episodic character voices on the Disney Channel  animated series  Kim Possible .
 * Bill is the brother of Gene Barretta.
 * Barretta met  Jim Henson  twice ; once at  SESAME  Place , where he helped  JIM  find t h e auto mate d character s & later at his a part ment.
 *  Rowlf  talked about Barretta i n 2 00 1  : "  Bill   Barretta  ? That name sure is familiar, but  I  can ' t quite place him . . . O h , wait a second , is that the fellow w h o give s  me  a lift n o w & t h e n ? S ure ! Great guy - funny , creative , &  I  can beat him at card s . What ' s no t to li ke ? "
 * Characters of  Jim Henson  ' s Bill Barretta has now  performed  once or consistently are :


 *  Rowlf the Dog  :  Muppets Tonight  Episode 1 0 2  (  1 99 6  ) - present )
 *  T he Swedish Chef  :  Muppet Treasure I s la n d  ( 1 99 6  ) - present )
 *  Mahna Mahna  :  The Muppet Show Live  ( 2 00 1  ) - present
 *  Dr . Teeth  :  The Muppets ' Wizard o f Oz  ( 2 00 5  ) - present )
 *  Bip Bippadotta  :  SESAME STREET   EPISODE 4 2 0 3  ( 2 00 9  ) )

External L ink s

 * The Muppet Mind set interview Part 1, P art 2 , Part 3

External l ink s

 * BILL BARRETTA o n I M D b